Player Newsletter

To all Players:

Earlier than ever the season has arrived with lots of excitement and potential. Already, however we have seen problems arise out the expansion and the various subtleties that are generated from new locations and ownership interests. There have been situations that have arisen that were not contemplated in the last contract, which some owners have chosen to interpret to their convenience. These I suppose are growing pains and will be checked as best we can with the league office and if not, in the form of a Grievance and barring any positive outcomes, into the next contract negotiation only one season away.

Dave and I have been for the most part happy with the tenure and approach of the new club ownerships. They have made a point to introduce themselves and consult with the PA on all issues they feel are questionable and require PA input. This practice is welcomed and has created a better working relationship in the present with good prospects for the future. We still have the same problems with a few of the owners. One of our biggest concerns surrounds the ownership directly approaching players to request an alteration from the CBA. This must be strongly dealt with. The owners must discuss any proposed changes, even small ones, with the PA. Their motives while in appearance may be harmless open up potential for much harm to be caused down the road if not well thought through. That is the Executive Committee's obligation and responsibility. Any requests should be directly and immediately forwarded to the Players Association. This will serve to maintain consistency and also remove you and your teammates from possible conflict not too mention black balling. Let us be the bad guys. Your standard response is " I am not authorized to make any changes and the PA has strictly forbidden any negotiations with the owners by players". They may not like that but it will be a better situation for you and it keeps us in the loop.

The following are a few of the short list items that have popped up recently; Each team must have a 23-man roster - no more than 3 additional practice players Player profiles need to be filled out and returned to Tim Soudan ASAP Players to appeal suspensions/fines if they choose and not feel pressured to sit by club unless they will pay for your suspension PA Merchandise should be worn as much as possible, especially during interviews

While the Collective Bargaining Agreement expiration is over a year and a half away, it is not too early to consider and take note of changes that you would like to see into the next contract. We have already heard concerns surrounding the following items: Free Agency (restricted and unrestricted), travel (especially those teams practicing in areas far removed from home arena), condition of carpet, missed work due to long bus rides to home games, and the use of the Injured Reserve provision to hide players and maintain their services.

On behalf of the Players of the NLL, the PA has designated $10,000 to the following two charitable groups, Dustin Sandersen who was paralyzed while playing lacrosse and a fund for the victims of the Terrorists attacks of September 11th. Should anyone have any recommendations for other reputable causes, please contact us at plpa@plpa.com. Dave Succamore and I plan to see each team over the course of the season. We hope you will make an effort to participate in the team meetings we encourage your feedback especially as the league evolves. Many new considerations and developments arise with growth. It will be critical for the executives of the PLPA to understand your needs and wishes.

Happy Holidays to you and your family.

October 1, 2001

Player Newsletter

To all Players;

Due to the tragic occurrences on September 11, the Executive Committee meeting and the Annual General meeting was moved to Rochester to afford the most proximate location for the majority of the Player Reps and Officers. We apologize for the short notice of the change and we applaud the Reps for their commitment and willingness to be inconvenienced for the benefit of their fellow players.

Executive Meeting

As usual, much was accomplished in the three days of meetings. We had visits from two of our Workman's Compensation panel attorneys, Ben Boscolo and Don Frey, we had visits from one of our Authorized Representative Bill Berard, and Commissioner Jim Jennings and Deputy Commissioner George Daniel also made the long trip up from New Jersey. Their input was welcome and their willingness to make the five hour trip up and back for two hours with us, underscores the value they place in working with the Players and the PA to accomplish mutual goals. When we met with them last year, they outlined a series of short and long term goals for the NLL. To their surprise they have surpassed their short-term goals to establish new markets across the continent and sign a contract with a major television network to promote the sport. Their long term goals remain the continued promotion of the sport with the signing of major sponsors such that the league can move to a full time basis and be recognized the next main stream sport.

