USFL players sign on to unionize

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Tank55
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Re: USFL players sign on to unionize

Post by Tank55 »

It's definitely not helpful. I'm sure we're all familiar with how the NFL encouraged the original USFL players to organize as a means of undercutting the league.

It's hard to blame the players after the way they were left holding the bag in the AAF and have reportedly been treated in TSL/USFL. But I think it's short sighted.
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Re: USFL players sign on to unionize

Post by CFLfan_inPhilly »

Granted, this is an extreme stretch here .....
But maybe this will somehow help cultivate merger talks between the USFL and XFL.
Since a player union financially complicates things for each league on an individual basis.
The advantages of combining their strengths may now look much more appealing
(Heck, it could appear to be downright necessary)
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Re: USFL players sign on to unionize

Post by GDAWG »

The last thing Fox wants as owners of the USFL is to negotiate a CBA. I don't think they want that.
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Re: USFL players sign on to unionize

Post by GregParks »

Did anyone listen to Mark's interview with Kenneth Farrow?

Right now, the priority seems to be helping players with their financials and finding them housing in the Birmingham area and things like that. Eventually, if the league is successful, the players could want a seat at the table to negotiate salaries (and why shouldn't they?), but that doesn't seem to be an immediate priority. As Farrow said in his interview, the players want to ensure the viability of the league as much as the league itself, otherwise they'd have no place for these players to play. For right now though, it's understandable, given what happened with the AAF and XFL, that the players would want some kind of support system to help guide them through the waters.
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Re: USFL players sign on to unionize

Post by MarkNelson »

Yes, on the interview Mr. Farrow was very forthright in what they were trying to achieve. Keep in mind he is a player and his opinion comes from a player’s experience. He is joined by other players who have had a rough time because of past league failures. They are looking for better guarantees to things like insurance going forward.

He also feels a player’s union will strengthen the league.

This is what he and I talked about. I am sure there are different opinions on this. You are entitled to speak your mind.

Interestingly, we talked about “Chicken Salad Gate”. Farrow weighed in on that situation.

I also asked if he would come back to the XFL. You know he wants to, but it doesn’t sound like it will happen. Poor guy, his career was blooming in the AAF, then it was cut short. Then again with the XFL. Same thing.

Bottom line, Kenneth Farrow is a standup guy, and speaks for his fellow players.
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Re: USFL players sign on to unionize

Post by MGB01 »

Tank55 wrote: Thu May 05, 2022 9:43 am It's definitely not helpful. I'm sure we're all familiar with how the NFL encouraged the original USFL players to organize as a means of undercutting the league.

It's hard to blame the players after the way they were left holding the bag in the AAF and have reportedly been treated in TSL/USFL. But I think it's short sighted.
The NFL didn't have to do anything, which was evident when Pete Rozelle told Herschel Walker (and could have pointed it at Jim Kelly, Irv Eatman, Steve Young, Reggie White, Doug Flutie and anyone else who went straight to the USFL from college) 'see you in three years". USFL1.0 did themselves.

It is hard to blame players (and I say this being one who generally believes players associations are full of crap), especially when FOX apparently doesn't even believe in USFL2.0 that here not only they give us the disastrous UBF premiere but now this is the second time they've hit reset and we're not even halfway in. And what timing with the Bryan Scott injury. What is this to them? A new league or just a vehicle to promo the NFL as well as their next big flop (um, Monarch that's you)?

I wouldn't sign up for it, and I'd do whatever I had to do to protect myself if I was lied to.
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Re: USFL players sign on to unionize

Post by Tank55 »

MGB01 wrote: Thu May 05, 2022 8:42 pm The NFL didn't have to do anything
They didn't have to do anything, but they in fact did many things, which is why they technically lost the antitrust lawsuit.

(I'm not saying that unionization is why the USFL failed, I'm saying the NFL clearly understood that it would be a burden for the new league to carry.)
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PFT: Steelworkers union attempts to organize USFL players

Post by 4th&long »

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Re: PFT: Steelworkers union attempts to organize USFL players

Post by herns »

4th&long wrote: Sun May 08, 2022 9:51 pm https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2 ... l-players/

The first 3 comments sum it up.
I feel very safe saying the player aren’t trying to shut the league down, these leagues aren’t stable enough to give players a reason to kill one as a farrow has said. The goal according to Farrow is to work with the league to make it easier for guys to find places to live moving forward and to help them with nutrition and eventually if the leagues successful have a seat at the table to negotiate stuff
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Re: PFT: Steelworkers union attempts to organize USFL players

Post by 4th&long »

herns wrote: Mon May 09, 2022 11:29 am
4th&long wrote: Sun May 08, 2022 9:51 pm https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2 ... l-players/

The first 3 comments sum it up.
I feel very safe saying the player aren’t trying to shut the league down, these leagues aren’t stable enough to give players a reason to kill one as a farrow has said. The goal according to Farrow is to work with the league to make it easier for guys to find places to live moving forward and to help them with nutrition and eventually if the leagues successful have a seat at the table to negotiate stuff
They don't need a union for that, nothing good comes of this.
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