The development of arbitration disputes over the interpretation and application of provisions of the collective bargaining agreement in professional football dates back only to 1977. The parties' first agreement (1971), which provided for the arbitration of injury cases, expired in 1974. It was not until 1977 that the parties were able to execute their next collective bargaining agreement. To facilitate understanding of the events leading up to the 1977 agreement, the history of the litigation is reviewed as is the influence of the U.S. District Court of Minnesota and the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals on the parties' future relationship. In the 5 years following the execution of the 1977 agreement, the parties arbitrated a substantial number of issues. When the parties resolved the terms and conditions of their new agreement, they went to considerable lengths to adopt changes in their procedure which were the result of lessons jointly learned during the earlier years when they were arbitrating injury grievances. They found ways to reduce delays, to expedite the resolution of disputes, and to improve the administration of their arbitration process.