Rumors fly of a complete NFL shutdown

[Bonecrusher#31]

Rumors fly of a complete NFL shutdown


Posted by Mike Florio on May 8, 2011, 3:52 PM EDT


So if the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals upholds Judge Susan Nelson’s ruling that the lockout should be lifted while the Tom Brady antitrust lawsuit proceeds, the league will simply open the doors and allow business to continue as usual until the Brady case is settled, right?

Maybe not.

We’re hearing initial rumblings pointing to the possibility that a loss by the league at the appellate level will prompt the owners to completely shut down all business operations until the players agree to a new labor deal. The thinking is that, if the owners cease all operations, the NFL would not be violating the court order because there would be no lockout. Instead, the league essentially would be going out of business — something for which the NFL repeatedly chided the union in the weeks and months preceding decertification of the NFLPA.

As we hear it, the league accepts the reality that it will take a lot of heat if it pursues this path (and a lot of that heat will be emanating from this web address), but it could end up being the only way to squeeze the players into accepting the owners’ terms, especially if the Eighth Circuit agrees with Judge Nelson.

On one hand, there’s a long way to go before things would ever get to that point. On the other hand, there aren’t many steps left on the flow chart before that point arrives.

At least the Pirates aren’t that far below .500. And after watching The Natural and The Bad News Bears (the good Walter Matthau version, not the crappy Billy Bob Thornton remake) on DVD in the past 24 hours, maybe it’s time to rediscover baseball.

 

[cowboys2194]

If there gonna do it then do it already, just tell us now if there is not gonna be any football, instead of having us all wondering.. DAMN!! lol

 

[Cr122]

I doubt that it goes that far either, but if it does, Goodell and these current players can go f' themselves.

 

[sbk92]

I'd fully support the move. If we're gonna have a lockout, let's do it right and shut it down until the players cave. F them and their union. They are waaaaaaaaaay overpaid and feel far too entitled.

Get them back in line. Whether it takes days or years. I don't care.

 

[tiny tim]

Can the owners go out and get replacement players and pay them to play football this year?

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Can the owners go out and get replacement players and pay them to play football this year?

They can now since the players are locked out.

 

[RoyTheHammer]

I'd fully support the move. If we're gonna have a lockout, let's do it right and shut it down until the players cave. F them and their union. They are waaaaaaaaaay overpaid and feel far too entitled.

Get them back in line. Whether it takes days or years. I don't care.

Who's to blame for them being way overpaid? Who's backed out of their agreement because they wanted more here?

Oh yea.. the same people who are now going to put one of the most profitable businesses in the entire world "out of business" because they arn't getting everything their way.

 

[dbair1967]

If The Daily Turd believes a shutdown is coming, I'm now more encouraged than ever a deal is getting done soon.

 

[Midswat]

They must not have read Hostile's Email yet.

 

[sbk92]

Who's to blame for them being way overpaid? Who's backed out of their agreement because they wanted more here?

Oh yea.. the same people who are now going to put one of the most profitable businesses in the entire world "out of business" because they arn't getting everything their way.

Are you asking me who chose to exercise the opt out clause in the CBA?

That would be the owners, Warren.

I don't care who's to blame for the players' salaries. I only care that they are grossly overpaid and we foot that bill following the team.

Shut it down. Show them who really has the power.

 

[RoyTheHammer]

Are you asking me who chose to exercise the opt out clause in the CBA?

That would be the owners, Warren.

I don't care who's to blame for the players' salaries. I only care that they are grossly overpaid and we foot that bill following the team.

Shut it down. Show them who really has the power.

So you don't care that the owners are the cause of the players being overpaid, which in turn is the cause of us paying higher prices?

Only makes sense that you don't see what the real cause of the problem is here..

 

[sbk92]

So you don't care that the owners are the cause of the players being overpaid, which in turn is the cause of us paying higher prices?

Only makes sense that you don't see what the real cause of the problem is here..

Right. I don't care if the owners are to blame or the players are to blame. I only care about the end result. Fans paying too much.

I really, really hope this becomes a league changing event that causes the collapse of the player union as we know it and allows Joe Fan the ability to take his family of 4 to a few football games.

 

[Cythim]

Right. I don't care if the owners are to blame or the players are to blame. I only care about the end result. Fans paying too much.

I really, really hope this becomes a league changing event that causes the collapse of the player union as we know it and allows Joe Fan the ability to take his family of 4 to a few football games.

So you hope that somehow ticket prices will drop even though the owners already know that fans are willing to pay today's price? lol

 

[RoyTheHammer]

So you hope that somehow ticket prices will drop even though the owners already know that fans are willing to pay today's price? lol

lol

He really is clueless.. but that won't keep him from running his mouth about it.

 

[Midswat]

So you hope that somehow ticket prices will drop even though the owners already know that fans are willing to pay today's price? lol

Not every team accross the league sells out. There are plenty of teams who have serious problems filling their stadium.

And I don't know how likely this is, but I think some teams fudge the numbers a little. For instance, I've read where FedEx Field has the longest sell out streak in the league. Yet, I've been to several Redskins vs Cowboys games over the years, and the Redskins vs Chiefs game in 2009, and I'm not exaggerating when I say the stadium was 80% full at most.

With the advancement of television technology, the NFL Sunday Ticket packages/Red Zone Channels, and the high cost of stadium tickets and concessions... I think fans will more times than in the past make the decision to stay at home.

Especially considering the overall financial crisis the country is in. Far fewer people have the discretionary income to go to games on a regular basis.

 

[Cr122]

I haven't been to a football game since 89'.

Why? You know why.

 

[RoyTheHammer]

Not every team accross the league sells out. There are plenty of teams who have serious problems filling their stadium.

And I don't know how likely this is, but I think some teams fudge the numbers a little. For instance, I've read where FedEx Field has the longest sell out streak in the league. Yet, I've been to several Redskins vs Cowboys games over the years, and the Redskins vs Chiefs game in 2009, and I'm not exaggerating when I say the stadium was 80% full at most.

With the advancement of television technology, the NFL Sunday Ticket packages/Red Zone Channels, and the high cost of stadium tickets and concessions... I think fans will more times than in the past make the decision to stay at home.

Especially considering the overall financial crisis the country is in. Far fewer people have the discretionary income to go to games on a regular basis.

No team has proven that they were losing money at all.. meaning that more than enough fans are willing to pay the price of football, even if it means the little guys who can't afford it don't get to go to games.

 

[Midswat]

No team has proven that they were losing money at all.. meaning that more than enough fans are willing to pay the price of football, even if it means the little guys who can't afford it don't get to go to games.

Think beyond today.

More fans are staying home.

Salaries continue to increase.

The proactive thing for the owners to do would be to reduce player salaries, as well as ticket/concession prices.

Do that, and not wait for the bubble to burst.

 

[Midswat]

Also, there are a few teams who make a profit largely because of the revenue sharing.

I seriously doubt teams like Jacksonville or Buffalo could survive if not for that.

 

[sbk92]

So you hope that somehow ticket prices will drop even though the owners already know that fans are willing to pay today's price? lol

My hope is that the greedy owners will have the lowest possible operating costs. Because that will lead to the lowest possible prices on fans.

It's not that complicated. You two idiots keep talking about how greedy the owners are. Sure they are. As greedy as the players. Now how do you expect such greed to just take a bath in the new CBA and not look to recoup their losses on their fan base?

Only one side has that ability.

So I side with the owners.