Quote Originally Posted by pbmax View Post
It is a very practical question, and I hope the players react with maturity should they actually see the numbers and especially if they can link them to a specific owner. In fact, if I was advising the negotiating players, I would advise them to ask for codes for franchises, so the numbers cannot be tied to an individual. I am sure one or two will say something regrettable, but most will stay silent on specifics. Mostly I think they will do this because they will spend large sums of money in a similar manner and no one looks good when the the wealthy bemoan the habits of other wealthy people.

But I suspect that the real debate, once it is settled on how much profits have declined, is how to restrain player costs without dropping their total percentage to below 2006 levels. Because the owners have talked about that as a bench mark but the players seem convinced the owners last ten year proposal drops them well below that level.
I hope the negotiators and advisers look beyond the bare percentage going to the players, and also look at the income sources that make up the calculation, what the owners do with their shares of the income etc. A slightly lower percentage of a much larger pot can make the players even more wealthy. The owners have claimed that they need a higher percentage to fund stadium improvements and other things that improve the overall business. I understand that some but not all of those things go to players, but some clearly do with bigger better stadiums.

The players may be faced with a decision about trust in the owners ability to continually increase the overall business, and would they rather have 59% of $9 billion or 57% of $10 billion. Taking a lower percentage might result in more money in their pockets, if the owner really can use the extra money to increase overall income as they have suggested they have and can.