NFL Owners Lose Leverage: Judge Snatches Away $4 Billion Card Owners Held

The players can jump in slight joy because the Honorable Judge David S. Doty has ruled in their favor concerning the $4 billion insurance that the owners would be eligible for via television rights, even in the event of a lockout. 

It is hereby ordered that:

1. The court adopts the special master's "recommendations for relief" paragraphs 1 and 2, see Op. 47, as there is no objection to these findings and recommendations before the court;

2. The court overrules the special master's findings as to the NFL's breach of the SSA relating to its contracts with DirecTV, CBS, FOX, NBC, and ESPN, and holds that the NFL breached the SSA as to those contracts; and

3. The court orders that a hearing be held concerning relief to be granted to the Players arising from the NFL's breach of the SSA. The hearing shall consider the award of both money damages and equitable relief, including injunction. District of Minnesota Local Rule 7.1(b)

The preceding conclusion was released only moments ago via NFLplayers.com and this has just put an incredibly intriguing spin on the labor talks.

Before this decision was made, the owners were in the position to "force" the players into an agreement on their terms, based purely on monetary need.

Now that the NFLPA has won this part of their proceedings, the owners have as much at stake as the players do and I would not be surprised if an agreement was reached a lot sooner than expected.