Unless you haven't bothered to watch a minuscule amount of sports coverage over the last week or so, you probably know that this past week the NFL nearly escaped a lockout and work stoppage for the time being. The NFL and the NFL Players Association had a deadline of Thursday before the collective bargaining agreement between the two sides would be at an impasse. At that point the NFL teams would lock their doors and refute any of the players attempts to play the new 2011 season in September. However, the two sides were able to come together to extend the old collective bargaining agreement for another week, in hopes that by the time the new deadline comes the two sides will be able to settle their differences. The two sides could then avoid a lockout that would send a profound divide between them. As of now no such new deal has been made and we are still on pace for a lockout. There are some positives though.
The extension brings hope. The fact that both sides were willing to agree to an extension says that they both feel they are close enough in their talks that an agreement doesn't seem that far off. Furthermore, now with the precedent set, if another extension of the CBA is needed, it can be done. I think there is therefore a definite possibility that the NFL will avoid a lockout.
And honestly, I really hope such a scenario can be avoided. I'd like to explain why.
For one, the whole idea of millionaires and billionaires squabbling over how much money they are making to me is distasteful. Personally, I have no issue with the fact athletes make as much as they do. Its capitalism. Hardly any American professional sports teams deficit spend, particularly on payroll. These players are merely being paid a portion of the revenue the teams are making; money they have made in goodwill by selling a highly popular product that millions consume. Unless people stop watching sports, its not going to change, and really people shouldn't have to stop watching sports anyway.
That's all just a tangent though. The real point is that, these people DO make all this money, and the fact they can't be grateful about it is disturbing. The idea that the players want a larger portion of the revenue is asinine. The get paid handsomely to play a game, that's a distinct privilege and for the players to thumb their nose at that privilege and want more simply reeks of greed. As for the people that say the players will suffer from a lockout because they won't get paid; I have no sympathy for the players in such an instance. The players knew this lockout was possible, they were warned about it 2 years ago. No one held a gun to their heads and told them to buy that new Bugatti as opposed to saving their cash for a rainy day.
At Super Bowl week Hines Ward mentioned that if the lockout comes the players "won't even have health insurance'". Once again, I have very little sympathy. How many of the 40 million people in this country right now that don't have health insurance make at least six figures a year? My guess is not that many. Those people deserve sympathy and help, not these well-paid athletes. Finally, I do concede that the average NFL players' career is only 3 and a half years and players get tossed out of the league and onto the street fast, especially in a contact sport without guaranteed contracts, but those elements are just as much a part of capitalism as the fact the players get paid so handsomely. NFL players talk about how getting hurt is part of the game. Lots of current players mentioned in relation to concussions this year that they play the game assuming that risk for injury. Do they not assume similar risks when they decide to sign a contract to play football? They created their own destiny. If they want to focus their lives around a profession where the average employee last 3.5 years, that's their choice and they need to live with the consequences.
Now, I've probably painted a bad picture of the players, but let me clear, they are not solely at fault in this scenario. The NFL is the most profitable sports entity in the world. ESPN has spent billions of dollars on Monday Night Football rights. Most stadiums sell out every week and football is the most popular sport in America. The NFL owners could afford to cough up some of their share of the revenue too. They really are just as greedy. Also, the 18 game schedule is a terrible idea. Roger Goodell cannot sit and say he wants to focus on the health and safety of his players and then extend the season 2 games. That just doesn't make any sense. Yet, I do think the NFL has a duty to ensure the safety of its players. OSHA does it most other places. People need to be safe at work, no matter what their work is, and that shouldn't be any different for athletes.
In the end, I would say both sides just need to make their concessions and move on. Everybody in this scenario is a privileged individual, and they stand to make a lot of money no matter the outcome. The real people that would lose out from a lockout are all the people that work for the teams that aren't players or executives, basically everyone not involved in this spat. The facility people, the marketers, the accountants, and so on stand to lose their jobs. They aren't making millions. They need their work, and the greed of a handful of millionaires is going to create more unemployment. Its wrong. Maybe the NFL can drop the schedule change and the league can work towards more safety. In return the players will take the same cut of the revenue.
What's the baseline?
Its a slippery situation, but when it really comes down to it, both sides really need to get a grip. The greed of already millionaires and billionaires is going to rob the common folk of their jobs and entertainment. Everyone needs to spend their money smarter, and athletes and executives shouldn't be exempt from that.
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