Can the NFL Machine continue?

[Yasgur's Farm]

IMO... It's gotta break sooner or later. I'm looking for some drastic ideas to keep this thing boyant so that average income fans can continue to enjoy the NFL.

I'll start the suggestions off with a couple I feel are worthy...

1) All free agents and incoming college players must enter the draft. Each team now gets 15 picks, but there are strict financial limits for each round.

2) All free agents and incoming college players are fair game to any NFL (or CFL for what it's worth) team. Once again, financial limits must rule the day.

Thoughts and ideas?

[Throne Logic]

Um. Wouldn't that effectively eliminate free agency?

[Yasgur's Farm]

Your suggestions?

[bflojohn]

I've often wondered if their expansion plans years ago were overly stretching the talent pool. When the NFL went from 28 to eventually 32, they overstepped into a relatively poor market in Jacksonville, while setting back small market teams in Cincinnati, San Diego, Green Bay, and Buffalo. Instead of solidifying their base, they got wild ideas about European expansion and a wider audience than they have even now. The business model is broken too, as 60% of revenue is funneled to players. The owners need a much more equitable setup to reestablish sounder franchises, going forward. The days of stadiums being given away by municipalities are probably coming to an end too! If so, they will be forced to renovate older structures or build their own play pens with League monies and television advertisements tied to the national feeds. The goose that laid the golden egg might soon come crashing down insofar as TV revenue streams, so the NFL, as we know it could be vastly different in another decade. Just a thought!

[Crisis]

the other major sports will have to make major changes before the NFL does

[MikeInRoch]

You are looking for solutions for which there is no problem.

[BertSquirtgum]

i agree. i don't see any problems.

[Extremebillsfan247]

I would like to see them implement a sort of minor league system for undergrads and first year players in the future. Have like an 11 game minor league system, a call up to the pros deadline, say mid season, etc. This would give a lot of the undrafted rookie free agents a place to go and learn the pro game, as well as a place to develop rookies who come out early. It would theoretically allow teams to carry more players, and become more competitive. Just a thought since we are on the topic of changes. I don't know if this is what the OP is asking for, but I gave it a shot. lol

[ddaryl]

You are looking for solutions for which there is no problem.

SO you think that teams like the Jets and Cowboys who are charging fans Personal Seat Liscenses for $10K - $150K which is only the cost for the right to the seat not the cost of the actual ticket is not a problem festering...


all sports leagues are going to find out in the very near future just how tapped out the fans are... and the adjustment will be forced by market pressures

that is unless we offer a government bail out for pro sports...

The well is drying up and these outrageous salaries and costs to goto a game have spiraled out of control for years, esentilally eliminating the ability of many families to attend games.... and as this country enters thhe perfect storm of deflation/recession etc.... all sports are going to have to make adjustments.

[Johnny Bugmenot]

The easiest I can think of is to make luxury box revenue shared just like the rest of ticket sales. That will discourage any more new stadium bonanzas, which is part of the pressure behind the upward spiral. Also, open up the Super Bowl to the rest of the league, not just the warm weather and domes. The hundreds of millions spent on new (and mostly unnecessary) stadiums is the big problem. There are stadiums that were built almost 100 years ago that are still in use, but the NFL teams seem to want to tear down and rebuild every 30-35 years now. It seems extravagant to me.

[Yasgur's Farm]

These players wanna complain that they don't get enough of the revenue! 60 fecking %... Who owns these teams anyway and why shouldn't they be entitled to the majority of the revenue? At least 51% IMO.

Furthermore... How is it that 10% of the players get 80-90% of that 60% revenue sharing while the vast majority get relatively modest salaries?

And don't get me started on the vulture agents grabbing 30-40% from the players.. Something just ain't right here!

That said... Here's how that revenue breaks down...
Owners 40%
Players 40%
Agents 20%

Here's how I think it should be structured...
Owners 51%
Players 40% But it should be distributed in a more even fashion to current players (based on length of service) as well as retired players.
Agents 9%

[Night Train]

It's all driven by ticket $ales & TV revenue. It's never been better for the NFL.

I do understand that the average middle income hardcore fan is being driven away, with the slant being towards corporate. That could eventually come back to bite them but they'll need to see a decline before adjusting.

[Yasgur's Farm]

Hopefully the blue collar fan doesn't become extinct in the process... There's something about a stadium full of small market fans that adds the perfect atmosphere to a game.

[Yasgur's Farm]

OK... I'm finished with the doom and gloom stuff... GO BILLS!!!!!