The National Football League is doing damage control, and teams including the Arizona Cardinals are reassuring fans after Friday moved owners and players toward a lockout.
The NFL Players Association decertified Friday, allowing players to file antitrust lawsuits against owners more quickly. The worst-case scenario would entail a lockout running into the 2011 season.
The NFL and its teams are sensitive to the failed collective bargaining being perceived as greedy owners fighting with greedy players at a time when fans are dealing with extreme economic hardships, so they are taking steps to keep fans happy.
Cardinals ticket sales representatives have been calling season-ticket holders to reassure them about the 2011 season and to take questions on the labor situation and ticket prices.
The team is cutting prices on 3,700 seats and keeping other prices the same. The Cards will refund the cost of games lost if the lockout persists into the regular season. The team also will offer $10-per-ticket food vouchers for season-ticket holders equal to the number of games lost.
Some teams, including the Philadelphia Eagles, are factoring interest into possible refunds. The Cards, San Diego Chargers and other teams are sticking with straight refunds.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell emailed a letter to fans Friday about collective bargaining negotiations falling apart. Goodell said owners were willing to drop their push for an 18-game schedule and drop their revenue demands from $1 billion to $500 million. The league brings in $9 billion annually...
