National Football League (NFL) games draw more attention and viewers than the NBA, MLB, or NHL. The average Sunday Night Football regular season game on NBC drew more viewers than the average 2010 World Series game, but football games, tailgating, and body paint may be put on hold until the NFL settles its ongoing lockout.

On March 11, after weeks of federally-mediated negotiations, NFL owners and players failed to reach an agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement after the previous one expired on March 11.  Until the two sides reach an agreement, the offseason will be shut down, meaning trades and free agency will stop.

If the lockout reaches September and even later, the 2011 regular season and postseason might not occur.

“Is the lockout really going to affect the season? No, because money makes the world go round… There are ventriloquists that pull the strings for everything in the NFL.  [However], it will possibly affect the regular season, but people will appreciate football more because the season would possibly end, so I think the lockout will end during the regular season,” senior Courtney Mooshood, who plays football outside of school, said.

The main issues of negotiations were the possibility of an 18-game season, retirement benefits, a rookie wage scale and the division of the NFL’s $9 billion in annual revenue between the owners and the players.

“I side with the players because I am a football player.  The owners have money, so there’s nothing for them to complain about.  They’re being the Grinch that stole Christmas.  They’re just greedy,” Mooshood said.

If the lockout does affect the 2011 season, other major sports like MLB, college football, and the NBA could most likely stand to gain from NFL fans looking for other sports to enjoy.

“If it does [affect the regular season], I’ll probably wait for basketball or hockey season,” freshman Malik Werin said.