NFLPA issues challenge to structure of NFL television deals

Football Betting Lines

06/09/2010 - New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The National Football League Player's Association has initiated a legal challenge to the NFL's agreement with television networks, which allows the league to reap payments even if no games are played.

In a complaint submitted to special master Stephen Burbank at the University of Pennsylvania, the NFLPA contends that the league breached its fiduciary duties to the players by strengthening its bargaining position via what amounts to "lockout insurance" during the 2011 season, which could involve a work stoppage unless the league and player's union agree to new terms on a collective bargaining agreement. The union is also contending that the league failed to "use its best efforts in good faith to maximize total revenues from DirecTV, Fox, CBS and NBC," in the last round of TV contract negotiations.

It is estimated that the league stands to receive $4 billion from the networks in 2011, whether games take place or not.

"It appears that the owners bought a strategy to lock players and fans out and nonetheless financially protect themselves," said Baltimore Ravens cornerback Domonique Foxworth, a member of the NFLPA's Executive Committee, in a statement released Wednesday. "The players want to leave no stone unturned to make sure that CBA negotiations proceed in good faith and that next season is played in its entirety."

Since the issue was first raised by NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith in the days leading up to the Super Bowl, the league has contended that the network contract provisions represent a loan that would help allow the league to operate during a lockout, as opposed to profits.

"The networks aren't going to hand over larger amounts of money to us, and if they don't get a product [in return] tell us to go ahead and keep that money," NFL general counsel Jeff Pash told NBCSports.com. "We will have to give it back to them and take reductions about what we get from them in future years."

According to nflplayers.com, the NFLPA is asking that the Special Master, appointed to hear such cases after the NFL settled the Reggie White Class Action in 1993, find that its rights have been violated, to award damages and to place the NFL's "lockout funding" in an escrow account in order to prevent the NFL from using any of that money during any work stoppage.

"The television contracts that the union attacked today were agreed to during the worst economy in our lifetimes," the NFL said in a statement. "Far from failing to maximize revenue, the contracts grew league revenue to fund higher player salaries and benefits. No wonder DeMaurice Smith said publicly this year, 'My hat's off to Roger Goodell. Television is locked up until 2014 to the tune of about $5 billion a year.' The union's meritless charges, including many inaccuracies, will be addressed in the proper forum, but they are simply a distraction and do nothing to get us any closer to a new CBA."

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Out west, 22nd-ranked Arizona State will be battling for their first victory over 21st-ranked California since 2000. Although the Golden Bears are listed as 7.5-point favorites, the Sun Devils are 3-0, lead the nation in sacks with 18 and possess the Pac-10's leading passer in sophomore quarterback Rudy Carpenter.

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NCAA Football betting lines (home team in CAPS)
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Date Favorite Opponent Point Spread
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Sept 21 GEORGIA TECH Virginia 17
Sept 22 NEVADA Northwestern 6.5
Sept 23 MICHIGAN Wisconsin 14
Sept 23 Minnesota PURDUE 3
Sept 23 SYRACUSE Miami (Ohio) 6.5
Sept 23 MISSOURI Ohio 21.5
Sept 23 Louisville KANSAS STATE 14
Sept 23 TENNESSEE Marshall 22
Sept 23 CLEMSON North Carolina 16.5
Sept 23 FLORIDA Kentucky 24
Sept 23 Iowa ILLINOIS 20.5
Sept 23 FLORIDA STATE Rice 30.5
Sept 23 AUBURN Buffalo 41.5
Sept 23 BOWLING GREEN Kent 7
Sept 23 NAVY Tulsa 4.5
Sept 23 VIRGINIA TECH Cincinnati 27
Sept 23 BYU Utah State 29
Sept 23 OHIO STATE Penn State 16.5
Sept 23 TEXAS Iowa State 25
Sept 23 Washington State STANFORD 10
Sept 23 CALIFORNIA Arizona State 7.5
Sept 23 UCLA WASHINGTON 3
Sept 23 INDIANA Connecticut 1.5
Sept 23 Central Michigan EASTERN MICHIGAN 4
Sept 23 WYOMING Air Force 1
Sept 23 UTEP NEW MEXICO 9.5
Sept 23 West Virginia EAST CAROLINA 21
Sept 23 Boston College NORTH CAROLINA STATE 7
Sept 23 GEORGIA Colorado 27
Sept 23 ARKANSAS Alabama 1.5
Sept 23 BAYLOR Army 11
Sept 23 WESTERN MICHIGAN Temple 28
Sept 23 MISSISSIPPI Wake Forest 2.5
Sept 23 KANSAS South Florida 5.5
Sept 23 TEXAS A&amp;M Louisiana Tech 23.5
Sept 23 UAB Mississippi State 9.5
Sept 23 LSU Tulane 36
Sept 23 Utah SAN DIEGO STATE 6.5
Sept 23 BOISE STATE Hawaii 15
Sept 23 Notre Dame MICHIGAN STATE 3
Sept 23 USC ARIZONA U 22
Sept 23 Oklahoma State HOUSTON 1
Sept 23 OREGON STATE Idaho 23
Sept 23 OKLAHOMA Middle Tennessee State 29
Sept 23 MARYLAND Florida International 18.5
Sept 23 AKRON North Texas 17.5
Sept 23 SOUTH CAROLINA Florida Atlantic 29.5
Sept 23 NEBRASKA Troy 23
Sept 23 SMU Arkansas State 6

For complete NCAA football odds and World Series odds please visit MySportsbook.com