Having attended all the Executive Meetings since the founding of the Player's Association, the participation and knowledge of these Reps was by far and away the most impressive.

Cam Woods, Daryl Gibson, Troy Cordingley at Fundraiser

The agenda consisted of the following; Grievance Procedure, Workman's Compensation, Authorized Representatives, Duty of Fair Representation, Budgets, Elections, Contract Overview and Short and Long term goals for the Player's Association. Closing out the meeting, the Executive Committee and Player Reps chose to donate a total of $10,000 US dollars to two charities; the Dustin Sanderson Trust Fund for a young lacrosse player recently paralyzed while participating in a game and a yet to be determined fund for events arising from the heinous acts of September 11th.

Dave Succamore presenting check to Lindsay Sanderson

At a recent fund raising event for Dustin Sanderson, the check was delivered by Dave Succamore to a warm and very appreciative family. I would like to extend the appreciation to all of you for your contributions. Should anyone know of a cause that deserves attention from the PA, please email us at plpa@plpa.com.

Dave Succamore with Dustin Sanderson's mother Susan

With the onset of tryouts and camps, it is important that you participate in a meeting to be held with your respective Reps. The Reps will discuss some of the changes and nuances of this years Standard Player Contract (SPC). They will also handout the Player Profile Worksheets and membership cards which reconfirm your commitment to the PA. Please fill them out that night and return them to your respective Reps. Some teams will receive visits from at least one of the Authorized Representatives during the course of the pre season. We strongly recommend utilizing their services. The can be contacted by email or phone, please check our Website for the details. Should you wish to negotiate yourselves, I would like to reinforce the following; on your SPC, every row that has the possibility for a monetary amount to be input, should be filled in. Nothing needs to be determined later (TBD). The Salary, the number of practices (26), the number of Thursday and Friday workdays missed, and bonuses, need all be placed on the SPC. With exception of the bonuses, all the amounts are to be added together to determine your overall salary (just the annual salary is capped not the additions). This entire amount should then be divided and paid in equal installments starting within two weeks of the first game, usually in eight BI-monthly payments over the course of the season. Naturally the bonuses would be handled separately whether they are for signing or performance.

The season is rapidly approaching and I would like to remind you that we are professionals and expect to be treated like professionals. Remember that it is important that we act like professionals and promote and exhibit this sport with respect for the game and one another. The PA is available for any questions that you may have whenever you need them. Remember the email address plpa@plpa.com, and please visit our Website often at www.plpa.com. We are still looking for sponsors for our various WebPages and will pay a commission to anyone who brings us an advertising sponsor.

In closing, the officers wish to again thank you for your support and we hope you will take advantage of the services we provide. We wish you luck this season and hope to see you at some time during the season.

Sincerly,
Peter Schmitz
President - PLPA

August 16, 2001

Player Newsletter

To All PLPA Members

The last four months have seen a lot of new and exciting developments. The league has expanded to 13 teams, increased the game schedule to 16 games, broken up into 3 divisions, expanded the playoff format and will announce a National TV Contract for the US next week. Most of what we had hoped for during the past few years is coming around.

With the expanded teams and schedule the eventuality of a full time league with salaries that can bear a full time commitment is fast becoming a reality. With this in mind our upcoming Annual Meeting will be amongst the most important in the history of the PA. We have operated as a proactive Association attempting to guide the league to a point where the interest of the sport and the players are first and foremost. We must continue to think ahead and be prepared to deal with the natural progression of the League. With the expansion comes new players and it will be the responsibility of the veterans to educate and nurture those players who do not have the benefit of experiencing first hand the commitment it took to get us to where we are even now.

The role of the PLPA and its members is much more that of a watchdog assigned to policing the various clubs. We offer guidance in a number of ways, whether it be contract interpretation, breakdown, negotiation; workman's comp claims, analysis and review of a club/league contracts, unfair labor practices and grievances among other things. As you know, this is all done without a permanent staff of any kind. It is our hope that all those who have needed our help in any way were dealt with promptly, fairly and professionally at least by the PLPA. That is our goal.

