The best reason to side with the NFL owners over the players

[Squisher]

Percent of revenue allotted to players:
NFL: 59%
NBA: 57%
NHL: 56.7%
MLB: 52%

NFL owners want it at 50%, I'd think pegging it right in the middle around 55% would be fair.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

What are you trying to ask here?

i wonder why people often complain about players' salaries and never the owners' paycheck. it's the players people want to see

 

[IAteYourMother]

Percent of revenue allotted to players:
NFL: 59%
NBA: 57%
NHL: 56.7%
MLB: 52%

NFL owners want it at 50%, I'd think pegging it right in the middle around 55% would be fair.

I think players would be ok with that if it didn't mean extending the season and increasing risk of injury, which has already increased dramatically as a result of bigger/faster/stronger players. The league/owners are willfully ignoring mounting evidence of the incredible dangers of concussions.

Sure, you might say, well these players should play somewhere else, but the fact is, they can't because the owners are given a monopoly on American football. That is the biggest reason why I support the players. The owners are given a fucking monopoly and yet bitch and moan about the money players make and ignore safety at the same time? pitiful.

 

[MotionMan]

Sure, you might say, well these players should play somewhere else, but the fact is, they can't because the owners are given a monopoly on American football. That is the biggest reason why I support the players. The owners are given a fucking monopoly and yet bitch and moan about the money players make and ignore safety at the same time? pitiful.

How were they "given" a monopoly?

UFL, XFL, USFL, WFL, AAFC, Arena, even the CFL.

They tried and many have failed because the NFL puts out a better product.

MotionMan

 

[DayLaPaul]

Percent of revenue allotted to players:
NFL: 59%
NBA: 57%
NHL: 56.7%
MLB: 52%

NFL owners want it at 50%, I'd think pegging it right in the middle around 55% would be fair.

That 59% figure doesn't include the $1 billion off the top that the owners get to keep. Now the owners want $2 billion off the top before players get a 50% split.

Players want owners to open up the books and show them why, in the greatest economic times the league has seen, they deserve this money. Players are OK with a 50/50 split with nothing skimmed off the top for owners.

Owners (Carolina's in particular) responded by telling players (Peyton Manning in particular, who graduated in 3 years at Tennessee) that they're dumb jocks and they wouldn't understand the numbers anyway.

That when they had to bring in the mediator.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

How were they "given" a monopoly?

UFL, XFL, USFL, WFL, AAFC, Arena, even the CFL.

They tried and many have failed because the NFL puts out a better product.

MotionMan

arena and cfl continue to exist only because they pose no threat to the nfl. usfl and xfl "did not have the nfl's blessing" and were promptly crushed into dust.

 

[darkswordsman17]

How were they "given" a monopoly?

UFL, XFL, USFL, WFL, AAFC, Arena, even the CFL.

They tried and many have failed because the NFL puts out a better product.

MotionMan

The USFL won a lawsuit against the NFL over their monopoly and anti-competitive practices (namely their TV deals). Fairly recently the NFL also got sued (and lost) about their exclusive licensing rights for merchandise (had given Reebok exclusive deal for hats I believe).

As for the current situation, there's a reason why the owners are not willing to open up their books. Its because anyone with half a brain knows they're full of shit about their financial hardships. It costs so much to put up a stadium? You're right it does, which is why taxpayers aren't happy about financing ridiculous billion dollar stadiums. This has started to become a bigger and bigger issue as the owners have not been fully forthcoming about their finances when lobbying for stadiums and renovations and tax breaks.

Also, I don't get you saying you side with the owners when the players are getting paid millions (which the average salary isn't even that high, and a lot of the big contracts you hear about never get paid in full, which is why you hear the focus on guaranteed money now), when the owners are raking in tens and hundreds of millions. Sure, they're taking some risk, but I'm not sure how you argue the players aren't as well. What I've always been baffled about is the owners complaining about pay, but they were willing participants in these contracts.

 

[the DRIZZLE]

How were they "given" a monopoly?

UFL, XFL, USFL, WFL, AAFC, Arena, even the CFL.

