I was planning on posting a synopsis of the trial court's decisions in the Brady v. NFL, but since the 8th Circuit granted a temporary stay and has yet to decide the issue of a permanent stay, I have been holding off on publishing that post. Anyway, I thought it might be interesting to hear from our readers regarding their views on the lockout and overall labor dispute. I think the crux of the situation is the money, but if anyone wants to chime in on other issues that would be great.The owners' position is the previous Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) was too generous to the players. The owners felt that they were forced into the old CBA as result of the tenuous financial position they were in as a result of building new stadiums. The owner indicated that they need a great cut off the top of total revenue before splitting the remainder with the players, because they're not making enough money. I don't think the owners have explicitly stated they they're losing money on their teams, but they, at the very least, have indicated that they need more money off the top to cover operational expenses.
The players' position is that they provide all of the value that makes the NFL such a successful and profitable sport, and as such, they deserve the same proportion of the revenue that they were getting under the old CBA. The players indicated they were would be open to the owner's demands if the owners would be willing to open their books to the players. During the negotiations, the owners provide only the most basic information and failed to offer a full accounting.
My own opinion is that the owners need to open up their books if they're going to get the deal they want. Personally, I don't know if the money they want off the top is too much, but the fact that they were unwilling to open their books up makes me think that they're not hurting for cash. The only way I see their football happening this year is the owner's losing their appeal concerning the injunction ordering the end to lockout or the players getting a court order depriving the owners of their guaranteed TV contract money.
As owner of the Carolina Panthers, I can tell you that the players no nothing about the business side of football or player safety.
ReplyDeleteOne more thing, fuck Peyton Mannning.
I actually know alot about player safety after spending more than ten year playing quarterback in the NFL and am very offended by your comments.
ReplyDeleteWhy won't you open up you books so we can see if the financial status of the league necessitates the players giving the owners additional money off the top?
The owners know that the players can't read. And, do you even know what necessitates means, Peyton?
ReplyDeleteWhat new stadiums did the owner's build again? I thought tax dollars did that.
ReplyDeleteThe owners are full of crap. The players are the workers and the product. The product is delivered from stadiums largely subsidized by the government, and the owner's value to the franchis is very limited. I mean...is it that hard to sell the NFL to broadcasting companies. It's like selling weed on a college campus. Not that hard...
ReplyDeleteTaxpayer dollars don't cover every dollar needed to build a stadium. Owners usually have to put up some of their own money.
ReplyDeleteIn the case of Cowboys Stadium, which cost 1.2 billion, the city of Arlington paid only 325 million.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cowboys_Stadium
Great anaology Hater J.
ReplyDeleteI tend to think of the owners as the villains myself. The players seem to be taking all the risks. Football contracts aren't guaranteed, so if players turn out to be busts, they can get cut and released from their contract. Players realize the consequences of their football careers later in life. So, I have a hard time thinking the owners deserve a bigger cut of the money the players bring in.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I know what necessitate means. It means to "make necessary or unavoidable." Would you like me to use it in a sentence?
ReplyDelete"You blantant disrespect to me necessitates me kicking your ass after I finish filming this Sony commercial with JT."
I forgot about this earlier. The owners want to basically cut the salary of first round draft picks in half (from $500 to $250 million)and lock them into five year contracts. I think this is crazy when you consider that the average NFL career lasts only three to four years.
ReplyDeleteAre we playing or what? I got a mouth to feed.
ReplyDelete