WASHINGTON // The NFL owners and players agreed to the terms of a deal to end the lockout, and players were expected to begin the voting process, two people familiar with the negotiations said.
The people spoke on condition of anonymity because the process was supposed to remain secret and no formal announcement had been made.
The NFL Players Association's executive committee was to meet yesterday and be presented with the finalised agreement.
The sides worked through the weekend and wrapped up talks yesterday morning, one of the people said. The league's previous labour deal expired in March, and the owners locked out the players.
"We have every reason to believe it's going to be a good day," the NFL spokesman Greg Aiello wrote in an email.
If players sign off on the agreement, NFL clubs would be able to start signing 2011 draft picks and rookie free agents today. Talks with veteran free agents also could begin today, and signings could follow as soon as Friday.
Under that tentative schedule, training camps would open for 10 of the 32 teams tomorrow, 10 on Thursday, another 10 on Friday, and the last two teams on Sunday.
The major economic framework for the deal was worked out more than a week ago. That included how the more than US$9 billion (Dh33bn) in annual league revenues will be divided, with about 53 per cent earmarked for the owners and 47 per cent for the players over the next decade.
Company profile
Name: The Concept
Founders: Yadhushan Mahendran, Maria Sobh and Muhammad Rijal
Based: Abu Dhabi
Founded: 2017
Number of employees: 7
Sector: Aviation and space industry
Funding: $250,000
Future plans: Looking to raise $1 million investment to boost expansion and develop new products
Match info
Arsenal 0
Manchester City 2
Sterling (14'), Bernardo Silva (64')
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
