NFL Extends Shutdown Talks

It looks like the NFL is taking a page out of Congress’ book, pushing a shutdown just a little farther down the road. After getting ready for an all-league shutdown Thursday, NFL owners and the players union have agreed to delay a decision on collective-bargaining rights by 24 hours. If talks break down, resulting in a lockout, the NFL Players Association is expected to cut union ties, opening the door for players to file an antitrust suit against the owners (last year, The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the NFL's teams shouldn't be exempt from antitrust regulations). A lockout would force the league to cancel games and would thus likely have a negative effect on ticket and sponsorship revenue.