There is something that plays an important role in millions of Americans

 There is something that plays an important role in millions of Americans lives for six months year after year. It also plays a huge role year round in many businesses all across America. Last year alone, 106 million people chose to expose themselves to this on just a single day in February (Gop, By Alaska). Even though it plays a huge role in millions of Americans lives and businesses, this time next year it may not be around. This thing I am talking about the National Football League, or the NFL. How is something that plays such a big role in a lot of Americans lives and businesses in danger of not being played next year? In an effort to try and figure out the problem and a solution for it, I found that there are a couple problems that need a couple different solutions.

 The NFL may not have a 2011 season because the current collective bargaining agreement expires after the 2010 season (NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement Explained). If a new collective bargaining agreement is not agreed upon before the start of the 2011 season that starts in September a lockout will inevitably happen, thus no football will be played next year, or any other year until a new collective bargaining agreement is agreed upon. There are two sides to this that are currently in negotiations in an effort to come to an agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement. These two sides are the NFL owners and the NFL Players Association. These two sides cannot come to terms on a couple key issues that if they cannot come to an agreement the NFL will lockout all players belonging to the NFL Players Association. This includes every NFL player that is signed to any NFL team. That is not to say that the league will shut down all together. It means that nobody that is in the NFL Players Associations will be allowed to take the field. The movie, The Replacements, depicts this situation well. In this movie there is a lockout that shuts down the league for any players that belong to the NFL Players Association, but anyone that does not belong to the NFL Players Association or anyone that chooses to cross the line is allowed to play. League commissioner Rodger Goodell has said that a, "Replacements" scenario will not happen, but rather the league will shut down all together until a new agree can be met (Vacchiano, Ralph). But, the two sides have been working for years to come to a new agreement and still have not came to one. So what is at the center of these debates?