Poll: Is the NFL a Monopoly?

[Queasy]

The judge in the Clarett vs the NFL case said that the NFL violated anti-trust laws...thus, essentially calling the NFL a monopoly. Now, I'm not a lawyer nor did I stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night, but that doesn't pass the crap test to me. True, the NFL is the only place that one can go to play football for millions of dollars but it is not the only place to go play football. Clarett can go play semi-pro ball, he can play in the Arena League, he can even play in the Canadian Football League. The NFL has had competition from the USFL and the XFL. It is not the NFL's fault that poor management and marketing caused those leagues to fold.

Which leads me to another thought...clearly Clarett is suing because he wants to make millions of dollars now instead of one year later. Now, what if the NFL teams decide that they don't want to use a 1st Draft Day pick on Clarett because he hasn't played in over a year, hasn't played a full season, has shown himself to be a malcontent, has sued the NFL, and has associated himself with a gambler? If he ends up being a 2nd day pick he would get a drastically smaller signing bonus and salary around the league minimum. Would Clarett then sue the NFL again?

 

[TheBoyBlunder]

I thought you meant in terms of their shutting down super bowl parties all over the country with a few days warning, rather than in terms of places to go play football...

Since you mean labor, I've got no idea.

 

[DrPizza]

Originally posted by: TheBoyBlunder
I thought you meant in terms of their shutting down super bowl parties all over the country with a few days warning, rather than in terms of places to go play football...

Since you mean labor, I've got no idea.

Yeah, the way they handled the parties... they're money grubbing &*%$#'s.

 

[mpitts]

I wouldn't consider the NFL a monopoly.

People can get paid to play football in the Arena league.

 

[XZeroII]

It is. It is what is known as a natural monopoly. That means that the market can only handle one and no more. MLB is another natural monopoly.

 

[omega2]

Honestly, I think any organization can be a monopoly. It's true that there are more than one organization that you can play football for. It also depends whether you want to play at a professional level or at the amatuer level as well. I mean if you are just looking to play for fun, i'm sure one of those amatuer league would be better.