September 27, 2012

NFL, referees reach agreement: Staff referees will be on the field this weekend as negotiators for the NFL and referees' union have reached a tentative agreement on an eight-year contract.

posted by jjzucal to football at 12:55 AM - 9 comments

My god, finally. I was so sick of listening to this week after week, and that's after only three weeks.

posted by dyams at 05:57 AM on September 27, 2012

And another union sells out future members for present gains. No more pensions after 2016, 401(k)s instead. This is something the NFL can easily afford and clearly makes a marked difference in the games. And yet, they nickle and dime. Fuck all of them.

posted by kokaku at 09:50 AM on September 27, 2012

I guess I should have taken the under.

posted by grum@work at 10:54 AM on September 27, 2012

Rays rookies perform Call Me Maybe.

posted by rcade at 02:18 PM on September 27, 2012

It appears the NFL got much of what the owners wanted in this deal. The hiring of extra officials and eventual hiring of at least some full-time officials will, I think, improve the overall quality of officiating. Having extra crews and eventually full timers will allow the NFL to better review performance and offer ways for new or under-performing officials to develop and improve. As far as replacing pensions with 401k's goes, I didn't read in the article whether the 401k would be the only retirement plan offered only to new officials, whether it would completely replace pensions for all officials, or whether there would be an option to take one or the other for current officials. Does anyone have more information on that?

posted by Howard_T at 04:28 PM on September 27, 2012

From the NYT

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.

posted by kokaku at 04:50 PM on September 27, 2012

Still trying to find a tie-in with that post, rcade. ; )

posted by dyams at 08:47 PM on September 27, 2012

That was supposed to be in the Huddle. I blame Goodell.

posted by rcade at 11:06 AM on September 28, 2012

I was thinking of setting my wife up with a blundering, inept, and controversial replacement spouse for 3 weeks, but I just can't convince myself that I'd get a Baltimore welcome when I returned.

posted by beaverboard at 03:27 PM on September 28, 2012

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