NFL owners approve union deal

3/8/2006

GRAPEVINE, Texas Labor peace was restored to the NFL when the owners agreed to the players union proposal today, extending the collective bargaining agreement for six years.

There were no further details on the agreement, including whether it includes expanded revenue sharing.

The vote was 30-2, with Buffalo and Cincinnati, two low-revenue teams, voting against it.

Free agency, put off twice by the protracted negotiations between the owners and players, now will start at 12:01 a.m. Friday.

It was a good compromise, said Jim Irsay, owner of low-revenue Indianapolis. We re happy with it 30-2 is a good vote.

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