NFLPA warns Georgia leaders of lockout’s negative economic impact
FLOWERY BRANCH – The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) today wrote a letter to Governor Sonny Perdue, Governor-elect Nathan Deal and Mayor Kasim Reed to warn that Atlanta could see more than $160 million in lost jobs and revenue if the owners forego negotiating in good faith and opt to cancel the 2011 football season.
There are 100 days left until the expiration of the agreement that determines how NFL revenue is distributed.
In the letters, NFLPA president Kevin Mawae said the players want to keep playing and are happy to keep the current agreement in place, but warned that the owners are taking steps to cancel the 2011 season.
The NFLPA asked Perdue, Deal and Reed to consider the economic impact of a 2011 lockout by the owners and to stress to Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank the importance of engaging in good faith negotiations with the NFLPA.
“During one of the worst economies since the Great Depression, NFL owners are preparing to cancel the 2011 season and, in the process, devastate Atlanta businesses and stadium workers who count on football Sundays to make ends meet,” Mawae said. “It is our hope that the owners will shelve this plan and negotiate in good faith to ensure that we are playing for the fans in 2011.”
Although the players have agreed to move forward with the current agreement, the NFL owners appear to be taking steps to lock out the players and fans when the collective bargaining agreement expires on March 4. The owners have secured nearly $4 billion in guaranteed television network payments even if they lock out the players and games are not played in the 2011-12 season. Owners will continue to thrive financially at the expense of serious job losses in Atlanta and major lost tax revenue, according to the NFLPA.
Despite the worst economic conditions in generations, professional football has continued to generate billions of dollars in income to thousands of workers at the Georgia Dome and the surrounding communities who rely upon this business to support their families. In the last fifteen years, NFL team values have increased more than 500 percent. Today, teams are worth on average about $1 billion and have enjoyed uninterrupted financial gains since the 1960s.
Though the economic benefits of professional football are clear, NFL owners chose to opt out early from the current CBA while refusing to provide detailed financial information to the players to justify the owners’ position that the current CBA is “not working” for them.
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73 comments Add your comment
1992 UGAgrad
November 22nd, 2010
4:10 pm
Billionaires bickering with millionaires…unbelievable. The only good that may come out of it would be if AJ Green and Justin Houston stayed in college due to the lockout.
Joe Tess Fish House
November 22nd, 2010
4:15 pm
Free Joe Tess Fish House!
birdmanatl
November 22nd, 2010
4:22 pm
Arthur is a good man he will Rise Up to the other owners and a deal will happen.
jerry
November 22nd, 2010
4:36 pm
If this is just a case of millionaire greed, which I strongly suspect, it is an absolute outrage. Maybe the players can start their own league.
Dr Fever
November 22nd, 2010
4:38 pm
I guess someone cares?
Henry D.
November 22nd, 2010
4:39 pm
Both owners AND players need to show some common sense. And wouldn’t that be refreshing!
bass stringerfish
November 22nd, 2010
4:42 pm
The NBA and NFL both are facing lockouts. The NBA lost me years ago when they started to draft and play High School kids (what does that say about their sport? Don’t see HS kids starring in the NFL or MLB) and when they adopted that hip hop mentality. So I could care less what the NBA does. They can go the way of Hockey. The NFL though…they only have 16 (maybe 18) games…not 162 like MLB…so this would be idiotic on so many levels, but I guess that is stating the obvious. Unions..man alive…
GT Alum
November 22nd, 2010
4:45 pm
So, the players are trying to take away whatever leverage the owners have by putting public pressure on them to not lock the players out. Somehow, I doubt the players are as altruistic as they’re trying to come off in this negotiation. This is the sad thing about professional sports. No matter who wins these negotiations, the fans will almost definitely end up losing.
john
November 22nd, 2010
4:45 pm
I’m sorry, but I would like to see this $160 million loss figure in real numbers. The players association is talking about thousands of job losses. I mean, come on, these aren’t exactly high paying stadium jobs. We are talking about minimum wage jobs cleaning and giving hot dogs out. Not exactly huge economic losses there.
I’m not siding with the owners either. However, the players associations act like the players are destitute. Remeber I think it was Alonzo Mourning a few years ago talking about the minimum (at the time) in the NBA was $300,000 a year and stating “how can I feed a family on that.”
Both sides try to paint the doom and gloom scenario. Bottom line, is both players and owners are doing better than 99.9% of people in the World.
