Pendulums swing both ways.... or do they?

RZR

RZR

Sun-kissed & restless
For almost decades the surviving owners in the NFL from the 1920's to the 1950's penny-pinched with a fierce tenacity. They consistently denied west-bound relocation petitions because none of the 8 team owners would agree to spend the travel and lodging costs to accommodate western franchise. Countless franchise applications for expansion teams were denied as owners feared allowing too many teams in the league would kill their only source of revenue, gate sales.

For years, owners Tim Mara-NY Giants, George P. Marshall- Washington Redskins, Charlie Bidwll-Chicago Cardinals, Bert Bell Philly Eagles, Art Rooney, Pittsburgh Pirates, George Halas- Chicago Bears, Earl "Curly" Lambeau- Green Bay Packers ruled the roost and held their wallets in both hands. In a time when over 35 franchises failed and the business of pro football was a guppy in a pond dominated by baseball, a recession and a war, players often played for minimum wage.... or less.

It wasn't until 1946 (during the reign of the AFL's Paul Brown) that the NFL allowed Dan Reeves to move his Cleveland Rams to Los Angeles with the agreement that they would pay the visiting team an additional $5000 to recuperate travel costs.

Pro football in America:
1. Seriously playing 2nd fiddle to baseball
2. Minimal expendable cash for fans
3. Football and TV didn't know each other existed yet
4. Owners believed a monopoly was the only survival method
5. Dan Reeves and Eddie Kotal had not yet invented college recruiting.
6. Bert Bell had not yet invented the college draft

Flash forward to 2010 where 32 owners are consistently paying out exorbitant dollars for rookies. Rookies/agents/owners will to pay these ridiculous salaries are driving not only the starting contract price but also guaranteed salaries out of the atmosphere in into Mars' orbit. All of the 6 conditions listed above have obviously shifted... the pendulum has swung to the opposite extreme. NFL franchise owners have multiple revenue streams contributing the financial stability of their teams ......


But why.... oh why.... are they allowing rookie contracts to surpass ridiculous to the extreme that they do today?

Where are the measure to restore financial balance? Now add in the removal of salary cap for free agents. Good luck playing "where's waldo" looking for that pendulum. Did the rich and greedy gorilla glue the little silver ball to the far right side with no hope of it ever swinging free and settling in the middle?

Who ultimately pays the price for all this surplus spending?

Speaking as a highly emotionally addicted fan to the sport I can't help but feel extorted and taken for granted by both the players and the owners. I would include player agents but they've already sold their souls...

I can't be the only one watching these salaries and thinking.....WTH???
 
cctekguy

cctekguy

Staff member
Brilliant post RZR!

As an ignorant by-stander I can't figure it out either.

I understand greed well enough to know that the owners could substantially increase their profits by greatly reducing their payroll.



I understand athletes well enough to know that they will play for $100,000 a year + medical, a 401k and a decent retirement plan. It's all they know how to do (many of them, anyway) and their options would pay much less than that.

I know fans well enough to know that they will pay to see whatever product is put on the field. This was proven during the replacement season. It may take a few years for the fans to learn their new favorites but an inferior product would sell well enough to justify firing ALL the current players.

So why haven't the owners flexed their muscle?
 
storminn0rm

storminn0rm

Brewmaster
Great post! The fans, for one, are paying the price for these rediculous contracts. Tickets to games are very expensive. Then once at the game, there is parking, beer, food, merchandise, etc. The list goes on of other costs to the fan. And all I want to do is go see the team I love and support. but with all those costs, it makes it near impossible to do on a limited budget.
 
RZR

RZR

Sun-kissed & restless
Thanks Guys :) I'm interested in your thoughts here. I've been thinking about this for a little while now and ready to see what everyone else thinks about it too.

I agree Storminn0rm, it's becoming so expensive to support your team yet the blackout rule still exists. As a Bucs fan, naturally I know all about cursing while your home games are pulled from the broadcast line up. And I understand why owner-turned-commissioner Bert Bell enforced that home games could be blacked out to save gate sales. Bert was watching baseball on TV cut deep into gate sales and wasn't about to make the same mistake. So I get it. I'm not saying the blackout rule should be removed but I do think first round draft picks should be capped, or even set.

Actually, I think the NFL should take a page from Phicinfan's Hired Guns League and establish and variegated pay scale based on draft position.

Bucs single game tickets are selling this season for $35! At that price we can go to the game and afford to tailgate before hand (allowing us to save the high concession prices. But.... that's because the Glazers aren't willing to throw money around like it grows on trees. So for that Glazers.... thank you.

Just like a fantasy football commissioner steps in rights the wrongs in his league.... where is Godell? Is he a descendant of King Solomon and does he have the stones to restore balance if the costs of being a fan become so seriously lop-sided that even paying $100 million to a first round draft pick (with 50% guaranteed) won't save a failing franchise if they don't have rich enough fans to support them?
 
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RZR

RZR

Sun-kissed & restless
cctekguy said:
Brilliant post RZR!

I understand athletes well enough to know that they will play for $100,000 a year + medical, a 401k and a decent retirement plan. It's all they know how to do (many of them, anyway) and their options would pay much less than that.

I know fans well enough to know that they will pay to see whatever product is put on the field. This was proven during the replacement season. It may take a few years for the fans to learn their new favorites but an inferior product would sell well enough to justify firing ALL the current players.

So why haven't the owners flexed their muscle?
Click to expand...

Absolutely, take care of the athletes with an appropriate salary plus benefits and keep them in check just like the rest of us. Its no wonder every draft class is getting just a little bit richer and behaving worse. Diva's in cleats aren't sexy with their guns, drugs, violence, bankruptcy, etc.

Fans are resilient but we're not made of money. Do you think the fans also need to flex their muscles? It would make a complete mess of our beloved fantasy leagues... but we shouldn't forget that we too have power.
 
RZR

RZR

Sun-kissed & restless
Do you ever notice a correlation between high blackout seasons and the ticket sales price? How bout food or merchandise? Parking?
 
RZR

RZR

Sun-kissed & restless
Shameless... simply shameless.

Maybe someone can explain to me why parking costs $10. What exactly is the cost to the franchise that warrants taking an additional $600K per game (using approx 60,000 seat stadium)?
 
R

Runnik's Hambones

Active Member
Agreed. Parking here in Tampa is $30 now, I believe. The crap beer they serve is more than a pint of excellent craft brew! It's not like I'm ordering an Arrogant Bastard or a Marshal Zhukov's! It's Miller Light!
 
R

Runnik's Hambones

Active Member
$1.5-$1.8 million is a good estimate of the parking revenue for a sold out game here in Tampa. If 68,000 fans all bought parking, then you're looking at $2.04 million. At $1.8 million, that's 60,000 cars (8,000 car pooling with friends), and at $1.5 million in profit, it's 50,000 cars (18,000 people car pooling).
 
Coachnorm

Coachnorm

Moderator
$30 buck parking, wow. $10 the last time I went to a Bucs game.

I got to watch the Bucs game last week, just a hair beyound the blackout.

Ironically, it was a game produced by WTOG. Fox in Tampa, shown here but not there.
 
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