The Facts:
For the first time publicly, NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith said tonight that an 18-game season is off the negotiating table in collective bargaining talks with the owners. "First of all, the league has never presented a formal proposal for 18 games," he told SI.com. "But more importantly, it's something that our players don't want. Eighteen games is not in the best interest of our players' safety, so we're not doing it."
Reported by SI.com
Fantasy Football Diehards Line:
The expanded season was thought to be one of the key talking points in the sides' negotiations for a new agreement; the current deal expires Friday night. The other sticking points are a rookie wage scale -- Yahoo! Sports reported today the sides have agreed on the parameters of a new rookie compensation system -- and a redistribution of league revenues. The league is seeking an additional $1 billion per year in expense credits that would be taken off the top before revenues are divided among the players and owners. The union has said there will be no significant financial givebacks unless the owners open their books. While the NFL has agreed to give up more financial data than they have in the past, it's still not enough for the union. So far. ... Stay tuned.
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