They tried and many have failed because the NFL puts out a better product.

MotionMan

He is referring to the fact that the NFL is exempt from anti-trust laws.

 

[Fern]

I'm not following this much, if at all, but I can't generate sympathy for either side.

I don't want to see more games. Let the owners rent their stadiums for concerts etc. if they need it used more. The season is already too long IMO. Too hard on the players bodies, and most can't make it through season now without injuries. And when they can't play at 100%, or at all, the product suffers. In fact, I'd put at least one more by-week in the current schedule.

My other concern is for players retirement and HC costs. But many make enough in just a few years to be able to afford that themselves. Apparently, they aren't savvy enough. They need to put together a retirement and HI program themselves, maybe the owners should contribute something as well.

Fern

 

[marvdmartian]

Bring on the lockout so Shane Falco can redeem himself and start for Washington.

and the hot, yummy bartender/cheerleader can hire the strippers to be cheerleaders!! :awe:

 

[mesthead21]

The team owners don't build or staff their own stadiums as it is. (well, except for Jerry Jones...and IIRC, there's quite a bit of public money in that one as well)
They beg for concessions and handouts from the cities/counties to build a stadium, then fight with those public entities over every fucking dime they pay...and continue to demand tax breaks and concessions...or we're going to leave!
The Sacramento Kings are saying they're going to leave Sacramento...yet the Maloof Brothers owe the City of Sacramento $68 million on a loan they took out a few years ago.
Why? Mostly because Sacramento won't build them a fancy new basketball palace...

These sports team owners continue to suck up public money at the feeding trough like it's a bottomless trough...then whine like a bunch of spoiled babies if the public monies slow down...

At the same time, I question the players' motives as well. The only ones who really need a better contract are the rookies who don't have multi-million dollar contracts..and if the owners want to expand the season...they need to pay the players for those extra games.

Good points, i agree about the owners.

I also think the rookie wage needs to get changed. Its bullcrap rookies make more than established veterans in the league.

 

[BUTCH1]

City politicians need to man up and refuse to bow to the owners threats. At the same time, they need to be ready for the negative reaction they will get from the citizens when "their" team leaves.

That being said, though I am not a business owner, I tend to side with owners in such disputes (especially when players are getting paid millions of dollars either way).

I felt the same way with the airline pilots (who we paid to train in the first place through the military, BTW).

MotionMan

Not all airline pilots come from the military and most have to fly puddle-jumpers for ridiculously low pay to garner air-hours and hopefully a shot with the big-boys..

 

[BrokenVisage]

Owners: You must play 2 extra games AND take a paycut.

Players: Fuck you.

 

[XZeroII]

All teams should just be like the Packers. No owner. Just get a bunch of people together who like the game and start a team.

edit: nevermind. According to wikipedia this can't happen anymore.

"Green Bay is the only team with this form of ownership structure in the NFL; such ownership is in direct violation of current league rules, which stipulate a limit of 32 owners of one team and one of those owners having a minimum 30% stake. However, the Packers corporation was grandfathered when the NFL's current ownership policy was established in the 1980s,[22] and are thus exempt. The Packers are also the only American major-league sports franchise to release its financial balance sheet every year."

 

[shortylickens]

I was so hoping we would lose the NFL threads after the super bowl.
Oh well.

 

[MotionMan]

Almost all airline pilots come from the military and a couple have to fly puddle-jumpers for ridiculously low pay to garner air-hours and hopefully a shot with the big-boys..

Fixed.

MotionMan

 

[BUTCH1]

Fixed.

MotionMan

I live nearby ERAU and yes, it has a significant ROTC presence but not everyone who wants to gets to fly an F-18, they get the cream of the crop. With the current economy major carriers can be picky and choose those with military training over others though. Here is an interesting link, it's amazing how badly these pilots are paid in hopes at a shot for a bigger payday down the road..http://blogs.wsj.com/middleseat/2009/06/16/pilot-pay-want-to-know-how-much-your-captain-earns

 

[MotionMan]

I live nearby ERAU and yes, it has a significant ROTC presence but not everyone who wants to gets to fly an F-18, they get the cream of the crop. With the current economy major carriers can be picky and choose those with military training over others though. Here is an interesting link, it's amazing how badly these pilots are paid in hopes at a shot for a bigger payday down the road..http://blogs.wsj.com/middleseat/2009/06/16/pilot-pay-want-to-know-how-much-your-captain-earns

BTW, when I mentioned the pilots, I was referring to the labor problems they had a few years ago. As with all things, times have changed, so the argument regarding pilots may not be true now (though it was then).

