If you were an online betting at BetUs player with a wager on the lockout being a short one that could be settled quickly, you likely won’t be happy with a story that is slowly but surely making its way around the internet. The players have tried to get together with the owners in order to spark negotiations, and the answer wasn’t surprising, but it’s definitely worrying.
Word is that the owners declined an invitation from the players to go back to the bargaining table at the end of March, as they wouldn’t agree to details stating that the settlement of the lockout and/or antitrust cases would have no bearing on the case of the decertification of the players’ union, which is a separate matter. All this really says is what a lot of people (but not enough) have been saying and thinking since the discussions about a lockout really started: the owners in the NFL are prepared to sit and wait out the players to get what they want, and they’re not interested in the art of negotiation.
So what does this mean? It means the likelihood of having a season is decreasing more and more by the day as long as the two sides aren’t even talking. The players said they would play this season as the two negotiated a new CBA, but the owners declined and are now resorting to strong-arm tactics. This could be retaliation by the owners, who can’t be happy that the players fought and won a decision that would keep them from collecting money on television deals even if there was a lockout (and in one case, the owners would get more money if there was a lockout). But one thing is for sure: it is going to be a long time before this is sorted out.
