Comments on: NFL Labor Talks Break Off

By: Eric J

Eric J — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 18:56:16 +0000

This doesn't seem to be on the table, but I think there should be the NFL equivalent of the Larry Bird exception from the NBA - allowing teams to go over the cap in order to retain a star veteran.

(Although in the NFL, I think it should also apply to offensive lines - If you have 4 or more O-line players who have played together for more than 3 years, you can go over the cap to keep them together.)

By: James Joyner

James Joyner — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 18:11:03 +0000

The problem with the transition is that the NFL has given the existing status a stage on which to become brand names. Outside of Reggie Bush, Matt Lienart, and Vince Young, the casual fan has likely never heard of more than a handful of the players coming out of college in this draft class. But, frankly, you could fill 32 45-man rosters with guys from the CFL, Arena League, NFL Europe, and the college draft and put an excellent product on the field.

Further, the fact that the owners are not willing to budge a couple points seems to indicate that they don't think the players are worth every penny.

In an uncapped market, a handful of teams will overpay for players and most will underpay. That's what's happened in baseball.

By: DC Loser

DC Loser — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 18:05:28 +0000

Remember the last strike when they recruited CFL players as replacements? That didn't exactly go over very well. I don't really think it's relevant how much percentage the players are getting if the owners think are still making tons of money and think the players are worth every penny of it.

By: James Joyner

James Joyner — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 17:55:55 +0000

DCL: Sure, but that's like saying a company is only as good as its workers. To some extent, the workers are fungible. If every single NFL player were suddenly unable to play football, the league could recruit fantastic athletes to replace them.

Unlike basketball and baseball, the NFL mostly markets teams rather than players. Especially in the era of free agency, the old saw that fans "root for the laundry" is essentially true.

Moreover, the players are getting over half the gross revenues from ticket sales and broadcast contracts. They are hardly undercompensated.

By: DC Loser

DC Loser — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 17:47:55 +0000

I'm by no means an expert on the NFL, but just my casual observation that without the players, the owners have nothing. The whole franchise is built upon the sweat and pain of the players. Sure, the owners make all kinds of important decisions regarding facilities, marketing, and such, but all those things don't happen in a vacuum without a product. It's just like baseball - the owners know they can't live without the players, and unlike major league basebell, I don't know of any money losing franchises. If the owners can afford to pay for talent, they will.