More playoff teams expected under new NFL CBA, sources say

If and when a transformational collective bargaining arrangement is finalized — and there is now mounting optimism it could be done sometime in the upcoming 7 days — it is predicted to change the NFL’s playoff construction as it is at the moment constituted for upcoming period, league resources advised ESPN.

Underneath the existing CBA proposal that NFL proprietors are pushing for, the playoff industry would be expanded to seven teams from each meeting, even though the normal period would be greater to 17 game titles for each group and the preseason shortened to a few game titles for each group, resources mentioned.

As component of the proposed playoff structure, only 1 group from each meeting would acquire a initial-round bye as opposed to the two that at the moment do, league resources mentioned. That would mean a revised postseason schedule that features 6 game titles on wild-card weekend, with a few on Saturday and a few on Sunday.

The alterations to the NFL’s playoff structure would acquire influence for the 2020 period, assuming the new CBA is ratified beforehand. Experienced the proposed structure been in place this past period, the Los Angeles Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers would have been the upcoming teams provided in the expanded playoff industry.

“Which is been agreed to for a prolonged time,” 1 source common with the CBA talks mentioned about the NFL’s new playoff construction. “There was not a whole lot of disagreement to that problem.”

Furthermore, the gamers on the teams that receive a initial-round bye will acquire postseason fork out for that weekend. That was not the situation less than the existing CBA, which has often rankled some gamers.

Now the sides are hoping to work as a result of the last problems, including receiving the gamers to indicator off on a 17-sport normal period. That has nonetheless to be agreed to, and would not acquire influence right until 2021 at the earliest.

As component of the deal now on the table, gamers would go from a forty seven% share less than the existing deal to 48% share at sixteen game titles, and then to a 48.5% share if they go to 17 game titles, shifting $5 billion of profits to the players’ facet.

“The new CBA’s not done, there is certainly no term sheet nonetheless, there nevertheless are problems becoming negotiated, but I would be pretty shocked if there is certainly not a new CBA for the new league calendar year,” the source mentioned.