rbroad and do not further any goal or purpose reasonably necessary to the leagues need for self regulation.If the rules are analyzed under the rule of reason they also violate antitrust laws. The rules effectively deny an entire class of amateur football players an opportunity to play professionally while not aiding competition.The balance between the provisions of the National Labor Relations Act and the antitrust laws is not always an easy one to maintain. However, in all the cases, the use of Section 8(a)(5) has been clear and utilized whenever possible by both sides. As a protection mechanism it has done its job.The future bargaining relationship between player associations and league management is likely to reduce the situations under which a union can claim that the nonstatutory labor exemption is unavailable to shield otherwise unlawful player restraints from antitrust liability. It will become more difficult in the future for courts to find that leagues forcefully and unilaterally imposed restrictive league rules upon player bargaining representatives. Only on those matters that are not mandatory subjects, or in those situations where a league has unilaterally incorporated into the collective bargaining agreement restrictive practices that were not subject to arms-length negotiation will player groups be able to overcome managements reliance on the nonstatutory labor exemption....
