NFL Owners Join CBA Talks with Referees

The NFL and NFLRA have resumed collective bargaining negotiations, with league owners now part of the league's delegation. The inclusion of owners from the Management Council Executive Committee and Competition Committee comes after previous talks stalled when the NFLRA claimed the league's negotiators lacked authority.

The two sides remain far apart on compensation terms. The NFL has offered approximately 6.45% annual compensation growth over six years, while the NFLRA is seeking over 10%, plus $2.5 million in marketing fees and improved healthcare benefits. With replacement officials being recruited and training clinics set to begin May 1, the 2012 replacement-referee debacle looms as a possibility if negotiations fail.