There has been little news on the NFL lockout situation since the lockout became official on Friday afternoon, and updates likely won’t be as frequent as they were leading up to the CBA deadline. Now that both sides have made the lockout official, neither side has an incentive to move fast or to capitulate more than they already have. In fact, there may be little progress until we start getting closer to the season and the owners start to feel the financial effects of the lockout hit their wallets.
At the moment, the only real news is that the owners have discarded one of their most unpopular demands: an 18-game season. While more games means more money for owners, the players are extremely opposed to expanding the schedule, as there are already a large amount of injuries in only 16 games. Adding another two games would be detrimental to the health of many players, while doing little to impact their paychecks.
Otherwise, it appears that both sides are buckling down for a long fight. The NFL Player’s Association has already issued a document to players on ways to save money, and some players are already considering playing other sports to help pass the time.
In other words, don’t expect an end to the lockout anytime soon. More than likely, we’re in for the long haul.