Posted on: Tuesday, September 18, 2001

Other sports
NFL, refs agree to deal, says source

Associated Press

NEW YORK — The NFL and its officials agreed to a new contract yesterday, all but ending the lockout and the need for replacements, a league source told The Associated Press.

The deal, which must be ratified by the 119 officials, is for the same amount of money the league had offered on Sept. 4, although some details are different.

It calls for a 50 percent raise this season and 100 percent by the fourth year of a six-year contract, the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The officials were to vote on the deal by e-mail, a process expected to be finished by tomorrow morning.

Tom Condon, chief negotiator for the union, had no immediate comment.

The deal was worked out with Bill Carollo, the executive director of the NFL Referees Association, and Jeff Bergman, two of the four members of the negotiating committee, the source said.

NFL spokesman Joe Browne said the league had no comment.

"We will not say anything until we have agreed to a deal," he said.