NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement

Article 32
Expansion


  • Section 1. Veteran Allocation

    The Clubs may determine during the term of this Agreement to expand the number of Clubs and to have existing Clubs make available for assignment to the expansion Clubs the contracts of a certain number of Veteran players, up to an average of three per Club, excluding any player who has a no trade clause in his Player Contract. The methodology employed pursuant to the letter dated December 18, 2001, regarding the Houston Texans Veteran Player Allocation Draft shall apply unless the parties agree otherwise.

  • Section 2. Additional Compensatory Picks

    The Clubs may decide the selection position for expansion teams in the Draft, and may allocate to each expansion Club additional special Draft selections in the Drafts held prior to each of the first three seasons in which the expansion Clubs will participate in regular League play, up to a maximum of one additional such special Draft selection for each expansion Club in each round of the Draft in each such year.

  • Section 3. Rookie Compensation Pool Adjustment

    The provisions of Article 7, Section 5(d) shall apply to adjust the Rookie Compensation Pool in the event of expansion.

  • Section 4. Relocation Bonus

    Any Veteran player selected in any expansion allocation during the 2019–20 League Years will receive a bonus of $75,000 upon reporting to the expansion Club for preseason training camp, and an additional bonus of $100,000 upon being placed on the Active or Inactive List, or remaining on the Injured Reserved List, after the beginning of the first regular season game played by the expansion Club. The total amounts paid to players pursuant to this Section shall not be included as Player Costs, Benefits, or Salary under Article 12 or 13. The bonus amount described in this Section shall increase to $90,000 and $115,000, respectively, for any expansion allocation in the 2021–23 League Years, to $105,000 and $130,000, respectively, for any expansion allocation in the 2024–27 League Years, and to $120,000 and $145,000, respectively, for any expansion allocation in the 2028–30 League Years.

  • Section 5. Regular Season Games Played Outside of the United States
    (a)

    In any League Year in which the NFL regular season consists of seventeen games, the extra week shall not consist entirely of international games.

    (b)

    Through the 2025 season, no more than ten regular season international games will be played each season unless a Club is displaced from its existing stadium due to damage, other force majeure events, construction or renovation.

    (c)

    Prior to the start of the 2025 regular season, the parties will meet and confer regarding whether to increase the maximum number of International Games in any single regular season to more than ten (10) games in 2025 or subsequent years. Such decision may be based on underlying business justifications, including but not limited to growth in AR, club and player brand development, media and related opportunities, as well as player working conditions, health and safety, burdens on player families, insurance, housing, and/or tax-related issues, and the NFLPA’s consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.

    (d)

    Before any Club is scheduled to play 3 or more regular season international games in a season, other than for a reason set forth in the preceding paragraph, the NFL will meet and confer with the NFLPA to consider impacts to underlying business justifications and player health, safety, and working conditions, as described in Subsection (c).

    (e)

    If any Club travels outside of North America to play a game more than once in a single regular season, any player on that Club who travels outside of North America for such games, will be paid a stipend of $5,000 for each game, beginning with the second such game. This $5,000 stipend shall be in addition to all other compensation (including per diems), which he is entitled to receive for those games. This stipend will be considered a player benefit cost.