The UFL’s players have no new Collective Bargaining Agreement. They’ll nevertheless proceed with the season as scheduled, reports Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com.
It starts on Friday night at 8:00 p.m. ET, with the Houston Roughnecks hosting the St. Louis Battlehawks.
The development comes as no surprise to those monitoring the spring league. The players lack the appetite to strike. They want to play football — and they want to play well enough to earn a shot in the NFL.
Lions kicker Jake Bates did it last year; his story was chronicled by ESPN.com on Friday. That becomes a powerful carrot for players not inclined to stick it to UFL ownership.
That said, the players aren’t remaining silent. Seifert reports that some players plan to deliver a letter to UFL co-owner Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, if he attends the regular-season opener in Houston.
The letter explains that they want year-round health insurance or a raise that will cover it. The letter also contends that UFL management has refused to bargain with the players in good faith, and that the UFL is willing to invest in everyone but the players.
The players likewise appeal to Johnson’s history as a player and union member, reminding him of his vow that UFL players can “live their dreams and take care of their families.”
The best way to get the Rock’s attention would be to walk. Unless and until the players are willing to do that, the imbalance of power will linger. And the players will have a hard time getting what they want.