As outlined earlier, with added teams come added players, many of which have never been exposed to an environment such as this. They must now negotiate their contracts and they will be subjected to an unfair disadvantage as a result. This adds to the need to have our veteran players take a proactive leadership role in guiding these players. We have enclosed "Highlights of the CBA" which helps outline the contract for you and the rookies alike. We have also set up a means by which a player may download the CBA, Highlights of the CBA, Workers Compensation forms and contact information of the readily available Panel of Attorneys the PLPA has for Workers Comp claims to name a few off the Internet. One of the added responsibilities that you veterans need to be aware of is the importance of communication with the reps and the PA. As we creep closer to yet another contract negotiation in 2003, the players need to understand the importance of solidarity and what that means for the future. Should the format of this league change to a full time scenario, many of the provisions will need to be changed considerably. As the league becomes more successful, the economics and hence the salaries will need to be adjusted accordingly.

Accompanying this letter is our Annual General Meeting announcement. It is our hope that many of you will attend. We will have the largest attendance ever from our Player Representatives should make for the most productive Executive Committee meeting since the inception of the PA. Remember to frequent our Website and email plpa@plpa.com with any questions you may have. Support your player rep and remember to respect the sport and commit yourselves to being the most professional professionals in the sporting world.

May 17, 2001

Player Newsletter

To All PLPA Members

With the season behind us and the first year of the new regime in place, there is a certain buzz surrounding the league. Three new teams have been announced for next year and one high profile city apparently within days of committing. The schedule and the season opening dates will soon be topics for discussion. The outdoor league is beginning it's formal season and the hopes are that many of our members will have the opportunity to make a good living playing indoor, outdoor or even both leagues. The impact on the game will be evident this year as the club leagues both in the US and Canada will be decimated by the loss of players. I am sure they will survive but it will become perhaps the beginning of a farm league system.

I look at the past 15 years of lacrosse evolution and see that the future looks bright for our sport. The growth on all levels has been spectacular, both here and in Canada as well as on a global basis. With the expansion and the visibility that comes with the added promotion the stakes become higher. Recently, the players who are being asked to play for a MLL team were sent contracts asked to sign and return within a week or risk being passed over. To my surprise, a minority of players made inquiry to the PA as to whether we could review the contract and get back to them with some feedback.

Please remember that the PA is there to use as a resource for all our members and that we are happy to review any and all documents that you are asked to sign whether it be for the NLL, OLA, MLL or any other lacrosse related entity. With any new league I think it is inevitable that there be some issues or items that were not contemplated or addressed that could negatively impact you as players. Over 50% of our membership will be involved in the outdoor league and that means that we are watching very closely the way in which the players are handled. I am sure that they are aware of this and will be particularly careful not to take advantage of you.

An additional reminder, please make us aware of any outstanding concerns or grievances that you may have either through your rep or emailing the PLPA Office. There are time frames for us to abide by and your delaying notification to the PA and League could jeopardize any appeal that could be made.

With expansion and the new league, the stakes become higher and the money will become larger. The PA has sustained itself with a lot of help and support by the officers, the reps and our counsel. We realize that the Professionalism that we portray and our attention to the details, reflects positively on the Players and the League in general. We also realize that the stakes become higher for us as well and we are looking towards the future of our organization and how we can better support the needs and interests of you the players. We are open to suggestions and welcome all interested parties to our Annual General Meetings request that you take the time to notify us if we can do better.

I would like to personally thank Dave Succamore for his outstanding job as the Chairperson for the Grievance Review Committee and for all his other contributions to the PA. Dave is truly an uncompromising player's advocate and does not get nearly enough credit for it. In closing, I would like to thank all of you for your continued support. We are anxiously looking forward to the next few years, as they will likely be the most exciting in the history of professional lacrosse. The vision we had back in the MILL days, hoping for the day that the league and players would have the opportunity to "show off" this great sport are rapidly coming. We are poised and anxious to work on the next level.

