This is true for the four major sports leagues in the United States, including the FL and NBA. Lu Ke unfortunately missed it, and Curry became one of them.
In the United States, the NFL is the undisputed leader, and the other three leagues almost follow its lead. Therefore, any disturbance in the NFL will inevitably affect the interests of the other three major leagues. The same is true this year. On March 11, the NFL officially announced its suspension and entered a period of stagnation in salary negotiations. The suspension of the largest interest group in the United States triggered a tsunami-like chain reaction.
The roots of the NFL lockout should be traced back to three years ago, on August 20, 2008. On this day, Gene Upsha passed away.
For the NFL players, they not only lost a former top left guard, two-time Super Bowl winner, and a generation star of the Oakland Raiders; more importantly, they lost an excellent leader. Since becoming the president of the Players Association in 1983, Upshaw has devoted all his life to fighting for more benefits for the players.
Although in the two negotiations with the team in 1987 and 1993, due to errors in timing, the players union missed many rights and opportunities and was passive, so that the entire league has been paying for it since then, but Upshaw has learned a lesson and become a vital figure in the league.
Over the course of twenty-five years, he helped hundreds of retired players secure pensions, and he changed many provisions of the collective bargaining agreement, forcing team owners to use more of their earnings each season to give back to players. .
There is no doubt that in the history of the NFL, his great achievements can be regarded as among the top ranks; and in his negotiations with the team and the league, he is always tough but wise, and always fights for more rights for the players. .
In just a few days after Upshaw's death, the owners of the NFL's thirty-two teams voted. According to the labor agreement at the time, they chose not to set a salary cap for the 2010 season, and such so-called "sacrifice" would be replaced by The collective bargaining agreement will be terminated early after the 2011 season.
In other words, teams and players must sign a new collective bargaining agreement. For the team owners, Upshaw's death means that the players' union will fall into a state of leaderlessness. The chaotic union cannot resist the strength of the bosses. This also makes the bosses inevitably have to negotiate a new labor agreement. Will have the absolute upper hand——
Everyone is ready to redivide the cake.
In just two years, the newly appointed chairman DeMaurice-Smith tried his best to mediate, but his ability was ultimately unable to match Upshaw's strong influence. He was never able to complete the connection as quickly as possible and integrate with the team. The bosses started negotiations. In early 2011, after the Super Bowl ended in February, the bosses' wishful thinking was steadily implemented as planned.
Like all shutdown processes, the two sides went through a long but similar process: negotiation, veto, changing the minimum limit, negotiation again, and veto again. Then the bosses announced the shutdown and announced to all players:
"The league is suspended. Now the players have no games and no money to make. Moreover, during this period, it is best not to look for side jobs. If you are injured, the existing contract will be wiped out after the suspension is over."
In the end, the two sides broke up and reached a deadlock.
On March 11, negotiations between the two sides broke down again, and the NFL announced that it had officially entered a lockout period.
In fact, there have been countless shutdowns in the history of American professional sports, but one law has never changed, and that is: the boss always has the upper hand.
Because in the final analysis, after the lockout, those billionaire owners are patient enough and can wait slowly for their biggest expenditure-player wages, because the lockout can temporarily stop payment, and other costs are just a drop in the bucket for them.
But the players are different. Salary is their entire income, and advertising costs have also fallen into a quagmire with the deadlock of the game. After the shutdown is extended, they will be unable to hold on any longer. After all, there are still a handful of superstars in the league who can stand at the top of the pyramid.
But the 2011 NFL was a special case, and this time, the players had the upper hand.
In the end, after only one hundred and thirty-two days, the lockout came to an end before the start of the new season. Even the preseason games had no impact. It could be said to be calm because all the players were united. Challenged team owners.
After the players union negotiations were terminated, the NFL players withdrew the players union license, which meant that they did not have to solve the problem through the union, and then sued the local court with their personal power, allowing the power of the law to promote the stalled negotiations.
More importantly, the players clearly know that the NFL is currently the most profitable sports league in the world. Although they do not know how rich the bosses are who make money every day, one thing is for sure. , and they will not just watch all their profits go down the drain.
Originally, the players were at a disadvantage, but this time they took on the right tough stance during the lockout:
First, they are not greedy, they are just fighting for the benefits they deserve and winning sympathy from public opinion; second, the bosses’ actions during the entire negotiation process in the past two years have been labeled as "stingy" and "secret". "Operation" label, which provides the media with more explosive points.
