CBA

[packerbacker1234]

Thanks PB, but with the existance of other Amreican football leagues, it's not strictly a monopoly, is it? It's just the best in it's product category. One could argue it to be an ogliopoly. I'm not sure what the law says about that.

If the NFLN policy is the only real threshhold, then that has little to nothing to do with the players. As I understand it, the average fan is sick and tired of the NFLN policy anyway. So the Owners and the League have a golden opportunity to get fans on their side right there and, if I understand you correctly, actually increase revenue!

Personally, I have zero issues with OPB (open book policy). My experience of supplying McDonald's for nearly 15 years made it a pre-requisite. PLCs are forced to open their books by law, it's the way they increase their value or it is decreased. I am quite suspicious about the owners' stance on this, so I understand where the players are coming from. I also think they're trying to eat a cow in one gulp, rather than butcher it and eat it in digestable portions. Any all or nothing stances are difficult. I understand the league to have made monumentous cocessions on this point, so maybe the players should take it for now, hammer out the other stuff and set up for this year only. They could have a real great deal hammered out if they use the mediatory for 10 more months ready to sign next year long term.

I've been toying with the idea of starting my own firm and one of the foundations would be OPB and profit sharing from day 1. Once we achieved a certain attraction, I'd be looking for vendors that agreed to OPB with our firm; it indicates trust and a willingness to partner. Any tools to keep an "us attitude" versus a "them versus us" is good for business.

It still is. XFL failed. UFL presently is losing a lot of money, and outside of Arena Football, which is a different style of league, there is no direct competition in the United States to the NFL. UFL is the closest you get, and it's already cut down to 4 (maybe 5) teams and most likely will be rubbed out in a year or two. So yes, the NFL is a monopoly that is an exception to the normal rules of business. This means They do have to do things different;y and can't just tell the PU to screw themselves, this is what were doing, take it or we replace you with others.

It just doesn't work that way.

I agree that short term, a temporary one year deal could be struck to buy them more time - but they've had this on their plate all last season and well and made little noise until after the season. I fear with a short 1 year extension agreement they would simply put it off yet again, and we'll be back to square one in 2012. The players union isn't even necessarily disagreeing with the NFL and what they want to to do.

18 game schedules? Fine, as longas the money is there to compensate the players. Control on the rookie wage scale? Yup, everyone wants it. better retirment packages and stuff for players - sure, everyone is in agreement. The only thing stopping this for moving forward is the owners continual refusal to open the books. I get it, it's a power play. The revenue is the one thing the owners can hold over the players. If the players knew exactly what each team was making they would have a better understanding of how to proceed, but the owners also want to keep their high profit margins.

Packers we're ananomoly because of our front loaded contracts - I think in a normal year we make what, 15 million+? I imagine that income is similar for other successful teams, and then most likely not very good for teams like minnesota (before the last 2 seasons), redskins, raiders, etc. Chronically bad teams with bad attendence most likely are not doing so hot.

The final straw is agreeing on how the money is to be spread out going forward. Owners wnat it to be the way it was, players just want to see what money is available before agreeing to potentially screw themselves. In the end it's all bad for the fans, because it's millionaires arguing with millionaires, and really us fans don't give a rats ass.

Get back to fucking practice.

[Smidgeon]

Technically, the NFL is constructed of 32 different teams operating as a collective oligopoly.

[MJZiggy]

This is an interesting viewpoint: namely that the owners owe us, as the people who paid for stadiums and seat licenses, etc. a season. (contains a nice jab at Jerry Jones too)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nfl-housing-plan-owners-get-the-keys-fans-get-the-bills/2011/03/15/ABVOyCY_story.html?hpid=z4