March 5, 2001

Player Newsletter

As we pass through the mid-season, we wanted to update you on the new regime in the Commissioner's office as well as report on the various clubs' adherence to the contract. On the subject of the new commissioner's performance, I would have to say that he seems to be saying all the right things and the short term goals seem to be attainable. He proclaims to have worked at convincing the clubs to look at the big picture, which requires expansion, sponsorship and television. The apparent commitment of Montreal and New Jersey for next season bodes well for the continued attention to the big markets and improved credibility. The strong likelihood that ESPN will cover the playoffs is exciting for the league. A well recognized national sponsor still remains elusive. The prospect of a minor league called NLL2 has been announced and the mechanism and interested parties are being developed.

The rest of the league office has been working hard to gain credibility, organizing bi-mothly conference calls with the Commissioner and the media. The Deputy Commissioner has been listening to our concerns but a little tardy in closing them out. We hope to have the outstanding grievances either resolved or arbitrated by the middle of March. Barry Powless has been attentive and respectful of the Players Association allowing the transition to the new league office to be seamless.

We have a few issues, which leave us concerned. We believe the teams may be using the Practice player provision improperly. Each team is permitted to have only 3 practice players but only if they have a full roster. They can only activate a practice player if a roster player has been released or placed on the injured reserve for more than two weeks. We do not want to encourage a revolving door policy or leave open the possibility for clubs to use the demotion as a means to lower payroll as the season winds down. Some teams have not adhered to the travel reimbursement agreed to in the contract. Some teams have neglected the travel matrix per diem, mode of travel and accommodations.

We have also been questioned due to the inconsistency of payments from the respective clubs coupled with the apparent lack of attention to the PA's easy instructions on dues deduction. The simple answer to both questions is for the clubs to take the yearly salary and divide it by a pre-determined number of pay periods (no less than twice a month starting in January), take the total dues deducted last year ($420 per season) and divide it by the number of pay periods and deduct that amount from the player's installments. There is no increase in dues over last season due to more games. This is not brain surgery although the some clubs would have you thinking it was.

As President of the PA, I would like to thank you on behalf of the PA for your support. I would also like to point out that the participation from the Player Reps has been at an all time high, which has been helpful to the officers. I would like to welcome the newly elected Reps and Alternate Reps as well, whom we expect to be conferencing with shortly. And lastly, I would like to thank those former Reps for their hard work and responsible attention to their fellow teammates needs. It is not a glamorous position but it says a lot about a person. Thanks again.

December 15, 2000

To All Players:

At our Annual General Meeting this past October, we invited the new league Commissioner Jim Jennings and his Deputy Commissioner George Daniel to attend and brief the PA. They spent about three hours outlining their background and their short and long-term goals. The enthusiasm and outlook for the league was a welcomed sight in light of the potential doom and gloom, which was portrayed during the months of July and August. Commissioner Jennings made a remark that resonated with me and the other players present. He said, "As an outsider looking at this sport, he can't imagine how it won't be successful. The sport has it all."

With the contract behind us we can now focus on the future. The overriding concern outlined by the majority of players was to see the league grow. We kept this in mind while accomplishing some of the other areas of concern. The contract allows for the players to negotiate a yearly salary that is better or at least the equivalent of last year or the club risks losing the player to restricted free agency. Next year we will introduce Unrestricted Free Agency for the first time in Pro Lacrosse history.

With huge salaries announced almost daily in the sports industry, it is easy to become a little frustrated with the progress of our sport. I suppose you could say that you are the frontiers while my contemporaries were the pioneers. It may be your sons that ultimately benefit from the hard work and skill that you put forth. The next three years will in my opinion be the most important in the history of Pro Lacrosse.

