November 16, 1982: The NFL Players Strike Ends

On November 16, 1982, the NFL season was salvaged after it was announced that the players and owners of the NFL came to an agreement that would end a strike that had began 57 days earlier. The strike was brought on by disagreements on a pay scale that would make it more difficult for it to release veteran players and the NFLPA was seeking a 55% share of the NFL's gross revenues which led to the standoff that would take 57 days to solve. When it was all said and done the players received an upgrade in minimum salaries, a one time $60 million payment, and several other benefits to get back on the gridiron. The estimates of the money lost by the players and the teams over the 57 days were between $240 and $275 million. In the agreement football would resume just four days later under an abbreviated 9 game season which included 2 games that were played before the strike began on September 21st. The agreement also added six extra teams to the playoffs bringing the total to 16 teams in the postseason. The format was dubbed "The Super Bowl tournament" and the Washington Redskins capped it off with a 27-17 victory in the big game.

Personally, I don't remember this. I would have been just 5 years old at the time and I doubt I was picking up the paper in the morning just yet. However, I do know what it is like because unfortunately I have seen my fair share of labor disagreements in sports and I can tell you this they piss me off. I know this might be a simple way to look at things but the way I see it is all of these owners in every major sport should have a pretty good degree of intelligence so that would make me think that they would be working on a deal well before they are at a breaking point. I guess being bullheaded and stubborn ends up clouding their intelligence.