NFL lead counsel Jeff Pash, flanked by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell (R) and Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson, speaks during a news conference after the NFL owners meeting in College Park in Atlanta Thursday. – Reuters WASHINGTON – NFL owners Thursday approved a tentative agreement to end the lockout that has America's most popular spectator sport in limbo, but players weren't quick to play ball. League owners, who have been meeting at an Atlanta-area hotel this week, voted 31-0 to accept a proposed 10-year collective bargaining agreement, with the Oakland Raiders abstaining. “NFL clubs approved today the terms of a comprehensive settlement of litigation and a new 10-year collective bargaining agreement with the NFL Players Association,” the league said in a statement. Players, however, still have to agree to the deal, and after a conference call among player representatives from each team on Thursday they opted to hold off on putting it to a vote. “Hopefully, we can all work quickly, expeditiously, to get this agreement done,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in announcing the owners' backing of a plan to end the first work stoppage in the league since 1987. “It is time to get back to football. That's what everybody here wants to do.” Goodell spoke with NFL Players Association chief DeMaurice Smith several times during the day, and informed him of the owners' vote before it was announced. In an email to the 32 player representatives, however, Smith said there were still issues to be addressed that there is “no agreement” yet between the parties. “As you know the owners have ratified their proposal to settle our differences,” Smith wrote to the players in an e-mail. “As you may have heard, they apparently approved a supplemental revenue-sharing proposal. “Obviously, we have not been a part of those discussions ... issues that need to be collectively bargained remain open, other issues such as workers compensation, economic issues and end-of-deal terms remain unresolved.” In order for the deal to be finalized and become a binding contract between the league and players, the players association must also re-certify as a trade union with the right to negotiate a collective bargaining agreement. The association de-certified in March after contract talks broke down, paving the way for players to pursue legal action against the league. Although the sides appeared to be on the brink of an agreement, Goodell also announced the cancellation of the first scheduled pre-season game, the Hall of Fame game between St. Louis and Chicago on August 7. The two teams had been originally scheduled to open their training camps this weekend. Goodell said the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies will go on as scheduled but that “the time is just too short” to have the teams prepare and play the game. The regular season is scheduled to start on Sept. 8, and cancellation of a pre-season game was a reminder of what could be lost if the dispute drags on long enough to upset the regular-season schedule. Negotiations on a new contract bogged down in March as billionaire owners and multi-millionaire players were unable to decide how to divide $9.3 billion in annual revenues – with players balking at the league's demand to take more off the top. In addition to the revenue-sharing issue, talks have dealt with a rookie salary system, free agency and retired player benefits. The owners also wanted to expand the season from 16 to 18 games, something that is on hold under the proposed deal until at least 2013.