I was pleasantly surprised by the level of understanding you, the players have of the contract. That is a credit to the Player Reps and you for taking the time to familiarize yourselves with the changes. I would like to thank all the Player Reps, Assistant Reps, Officers and our Counsel Ron Jaros for their participation and input. While communication can always be better, the Representatives did their best to uphold your needs. Special thanks to Dave Succamore for his in depth analysis of some of the more significant issues, i.e., Unrestricted Free Agency and the travel/per diem exhibit among other things. Although they remain out of the limelight, Tim Soudan (Secretary) and Brian Vona (Treasurer) also weighed in on some of the more important issues effecting the players and the PA. Tim was primarily responsible for assembling the compensation work sheets and Brian has had the unenviable task of budgeting and playing bill collector for the PA and players. I hope you will recognize their importance. Balancing the needs of the Players, PA and our own careers has its challenges but I can assure you that we have not compromised your needs.

Thanks again for your support and we will be updating you again shortly. Good Luck and visit the PLPA Website.

President-PLPA
Peter Schmitz

PS: Please fill out your web-profiles and checkout the live chats on Monday nights. If you would like to be a featured player please contact Dave at plpa@plpa.com.

September 19, 2000

To All Players:

Negotiations have been completed with the exception of the specifics of the language changes. The League requested a stabilizing of yearly salaries with the opportunity for them to have another game worth of revenue to offset the costs of the salaries. The League claimed and to a degree substantiated that only three teams were making money and that in order for the league to expand, they needed more success stories. We were collectively concerned that we would have fewer teams playing this year than last and the prospects for the future would be uncertain. Your questionnaires displayed a willingness to make some potential sacrifices if expansion was to take place. We in turn indicated an absolute need to introduce Unrestricted Free Agency over the course of this next contract and they have accepted.

In reality, the minimum salaries and the maximum salaries are just that, the minimum for veteran players just acts as a minimum wage, everyone has the right and ability to increase their salaries through negotiation to a salary which could exceed last years on a per game basis. The salaries on a yearly basis will be the same as last year or you may become an unrestricted free agent.

The League has made some changes, which will hopefully improve the chances that the league will move forward. Syracuse has been sold and is moving to Ottawa, Pittsburgh has been sold and moved to the MCI Center in Washington, Columbus comes on as the newest team run by former commissioner John Livsey and a new Commissioner has been hired out of the Meadowlands where the League Office has been moved.

The changes to the CBA will need to be reviewed and understood by all of you. We will be reviewing the language with your respective Player Reps and they will in turn review the changes with you. We recommend that you wait to negotiate and do not accept any proposal by club management until you have been briefed by your Rep. There are some subtle changes to the contract and you may be eligible for free agency of some sort over the course of the three year contract.

On October 22nd we will be having an important Executive Committee meeting coupled with the Annual General Meeting to be held in St Catherines, Canada. All of you are welcome and in fact encouraged to attend.

In closing, our committee was split on whether the League's proposal was acceptable. The executive committee did not endorse the proposal but the majority of you contacted, felt that the need to wrap up a contract quickly outweighed the potential gains we could have made by dragging out the negotiations. We will be watching the League very carefully over the next three years. They have been given an opportunity to help themselves and we expect they will reinvest whatever gains they might make into their club. We hope to see many of you over the course of the preseason.

President-PLPA
Peter Schmitz

The season is finally upon us and off to an interesting start. The off-season has been busy for the League and PLPA with many issues hanging out there. We have managed to see a number of outstanding issues resolved from last season but we have a few significant ones that remain. These issues stand in the way of contract extension discussions as we have made it clear to the League that substantive discussions can only be built upon a foundation of trust which requires all owners to abide by the contract and fulfill their respective obligations. While a union is often a policeman, we became bill collectors last year and some clubs have picked up where they left off last season. Last year we chose upon request from the commissioner to work through him to see the Grievances resolved and for whatever reason the issues kept mounting unresolved.

