With the NFL lockout at nearly 100 days, a not-so-surprising reason might account for the possible thaw in relations between owners and players and the recent spate of high-level meetings during the past week.As always, it's about TV revenue.
Credit Peter King of Sports Illustrated for pointing out some important facts in a recent "Monday Morning Quarterback" column online. Specifically, King referenced the NFL's 11 nationally televised preseason games, which each include 60 advertising buys at 30 seconds apiece.
That's 660 potential ads, and the corresponding revenue -- combined with ticket sales and other income -- means the preseason usually produces around $700 million for the league.
Without a preseason, that money would be lost to all parties involved.
Lost money, and who can survive the longest without an income stream the longest, always rests at the core of any labor dispute. In that respect, the NFL, it's owners and players are no different.
They are different, though, because they have a sure-fire solution to regain revenue.
They just need to play the games, which are scheduled to begin Aug. 7 with the Hall of Fame Game featruing the Chicago Bears and St. Louis Rams on NBC.