ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
Section 1. General Definitions:
(a) “Agreement” means this Collective Bargaining Agreement.
(b) “Class Counsel” means the law firm of Weil, Gotshal & Manges, 767 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10153, the law firm of Dewey Ballantine, LLP, 1301 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10019, and the law firm of Lindquist & Vennum, 4200 IDS Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402.
(c) “Club” or “Team” or “Member,” used interchangeably herein, means any entity that is a member of the NFL or operates a franchise in the NFL at any time during the term of this Agreement.
(d) “Club Affiliate” or “Team Affiliate” means any entity or person owned by (wholly or partly), controlled by, affiliated with, or related to a Club or any owner of a Club.
(e) “Commissioner” means the Commissioner of the NFL.
(f) “Impartial Arbitrator” means the person authorized by this Agreement and the Settlement Agreement to hear and resolve specified disputes as provided in this Agreement and the Settlement Agreement.
(g) “League Year” means the period from March 1 of one year through and including the last day of February of the following year, or such other one year period to which the NFL and the NFLPA may agree.
(h) “NFL Player Contract” means the form of Player Contract utilized in the NFL.
(i) “NFL Rules” means the Constitution and By-Laws, rules, and regulations of the NFL and/or the Management Council.
(j) “Player Affiliate” means any entity or person owned by (wholly or partly), controlled by, affiliated with, or related to a player.
(k) “Salary” means any compensation of money, property, investments, loans, or anything else of value that a Club pays to, or is obligated to pay to, a player or Player Affiliate, or is paid to a third party at the request of and for the benefit of a player or Player Affiliate, during a League Year, as calculated in accordance with the rules set forth in Article XXIV (Guaranteed League-wide Salary, Salary Cap & Minimum Team Salary).
(l) “Settlement Agreement” means the Stipulation and Settlement Agreement, dated February 26, 1993, as amended.
(m) “Special Master” means the special master appointed and authorized by this Agreement and the Settlement Agreement to hear and resolve specified disputes as provided in this Agreement and the Settlement Agreement.
Section 2. Free Agency Definitions:
(n) “Accrued Season” means any playing season for which a player received credit with respect to his qualifications for Unrestricted Free Agency or Restricted Free Agency, as described in Article XIX (Veteran Free Agency).
(o) “Compensatory Draft Selection” means an additional Draft choice awarded to a Club as described in Article XIX (Veteran Free Agency) and Article XX (Franchise and Transition Players).
(p) “Draft” or “College Draft” means the NFL’s annual draft of Rookie football players as described in Article XVI (College Draft).
(q) “Draft Choice Compensation” means the right of any Club, as described in Article XIX (Veteran Free Agency) and Article XX (Franchise and Transition Players), to receive draft pick(s) from any other Club.
(r) “Drafted Rookie” means a person who is selected in the current League Year’s Draft or whose Draft rights are held, or continue to be held, consistent with this Agreement, by an NFL Club that selected the Rookie in a prior Draft.
(s) “Final Eight Plan” means the rules whereby signings of Unrestricted Free Agents are limited in Uncapped Years for the final eight playoff Clubs, under the limited circumstances described in Article XXI (Final Eight Plan).
(t) “Free Agent” means a player who is not under contract and is free to negotiate and sign a Player Contract with any NFL Club, without Draft Choice Compensation or any Right of First Refusal.
(u) “Minimum Salary” means the minimum annual Paragraph 5 Salary which shall be paid to an NFL player not on any Active list, and not on the Inactive list, pursuant to this Agreement.
(v) “Minimum Active/Inactive List Salary” means the minimum annual Paragraph 5 Salary which shall be paid to an NFL player on any Active list, or on the Inactive list, pursuant to this Agreement.
(w) “Negotiate” means, with respect to a player or his representatives on the one hand, and an NFL Club or its representatives on the other hand, to engage in any written or oral communication relating to efforts to reach agreement on employment and/or terms of employment between such player and such Club.
(x) “New Club” means any Club except the Prior Club (as defined below).
(y) “Player Contract” means a written agreement or series of such agreements executed at or about the same time between a person and an NFL Club pursuant to which such person is employed by such Club as a professional football player.
(z) “Prior Club” means the Club that contracted with or otherwise held the NFL playing rights for the player for the previous NFL League Year.
(aa) “Prior Year Salary” means the total of the Paragraph 5 Salary, roster and reporting bonuses, pro-rata portion of signing bonus, and other payments to a player in compensation for the playing of professional football for the last League Year of the player’s most recently negotiated Player Contract, except for performance bonuses other than roster and reporting bonuses. Prior Year Salary shall also include any unrepaid loans made, guaranteed or collateralized by a Team or its Team Affiliate to a player or Player Affiliate.
(ab) “Renegotiate” means any change in Salary or the terms under which such Salary is earned or paid, or any change regarding the Club’s right to trade the player, during the term of a Player Contract.
(ac) “Required Tender” means a Player Contract tender that a Club is required to make to a player pursuant to this Agreement, either as a matter of right with respect to the player, or to receive Rights of First Refusal, Draft Choice Compensation and/or other rights with respect to the player, as specified in this Agreement.
(ad) “Restricted Free Agent” means a Veteran who has three or more Accrued Seasons and who completes performance of his Player Contract, but who is still subject to a Right of First Refusal and/or Draft Choice Compensation in favor of his Prior Club.
(ae) “Right of First Refusal” means the right of an NFL Club, as described in Article XIX (Veteran Free Agency) and Article XX (Franchise and Transition Players) to retain the services of certain Veteran players by matching offers made to those players.
(af) “Rookie” means a person who has never signed a Player Contract with an NFL Club.
(ag) “Undrafted Rookie” means a Rookie who was eligible for but not selected in a College Draft.
(ah) “Unrestricted Free Agent” means a Veteran who completes performance of his Player Contract, and who is no longer subject to any exclusive negotiating rights, Right of First Refusal, or Draft Choice Compensation in favor of his Prior Club.
(ai) “Veteran” means a player who has signed at least one Player Contract with an NFL Club.
Section 3. Salary Cap Definitions:
(aj) “Benefits” or “Player Benefit Costs” means the specific benefits paid to players set forth in Article XXIV (Guaranteed League-wide Salary, Salary Cap & Minimum Team Salary).
(ak) “Capped Year” means any League Year for which a Salary Cap is in effect.
(al) “Total Revenues” or “TR” means all of the League and Team revenues that are included within the definition of Total Revenues, as set forth in Article XXIV (Guaranteed League-wide Salary, Salary Cap & Minimum Team Salary).
(am) “Guaranteed League-wide Salary” means the minimum amount that the Teams in the NFL must pay in Player Costs during a League Year, if applicable, as set forth in Article XXIV (Guaranteed League-wide Salary, Salary Cap & Minimum Team Salary).
(an) “Minimum Team Salary” means the minimum amount that each Team must pay in Salaries during a League Year, if applicable, as set forth in Article XXIV (Guaranteed League-wide Salary, Salary Cap & Minimum Team Salary), Section 5.
(ao) “Paragraph 5 Salary” means the compensation set forth in paragraph 5 of the NFL Player Contract, or in any amendments thereto.
(ap) “Player Costs” means the total Salaries and Benefits attributable to a League Year for all NFL Teams under all of the rules set forth in Article XXIV (Guaranteed League-wide Salary, Salary Cap & Minimum Team Salary), but not including loans, loan guarantees, unpaid grievances attributions, and unearned incentives.
(aq) “Projected Benefits” means the amount of Benefits projected in accordance with the rules set forth in Article XXIV (Guaranteed League-wide Salary, Salary Cap & Minimum Team Salary).