This past summer we had to fight to have the Restricted Free Agency language from the CBA interpreted as negotiated and this caused a set back in relations. We had to make numerous requests and Grievance threats to finally receive most of the outstanding dues that was deducted by a few owners but not sent to the PA. In an isolated case, the League office was forced to front the money as the club refused to send it out. We still have a dispute over the expanded rosters some clubs are utilizing and purported threatening of players to not rock the boat or risk replacement. This is a dangerous precedent. The officers feel that it will be important for the players to refresh their memories from the last few contract negotiations.

The last two CBA negotiations in 1996 & 1997 were volatile, primarily because the negotiations started only months prior to their expiration despite our pleading to start them early and often. With this in mind we chose to start extension discussions a year ago December and had a weekend long meeting with the Commissioner and League Counsel. These discussions although in depth, amounted to nothing, as the league has not to this day returned a counter proposal. We have since been courted for further discussion but the outstanding issues have left us no choice but to wait for them to comply with the contract.

The nature of the relationship between Management and Labor is that we are fighting over how the pie is split. I do not mean to belittle you by pointing out the obvious but management will be starting their propaganda shortly pointing out the dire situation the League is in. The fact is that we have some very good operators and some not so good operators and this is not unlike any other business sector in that respect. The reality is that the league is small enough that with some cooperation amongst the owners in the way of profit sharing, the burden could be diminished for those groups who are struggling. The other argument would be that if they are poor owner/operators, they are only dragging down the quality organizations and should be weeded out. I believe this will be the case as expansion takes hold. But rather than profit share the owners will attempt to lower the compensation bar to accommodate the incapable and incompetent.

There are owners who deserve credit for the way they have handled the players. Pittsburgh/ Baltimore has been attentive and responsive. Philadelphia has been reasonably attentive. Toronto was slow to compensate the players for the playoffs, as was Rochester. Buffalo was slow to compensate the players for outstanding expenses. New York did not deduct the retroactive dues to the players and did not pay the dues and some expense reimbursement until well after the season. Syracuse was downright anti establishment fulfilling few of their obligations to the players, the PA or the League.

Already we are impressed with Albany's handling of the players. They have chose to be fair in handling of the items not specifically outlined in the CBA. They have contacted the PA for interpretation, which was appreciated. It is our hope that this type of communication will become the norm, although we are not that naïve.

In closing, the officers intend to make visits to each team during this season starting with this weekend in Albany. We encourage your communication with your Player Rep should any questions or problems arise, yet we remain available via email or phone when and if needed. A questionnaire will be circulating within the next few weeks. Please give your answers a lot of thought, as we will be using them to formulate our negotiating platform. On a side note, we would appreciate feedback and referrals for your PLPA Website. A lot of time and effort goes into updating and expanding it mostly by Dave Succamore. Keep up the professional portrayal of our sport.

President-PLPA
Peter Schmitz

September 20, 1999

To All Draft Picks:

Congratulations for being selected to an NLL Club. The main purpose of this letter is to introduce the Professional Lacrosse Players Association and myself to you. The PA was founded back in 1992 for the purpose of furthering the needs of the Players from a safety and compensatory standpoint and to be a single voice that the League ownership would be forced to hear. Every player in the NLL is a member of the PA. In our brief history, we have seen salaries go from as little as $100 per games to this year's maximum of $1,200 per game due to the efforts of the PLPA.

The contract that we have in place through the 2000 season is a far cry from the contract that I signed back in 1989. The League has come a long way and is embarking on the most exciting year of its existence. Back in 1987, there was a four-team league all owned and run by one group out of Kansas City. Today, there is a separate League Office and eight teams owned by separate entities that have a vested interest in competing to win. This has worked to the players benefit and will continue to do so as the sport moves from part time to full time. I believe the sport is poised to make great strides in expansion and opportunity.

