The NFL’s unsettled labor future could lead to the league functioning without a salary cap next year, but Green Bay Packers president Mark Murphy doesn’t think owners would go on a spending bender just because they can.
If a prolonged economic downturn doesn’t ensure that, Murphy said the possibility of a work stoppage in 2011 will.
Speaking at an annual fan outing at Lambeau Field on Saturday, Murphy said the Packers are examining their budget to adjust to economic conditions. They are also preparing for the possibility that football could be ensnared in a labor dispute if owners and players can’t work out a new contract in the next two years.
I think the combination of the economy and a potential work stoppage, it’s just a smart business decision to look at everything we do.”
Murphy said the Packers haven’t laid off any full-time employees – an unspecified number of part-time workers at the team’s Lambeau Field souvenir shop were let go – but didn’t rule it out.
“We plan to avoid large-scale layoffs,” Murphy said. “But we’re anticipating really taking a critical look.”
Murphy said he’s optimistic about negotiating a new deal with players, but also made it clear that nothing will happen until the Players Association hires a new executive director.
“Our sense was, it really made sense to wait until they had their leadership in place rather than entering the negotiations and having a new leader come in and things may change,” Murphy said.
Murphy, a former safety for the Washington Redskins, worked for the union after his playing career ended in the mid-1980s. He left his job as athletic director at Northwestern to become the Packers’ top executive in January 2008.
riven popularity – will go away for 2010.
Without the cap, teams would be free to spend whatever they want to sign players. But even if that happens, Murphy doesn’t think they will.
Most owners won’t have the money or inclination to spend wildly, Murphy said, and those few who do will realize it’s bad for the sport’s long-term future.
“I don’t anticipate a spending spree, for a couple of reasons,” Murphy said. “I think the economy probably ‘helps’ – there just isn’t as much money available from a practical standpoint. But I think also from a management standpoint, we all realize that this is really important for the future of the league.”
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