Sources: NFL, far apart with NFLRA, to begin hiring replacement refs
ESPN • • sports
Key Points:
- NFL owners are concerned about stalled negotiations with the NFL Referees Association and have authorized hiring and training replacement officials, starting May 1, as a precaution ahead of the current contract's May 31 expiration.
- The league has been recruiting college-level officials and plans to implement replay enhancements to support replacements during preseason and regular-season games.
- Key negotiation issues include economics and changes to the job structure, with the NFL proposing a six-year deal averaging 6.45% annual raises and performance-based accountability measures that the union has largely resisted.
- Owners are alarmed by the union's resistance to extending probation periods, increasing offseason training, and shifting playoff assignments from seniority to performance-based criteria.
- The NFL is preparing for a potential lockout, emphasizing no panic and learning from past mistakes by starting early preparations to avoid operational disruptions.
