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Is it Better to Place the NFL Holdout on Hold or Stick it Out?
Author: Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC
Date: July 21, 2015
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The NFL’s mandatory training camps are approaching, and though players are required to attend, some teams will almost certainly face what is known as a holdout – when a player declines to attend compulsory activities, sometimes due to issues with his contract.
However, before a player decides to holdout, he should consider the consequences with his agent.
Holdouts come up each year as players, unhappy with their current contracts, consider whether to skip mandatory activities – and possibly even games – to force their teams to consider offering them better deals. The threat of missing their top players for important training activities is often enough for teams to kick-start discussions on a new deal. Other times, the players simply return to camp with nothing more than missed practice time and maybe a fine to show for it.
The holdout: Is it worth it or not?
Holdouts come down to essentially the same formula each time: A player who wants to be paid proportionally to his perceived performance, and a team that wants to save money in efficient deals and put in place safeguards should the individual fail on the field.
Before a player holds out, he should consider whether he is willing to pay the fines that he could face under the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Not attending the mandatory three-day minicamp can end with a $69,455 fine under the agreements. These minicamps, which began recently, are an opportunity for players to really begin making a statement.
Costs of a holdout can get worse
Additionally, depending on a player’s contract, holding out could have costly contract ramifications. If the contract includes stipulations that the player should attend a certain number of training activities to earn a bonus, a holdout could cause him to lose out on that extra money.
Once training camp really gets going – toward the end of July – teams can hit players hard for holding out. Each missed day can cost $30,000. This is where players have to start thinking about whether or not a holdout is a good idea – is there a real possibility of getting a better deal, or will this just end with a pile of fines?
Before holding out, talk the idea through with other players who have done the same thing, or are considering it, as well as with an agent.
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