Report: NFL to cut some revenue sharing
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) The NFL has told the players' union it will cut a $100 million annual supplemental revenue-sharing program that subsidizes lower-revenue teams.
That plan, which is a small portion of the $6.5 billion shared in full by all 32 teams, will be cut because the 2010 season will not have a salary cap.
"We are simply going forward on the terms the union approved in March of 2006," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said.
Those terms pertain to only years with salary caps, the league says.
The NFL Players Association will challenge the league's move this week, a person familiar with the union's plans told The Associated Press on Sunday. The person spoke anonymously because the NFLPA has not officially announced its intentions.
ESPN originally reported the story.
Union officials believe the owners can't terminate the program without the union's approval. The NFLPA also is concerned that some teams will not spend competitively because there is no minimum for spending under a non-salary cap system.
"The union is just trying to make noise to get some attention," Aiello said. "The CBA has special rules to protect competitive balance in the uncapped year. There will still be billions in equally shared revenue in 2010."