Therefore, when the Minnesota District Court forced the NFL to restart negotiations after consecutive hearings, in fact, the players had already won. In the past, players could only speak when the boss nodded; now, they have won the possibility of equal dialogue. In the end, both parties achieved a win-win situation and signed a contract valid for ten years.
According to the new agreement, the team owners will receive 52% of the annual income, while the players will receive 48%. In the previous collective bargaining agreement, the owners received only 4%. Seventeen, this is also the basis for the bosses to gnash their teeth. The increase in income percentage is undoubtedly the most satisfying point for the bosses.
From this aspect, the bosses achieved victory in the negotiations, and Upshaw's death still had a huge impact after all.
But the players also got what they wanted. The team must increase the salary cap. The new upper limit is US$120 million; at the same time, it must also spend US$20 million as player benefits. Raising the salary cap means most players won't have their salaries cut and will get more guaranteed contracts.
This is the most direct and urgent need for the players.
Therefore, when NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Players Association President DeMaurice Smith jointly announced, "Football is back!" It was a victory for the team and the players.
So, who loses?
Rookies.
Both the team and the players have won their own interests, and the wool must come from the sheep. This group of lambs to be slaughtered are rookies.
In this negotiation, the interests of the rookie players were completely betrayed. This was also a concession made by the players to the powerful team owner.
Under the latest agreement, draft players' first contracts can only be worth half of their previous contracts. Last year's No. 1 pick, Sam Bradford, easily received a six-year, $78 million rookie contract, including $50 million in guaranteed contracts; while this year's No. 1 pick, Cam Newton Only four years and 22 million, the contrast is too obvious.
In addition, the reduction in the amount of rookie contracts also affects agents' income. According to the new agreement, the agent's commission for rookie players has been reduced from the original 3% to 2%.
Those who are sacrificed always have no voice.
However, the positive factor is that as long as rookie players can perform well, their income will increase exponentially after they leave the rookie contract. Overall, team owners have gained more income, but the increase in the salary cap has also given players more salary space. It is indeed a win-win for both parties.
July has just begun, and the NFL lockout has officially ended. It has almost no impact on this year's season, except for canceling the Hall of Fame showdown in the annual warm-up game.
In other words, as an undrafted rookie who had just joined the league, Lu Ke had not been able to find a team that accepted him. The lockout was over, so Lu Ke was not involved at all.
But Curry is different.
After witnessing the success of the NFL lockout, the NBA, which is also facing the expiration of the labor agreement this year, has also followed suit.
On May 27, 2011, the NBA Players Union officially submitted a lawsuit to the U.S. Labor Arbitration Agency, accusing the NBA of using intimidation and threats in the new labor negotiations to force the Players Union to sign new contracts that were unfavorable to the players. The two parties subsequently held several negotiations, but ultimately failed to reach a consensus. Finally, the lockout officially entered on July 1.
What’s interesting is that the NBA closely followed the footsteps of the NFL, and even the strategies adopted during the lockout were basically the same. In the end, seeing the NFL achieve gratifying results, the NBA also injected a shot in the arm, looking forward to winning more. Player interests.
However, when the NFL lockout ended, ESPN sports experts pointed out:
The NFL's case does not apply to the NBA. Fans should not think that the NBA will borrow the NFL's model to usher in a Hollywood-style fairy tale ending. Because throughout the entire lockout process in the NFL, the advantage has always been in the hands of the players, but in the NBA battle, the bosses are die-hard and refuse to make any compromises.
Facts have also proved that this view is correct. NBA bosses have always refused to compromise, and the progress of negotiations has never improved. In the end, they missed the opening time of the season, which lasted until the end of November. The two sides finally completed the deal. All negotiations have officially ended.
On December 9, the free market and training camp officially opened; on December 25, the first game of the season officially kicked off.
For the young Curry, he was completely unable to help in the negotiations, and he was also troubled by his injuries. After experiencing the storm of the entire league, his mood was inevitably ups and downs, and it remains until now. , Curry finally began to prepare for the season opener, so Lu Ke asked the question just now.
"I'm not as excited as I thought, but... I'm still getting excited," Curry said.
