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NFL Not Alone: NBA, NHL, MLB Also Face Labor Issues

BOSTON (CBS) - The NFL is not the only American professional sports league facing a possible work stoppage. The other three major sports league may face similar issues down the road.

NFL:

The current collective bargaining agreement expires at 12 a.m. on March 3, though a deadline for talks between the owners and NFLPA could be extended a week or two.

There were two previous work stoppages during the 1980's. In 1987, there was a 24-day strike. Teams played three weeks with replacement players. In all, one game was lost. Meanwhile, in 1982, Weeks 3-10 were cancelled due to a 57-day work stoppage.

NBA:

The NBA could be in a more problematic situation than the NFL. The league's current CBA expires on June 30, and there is the potential for owners to lock out players after the NBA Finals.

The biggest issue for the league is whether or not to use a hard or soft salary cap. Also, players currently get 57% of the league's basketball-related income, and the league would like to reduce that percentage significantly.

The only other time there was a work stoppage was from 1998-1999 and resulted in a 50-game season (a loss of 32 regular season games).

MLB:

The current CBA in baseball expires in December, and the first negotiating session for a new deal was held Wednesday in Florida.

The most recent work stoppage began in August 1994 and lasted until April 1995, and resulted in the cancellation of the 1994 World Series. It was the eighth work stoppage in baseball history.

NHL:

The current CBA is set to expire after the 2010-2011 season, but the NHLPA has the option to extend the agreement for an additional year.

The previous work stoppage was devastating for the league, as it wiped out the 2004-2005 season. It marked the first time a professional sports league canceled an entire season for a labor dispute.

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