Offer is all up-front

The AFL’s latest offer to the AFLPA of 11%, 5%, 3%, 3% and 3% over five years in talks toward a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) seems inordinately weighted toward the short term — not unlike Tom Scully’s reported contract terms coincidentally for all those AFL conspiracy theorists out there.

For those of us who live in the day-to-day world, it’s hard to argue with the AFLPA’s position to leave open the option to reassess the financial state of the sport after three years and to even the increases out over time. The AFLPA’s claim is for 6%, 6% and 7% over three years.

The AFLPA is not, at least in an overt fashion, seeking more money, so Andrew Demetriou’s reaction that “there is no more money” seems somewhat out of line. The first three years of the AFL’s offer would, in simple terms, amount to 19% — a little over 20.05% compounded. The AFLPA’s counter-claim would also amount to 19% — 20.225% compounded. It’s not hard to imagine that the AFLPA could negotiate its claim down to match the 20.05% compounded increase.

Notwithstanding the merits of various claims and counter claims, AussieRulesBlog fears that the game has gone down a path where there is no room to reverse or to turn around. “Negotiations” on the CBA have taken on an adversarial quality that does not bode well for the future — lockouts in major US sports give an indication where we’re heading. There’s no show without Punch, as the old saying goes, but, equally, no theatre equals no income for Punch.