Having said all that I want to enlighten you as quickly as possible on what you should expect in negotiating your individual contract. The first and the most important thing to know is that you should always consult with your Player Representative prior to accepting, or executing anything from your club's management. The Players Association as the exclusive bargaining representative of the Players, has an obligation to see that you understand the contract and that you are handled under the guidelines established in the CBA. The PA must also approve any agent you might choose to aid in the negotiation. A lot of time and energy has gone into fine-tuning this agreement and you can only benefit by understanding everything thoroughly.

Secondly, we are there as a resource and are aware of the compensation of all the players in the league. We can also help you understand those items which are not evident in the CBA and allow the owners to better compensate special players beyond the minimums and maximums established in the CBA. Each team has a bonus pool which may be utilized in a variety of ways and we can put you in touch with players that have used some creativity to garner more compensation or relieve the burden of living expenses, etc., etc.

We fully hope and expect that you will be supportive of the PLPA as you stand to benefit greatly by the sacrifices and decisions that we have made in the past. The sacrifices will not bear fruit for those people who have come before you but it is likely that you will benefit substantially from their efforts. On behalf of the other officers of the PLPA, let me welcome you to the fraternity of MILL and NLL, past and present players and congratulate you for being part of an elite group of rookies. Again, please see that you communicate with the Players Representative from your respective clubs before any discussions on the contract take place. It bears repeating, that you should not accept any contract proposal before the PA and the Player Rep has reviewed it. Do not under any circumstances sign a contract that exceeds 1 season. Our present contract expires at the end of this season and the deal may change to benefit you. Attached you will find the names, addresses and phone numbers of the officers and reps from each team. Be sure to utilize our services. Good Luck this season!

President-PLPA
Peter Schmitz

To All Players:

I would first like to thank you all for your support both monetarily and otherwise. We were forced to raise the dues reluctantly but necessarily to a level where it would not effect any decisions made by the Executive Committee. I would like to thank the officers and the player reps in particular for their continued commitment to the PLPA and its members. In many cases this is a thankless position with no rewards other than the support of their fellow players. Please keep that in mind.

I would like to alert those players who did not have their retroactive dues increase applied to last years paychecks, that it will be taken out this upcoming year. It warrants notice that the owners were asked to apply the increase toward the middle of the season so as not to take any large sums from any one paycheck. In the case of New York and Syracuse, we did not receive the dues payment for the old scale until after the season and hence there was no opportunity to have it deducted. Syracuse still owes a substantial amount of already deducted dues, which we are now actively pursuing.

I would have like to outline a lot of positive occurrences since our last correspondence but unfortunately recent events have thwarted my enthusiasm. I have outlined letters to the owners and the commissioner but they have for the most part been negative. We were told by the League had numerous interested parties for expansion and we ended up with just one. Boston was all but guaranteed and the owner pulled out leaving no time to introduce new parties. The League asked us for some time relief on a variety of violations of the contract and we showed some restraint and it has gotten us nowhere. I have had many discussions with John Livsey the Commissioner but have seen little come of it. They have asked us to review terms for a contract extension that basically incorporated none of our needs that we outlined in a meeting back in March of this year. In fact nothing was incorporated from our proposal and it appears that the owners feel that the compensation and the free agency provisions which we fought so hard to get need to be revised in their favor. I guess you could say it is business as usual and we can not expect to be considered partners in this endeavor to see the sport grow.

I recall three years ago when we fought to bring divestiture and the hopes for a new vitality with it. We have seen the benefit of competition for players' services raise the average salary over 75% in just two years. I think it is fair to say that at least compensation is going in the right direction. A recent development which has the Executive Committee disturbed pertains to the Restricted Free Agency provision in the CBA. A few of the owners have made assertions that the players who received compensation for last year less than the League Wide Average of $675 need only to be offered $675 and they will not be eligible to shop their services elsewhere. This is not the way the provision was negotiated and we will fight to see that the proper interpretation be utilized which would enable those players to seek offers from other teams with the original team being allowed to match if they wish.

