Next steps in the lockout

Tip to Kuharsky, Tim Graham looks at what happens next

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  • This isn’t about 18-game seasons or a rookie wage scale. The league and its players might already have an agreement if those were the primary issues. Owners want to redefine what revenues they share with players. They want some of the money players are getting to help cover costs associated with building and maintaining stadiums and facilities. Owners see these expenditures as good for the game. Players see them as good for owners’ wallets. Once the sides agree on what goes into the revenue pie, they can work out percentage breakdowns.

   

  • No agreement means no free agency. The CBA determines qualifications for reaching free agency. In the past, players with at least four accrued seasons could become unrestricted free agents. Nearly 500 players would qualify under those guidelines this offseason, but only if there is an agreement. Those players could have no prospects without a new CBA. Teams hoping to upgrade their rosters could be stuck