MotionMan

 

[Zee]

Quote:
Originally Posted by OILFIELDTRASH View Post
I can't sympathize with overpaid players crying about wanting more cash. They should look at NASCAR and see how it's done. Now those guys are true athletes. I'd put my money on a NASCAR guy vs a NFL guy anyday in teh octagon. You never hear NASCAR guys crying about not making enough money. What they do is 10x harder than any NFL game.
I like you - you're funny.

ease up on him. lol he probably thinks nascar is a sport.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

Sure, you might say, well these players should play somewhere else, but the fact is, they can't because the owners are given a monopoly on American football. That is the biggest reason why I support the players. The owners are given a fucking monopoly and yet bitch and moan about the money players make and ignore safety at the same time? pitiful.

What's pitiful is crying over a situation that you don't even begin to comprehend. You're laboring under the insane impression that a job in football is an inalienable right guaranteed by the Declaration of Independence. So what if the players are not able to get another job playing American football? They can try their hands at baseball or bowling or (GASP!!) get a REAL freaking job working 9-5 like most other people. You need either an education or a serious brain upgrade if you think NFL players are undergoing a hardship by playing in the league or are facing unreasonably unsafe working conditions. There are dozens of jobs like fishing, trucking, construction, firefighters, police, logging, even driving a damn taxi, that are FAR more dangerous than the NFL and that pay FAR less. Why are you not crying your tears of ignorance for those people? If somebody in the NFL is unhappy with their share of the pie or feels that the concussion risk is too high, McDonalds is always hiring. Yet NFL players are never willing to walk away and get a different job in a different industry. They merely whine and pout and demand more more more like the spoiled and petulant children they are.

 

[crownjules]

What's pitiful is crying over a situation that you don't even begin to comprehend. You're laboring under the insane impression that a job in football is an inalienable right guaranteed by the Declaration of Independence. So what if the players are not able to get another job playing American football? They can try their hands at baseball or bowling or (GASP!!) get a REAL freaking job working 9-5 like most other people. You need either an education or a serious brain upgrade if you think NFL players are undergoing a hardship by playing in the league or are facing unreasonably unsafe working conditions. There are dozens of jobs like fishing, trucking, construction, firefighters, police, logging, even driving a damn taxi, that are FAR more dangerous than the NFL and that pay FAR less. Why are you not crying your tears of ignorance for those people? If somebody in the NFL is unhappy with their share of the pie or feels that the concussion risk is too high, McDonalds is always hiring. Yet NFL players are never willing to walk away and get a different job in a different industry. They merely whine and pout and demand more more more like the spoiled and petulant children they are.

I don't think you understand that it's mostly the owners here who are trying to take money away from the players. The players are not asking for more. It would be like your company making record profits but then you are told you need to take a pay cut because the CEO needs a fatter paycheck. I'm sure you'd try to fight it if you could before moving on from a good thing that you love doing.

The wealthy already have far too much power in this country. The don't need to amass more of it while the rest of us drown.

 

[MotionMan]

I don't think you understand that it's mostly the owners here who are trying to take money away from the players. The players are not asking for more. It would be like your company making record profits but then you are told you need to take a pay cut because the CEO needs a fatter paycheck. I'm sure you'd try to fight it if you could before moving on from a good thing that you love doing.

The wealthy already have far too much power in this country. The don't need to amass more of it while the rest of us drown.

I think many of the players count as "wealthy", no? And don't tell me that those guys are looking out for their brethren players at the bottom of the pay scale. When the salary cap goes up, so do the contracts of the top 10% paid players more so than the bottom 10%.

MotionMan