While on this subject it bears reminding everyone to be weary of signing any long term deals with your respective clubs especially with the onset of further negotiations upcoming. Free Agency will remain a critical issue with us and a lengthy service agreement may prevent you from taking advantage of any positive changes.

The Annual General Meeting is being held the first weekend in October coupled with a series of Executive Committee Meeting which will involve discussions on the status of outstanding grievances, the upcoming season and the items which the players feel should be addressed in any future negotiations. I encourage you to take some time to think about your situation and contact either your player rep or email us your concerns and suggestions. We encourage active participation and in fact will need to hear from you to gauge our needs into the future.

The prospect of a new outdoor league has us enthused and we hope that it will make all the ownership parties better. They have indicated to us that when they are better prepared to discuss the makeup and format of the League we will be notified. Stay tuned.

In closing, we had hoped that the momentum which the League saw from an increase in attendance of close to 25%, a successful All-Star and a sellout for the final game in Toronto would continue into this year. I am however optimistic that the sport has a strong future ahead in spite of the growing pains which we are experiencing at this time. Certainly a collective effort by the owners the league office and the players will be necessary. The individual ownership format is the right answer but more cooperation amongst the owners will be necessary and possibly the introduction of game profit sharing amongst the owners. Again, I invite you all to attend the AGM and voice your opinions. I again appreciate your supporting my role and involvement with you the players.

This past Monday, June 21, John Livsey the NLL Commissioner came to Rhode Island to meet with me and outline some short term and long term goals. Somewhat reluctantly and without the support of some of the members of the PLPA Executive Committee, I agreed to meet. The concern of the Committee members was directed at the owners which have in some cases consistently not lived up to their requirements under the CBA. John's position is that they have been aware of our patience and that his office has continuously put pressure on the offenders and will keep the pressure on. I believe that the League Office still does not carry the weight that it should and until there is enough quality owners in the League, we will be dealing with these problems all to frequently.

I felt that it would make sense to hear what the League has been doing in the off season. John and I talk once a week but we have not had the opportunity to hear out each other and discuss the philosophy by which we are operating. I found John to be visibly excited about the future of the League on the heels of the owners meeting in Florida a week and a half ago. The new interest in the sport from all over the country has given him some leverage with interested parties and the ability to be selective. At this time there are three new teams being contemplated for the upcoming season yet there are five parties with sincere interest and numerous others with more than a fleeting interest. I think it would be premature to announce the cities of interest but the announcement could come in July but not later than the beginning of August.

Naturally, discussion on a contract extension came up. The League would like to see labor peace as would the PA providing we are comfortable with the terms. We outlined some time frames which would be consistent with the need to have clear cut definition of free agents and protected players prior to the expansion draft and rookie draft.

In all, the discussion was very general. There were no specifics mentioned. It is clear that the league office has a busy two months ahead of them. They expect to have a contract extension proposal in front of us by mid July for review and a meeting towards the end of July. We have indicated that the outstanding issues need to be resolved prior to any serious contract extension discussions to take place. I asked that his office make a concerted effort to follow through on the list of issues that the player reps have relayed to us. I am attempting to show some good faith and hope that the owners will approach the relationship with respect and recognize that we are both looking for the same thing. I also asked that John relay to the owners a need for a more cohesive and community effort to grow the sport. They are a small enough group that they can combine their efforts without too much pain and look at the big picture. They should consider the growth and support of the fellow clubs at this early stage to create equity in their businesses rather than look at each game's P & L. Ultimately, they may or may not make money at the end of each season, but they can count on building equity as evidenced by some other non-traditional sports. This was the message that I delivered. I will be giving a monthly update on the contract extension proposals, expansion status, free agency changes and any other pertinent information. Please keep in touch with your player reps for additional insight. Enjoy the summer.

Peter Schmitz - President - PLPA