Owners set for no football in 2011

NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith sees new signs that owners are preparing for a football-free 2011.

With support from Packers quarterback nfl jersey
Aaron Rodgers(notes), he asked fans to take the players’ side.

Speaking at a tailgate-style football jerseyfan luncheon a few blocks from Lambeau Field on Tuesday, Smith referred to a recent Sports Business Journal report that said the NFL is requiring nfl football jerseybanks that lend money to its teams to extend grace periods for loan defaults through the end of the 2011 season in the event of a lockout.

“That to me is a step pittsburgh steelers jerseywhere the owners are protecting themselves in the event that there is no season,” Smith said.

Smith said that move, tennessee titans jerseyalong with provisions in television deals that provide for some payments even if there is a lockout, are evidence that owners are planning for the possibility that there won’t be a season in 2011.

NFL spokesman dallas cowboys jerseyGreg Aiello noted that the players are going through the process of approvingnew orleans saints jersey the potential decertification of their union, a move that could be seen as preparing for protracted negotiations.

“There are many preparations taking place, including the union preparing to decertify and go new york giants jerseyout of business,” Aiello said. “Our focus is on negotiating a new agreement with the union. The longer it goes, the tougher it will be San Francisco 49ers jersey
and we are not sure if this union plans on continuing to be a union.”