In the end, the voices of the paying customers, advertisers, coaches and players were heard by the owners. Bad refereeing won't be tolerated.
The owners clearly didn't follow the Boy Scout motto 'Be prepared' when locking out the refs.
N.F.L. Reaches Labor Deal With Referees has the story:
"The National Football League reached agreement on an eight-year labor deal with its game officials late Wednesday night, effectively ending a lockout that forced unprepared replacement officials onto the field, creating three weeks of botched calls, acute criticism, furious coaches and players, and a blemish — however temporary — on the integrity of the country’s most popular sport.
The agreement, which was being put in writing late Wednesday night, came 48 hours after the nadir of the league’s experiment with replacement officials, when an incorrect call on the final play of the Monday night game cost the Green Bay Packers a victory against the Seattle Seahawks. . . .
Commissioner Roger Goodell is temporarily lifting the lockout so a crew of regular officials can work the Ravens’ game against the Cleveland Browns in Baltimore on Thursday night. The members of the officials’ union will then gather in Dallas on Saturday and are expected to vote to ratify the contract, with regular officials expected to then work Sunday’s games.
Goodell said: “This agreement supports long-term reforms that will make officiating better. The teams, players and fans want and deserve both consistency and quality in officiating. We look forward to having the finest officials in sports back on the field.”
Scott Green, the head of the officials’ union, said, “We are glad to be getting back on the field for this week’s games.”
Under the terms of the deal, pensions will remain in place for current officials through the 2016 season. New officials will get a 401(k) instead. The average official’s salary will rise to $173,000 in 2013 from 149,000 in 2011.
Beginning in 2013, the N.F.L. will have the option of hiring a number of full-time officials; officials currently are part-timers.
The negotiations with officials were conducted largely by Goodell and the league’s top lawyer, Jeff Pash, with little of the direct owner involvement that was featured during negotiations with the players last year."
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Summing Up
And so silliness season ends for pro football and it's back to the real game on the field.
And one more thing: there are a grand total of 121 union represented NFL referees.
Thanks. Bob.
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