Any CBA negotiation with Donald Fehr on one side will ensure a lockout. After he lied to baseball and the players walked before the playoffs made sure that no ownership group will ever trust him again.
I know the players continually talk about escrow but it is part and parcel of the hard salary cap, which they should all have known before they signed (poor communication by their own union). They are guaranteed 50% of HRR that is based off the forecasted amount before the season. If more teams than less pay to the cap then the players are eating up more than their 50%. The percent amount is agreed upon before the season and it is withheld, and once the audit is done at the end of the season any amount owed to the players is returned, if they don't like that then convince your union brothers to accept less so nobody has to pay escrow, or better yet don't use your 5% bump to create a false cap.
All Fehr has ever done is sell the rookies and middle earners down the river so the high priced guys earn all the money. Just look at the negotiating group for the union, all high price players, no representation from the low earners who may fight for their own interest for a change.
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