The Jaguars and the Cincinnati Bengals are the two teams that voted "no" on a proposal to adopt a four-year revenue-sharing plan on Monday. The plan was approved by a 30-2 vote.
Jaguars Chief Financial Officer Bill Prescott told jaguars.com on Monday afternoon that he was satisfied with the plan's qualifiers and its subsidies to the Jaguars. Owner Wayne Weaver voted "no" because the plan did not include 2010 and 11.
"If we extend the labor deal, we're back at the negotiating table. We would've preferred that these qualifiers apply to 2010 and '11," Prescott said.
Prescott has said that his biggest concern for the Jaguars' financial future is for when new stadiums come on line in Dallas and New York. That's expected to occur in 2010 or '11. Those new stadiums are expected to spike revenue to previously unimagined heights, meaning the salary cap and player costs will also spike.
"We'll do fine for 2006-09, but when these new stadiums come on line, it's going to drive (the cap) up," Prescott said.
The qualifier for which Prescott has the most concern is the stipulation that the Jaguars' ticket revenue must be the equal of 90 percent of the league average for the Jaguars to receive a full share in the revenue-sharing plan.
"We're going to be very close to having our gate at 90 percent," Prescott said.
When asked if he was satisfied by the financial reward the Jaguars would receive in the revenue-sharing plan, Prescott said: "I am. Wayne's biggest problem is that it doesn't include 2010 and '11."
"Nobody is happy," Houston Texans owner Bob McNair said. "Some (teams) think they are giving too much. Some (teams) think they are receiving too little. So, I guess, maybe it's a good deal that way."
The plan is retroactive to the 2006 season and will continue through 2009. It was adopted on Monday at this week's NFL owners meetings in Phoenix.
Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver has long complained that the league's large-market/high-revenue teams are transferring their player costs onto the small-market/low-revenue teams, in the form of an ever-increasing salary cap. This season, each team will bear the burden of $130.6 million in player costs, including medical benefits. TV revenue is $90 million per team, meaning that each team must overcome a $40.6 million shortfall.
According to the revenue-sharing plan that was approved on Monday, the top 15 revenue teams will fund a pool of money that will be distributed among the league's bottom 17.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was to speak to the media this afternoon to provide details of the plan.
