2008 Season is Back!
Alright fans, get your ticket refunds ready, the 2008 season is back on! It seems the NLL and the PLPA have finally come to an agreement.
Shortly after the cancelation announcement last week there were rumours circulating that both parties had begun negotiating again. Reaction to the rumour of renewed talks was mixed, with some saying it was in preparation for 2009, and others hoping it was to salvage this season. Looks like the faithful won this round.
Detaills on the new CBA haven’t been disclosed yet but here is what we know so far, based on various sources:
- the CBA is a 7 year agreement, with opt-out options for either side after the fifth year
- the owners have agreed to revenue sharing, based on average ticket revenue, bonus, and promotional money
- veteran-maximum salary and franchise players receive a 5% pay increase each year, rookies and veteran-minimum salary players get 6%
- the league will give $100,000 to the PLPA for use as player benefits until the previous CBA dispute has been settled
NLL Commissioner Jim Jennings will be hosting a live chat on NLL.com on Monday, starting at 6pm EST.
As a quick sidenote, it seems Jennings and the owners received a lot of feedback — he mentioned 1,000 in one interview — from fans regarding the cancelation. I’m not sure what percentage was civil but it looks like the fans really stepped up to the plate. It’s also great to know that the owners and league took us into consideration.