ATLANTA — NFL owners have voted unanimously to shorten their labor agreement, meaning the current contract will end in 2011 instead of 2013.

A new deal must be in place by March 2009 to avoid a 2010 season without a salary cap. However, the NFL says that even without a new agreement there will be no interruption of play for at least the next three seasons.

NFL owners have been concerned that the current contract leans too far toward the players, who now get 60 percent of total team revenues. Owners also say profits have declined because of economic conditions.