Transparency Remains Key Issue Between NFLPA, Owners

It seems as though the last week and a half has been a roller coaster regarding NFL Labor Talks at The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service Building in Washington D.C. While there was enough progress between last week between league owners and the players union to extend the deadline of the current collective bargaining agreement one week, this week’s progress centers around one thing: transparency of the each team’s financial books (minus the Green Bay Packers, whose books are opened to the public).

While the NFL owners claim their operating profits are decreasing, the NFLPA have requested to see their books to make sure that is the case before giving them what they want. Recent stories have reported unnamed sources close to the situation claiming that no deal would get done as long as financial record are not available to the players union. Some writers has offered the opinion that the owners would be wise to show their information now because if this mess comes to litigation, they might be forced to open up their books anyway.

This morning the NFL Network’s Albert Breer talked to Jeffrey Pash, the NFL’s lead negotiator, on his way to the FMCS building for more negotiations. As Breer reported on his twitter page, Pash claimed that the league “has made more financial info available to the union than ever before” and that they have offered even more information on top of that is available to the clubs.

As for the attendance at the negotiations, Steelers President Art Rooney joined the group today. Owners Clark Hunt of the Chiefs and John Mara of the Giants are currently present at the negotiations. One person who has disappeared from talks is NFLPA outside councel Jeffrey Kessler, who was present all of last week but has been away from negotiations since Monday when he claimed he had another commitment to tend to.