Falcon Jim
November 22nd, 2010
4:52 pm
Mr. Ledbetter,
I’m glad you have written on this subject as I requested and suggested a few weeks ago. There is a lot of pertinent information lacking. You discuss the players side like they are not culpable of any obtrusion and infer it is all the unyielding position of the owners. Maybe that is the case, maybe not. This article gives no clue as to WHY the owners are taking this position. I feel clueless. Did I miss something? Is there something between the lines I’m not getting?
Gary
November 22nd, 2010
4:53 pm
The falcons do not bring nearly that much money to the city and compared to the tax deals they receive the over head we spend on police and subsidized public transportation it is a joke to say the city will loose a ton. Any realy accountant looking at the numbers will tell a city the franchize is not worth the sacrifices you ask the tax payers to make for new stadiums. This is a joke. Report the truth not an opinion. Check the facts about what they are saying. When someone says something to the media it should not just be reported.
crackbaby
November 22nd, 2010
4:54 pm
It would be a blessing to not have the NFL for a season. Folks would realize it isn’t that important.
Can you imagine if all those people couldn’t sit in stadiums or on their couch every Sunday and instead had to spend time with friends, family or, heaven forbid, get some EXCERCISE? [b]MORAL OUTRAGE![b] LOL…
Gary
November 22nd, 2010
4:54 pm
It would be nice to see if sundays could be used for something productive if this sport went away for a year or two. I would not miss the falcons or that ugly dome.
GT Alum
November 22nd, 2010
4:58 pm
Gary/Falcon Jim, I think DOL is just reporting on the letter sent by the NFLPA, not trying to offer any commentary on the negotiations or the arguments behind them. The last 3 paragraphs don’t convey that as clearly as the first part of the article, but that appears to be the purpose of this post.
Falcon Jim
November 22nd, 2010
4:59 pm
Wow, all of a sudden it’s a forum for bashing football. I think we should do away with hotdogs and softdrinks, apple pie, music, movies, public parks, and sex.
This is not about football, itself, being the “evil,” but rather the traverses of the BUSINESS of football.
Falcon Jim
November 22nd, 2010
5:00 pm
GT Alum,
Fine, but he needs to get to the meat.
MB
November 22nd, 2010
5:00 pm
These figures about job losses and economic calamity when pro teams leave or strike are bogus. They are used to toscare taxpayers into paying for facilities that benefit the owners.
Simply put, money that would normally go to the Falcons, in this case, will find other places to be spent in the Atlanta economy.
Let the players and owners sdettle their issues. Leave me out of it.
Dr Richard Handler
November 22nd, 2010
5:14 pm
Falcon Jim: Are you kidding? Do you really think Mr Ledbetter wrote the story after your suggestion? You really can’t be serious. Do you also call sportstalk radio? You seem like the type.
Falcon Jim
November 22nd, 2010
5:27 pm
Well, Dr, I guess YOU are the type that just decided………..”I’ll say something mean to Falcon Jim.” What a turd, you are, and I doubt you are a real doctor.
No, I’ve never called sports talk radio. I’ve listened. SO ? ? ? ?
And I did suggest this in detail to Mr. Ledbetter, so WHAT THE HE!! IS YOUR PROBLEM, A$$HOLE? ? ?
Einsteindawg
November 22nd, 2010
5:28 pm
D-Led, thanks for posting this…both sides are FOS and liars. And, they deserve each other. I’m with ‘92UGA Grad and hope this keeps a lot of juniors in college.
The Dogkiller Returns
November 22nd, 2010
5:29 pm
Anyone that’s ok with not having football for even one season needs to have a long talk with a Baltimore Colts fan, or any pro football fan in Los Angeles.
Falconidiot
November 22nd, 2010
5:33 pm
The estimate sounds like when they bust a $10,000.00 pot field and call it a million in street value.
Falcon Jim
November 22nd, 2010
5:34 pm
Where are my buddies? I need a “YOU GO FALCON JIM.”
HA HA HA
Falcon Jim
November 22nd, 2010
5:36 pm
Falconidiot,
I LOVE your analogy. So true!
Frozen Rope
November 22nd, 2010
5:43 pm
Gettem Falcon Jim!!
Frozen Rope
November 22nd, 2010
5:49 pm
And just for the record,, Frozen gets plenty of exercise on Sunday,, Heck,, you sit there and do 16 oz curls all day,, not to mention all those trips to the fridge and the bathroom.
Harry the Hat
November 22nd, 2010
5:52 pm
Let them eat cake.
Really, who cares? Let these overstuffed thugs get a real job and live in the real world.
All Lanta Flacons
November 22nd, 2010
5:53 pm
FALCON JIM PLEAZ KIL YO SELF!!!
Frozen Rope
November 22nd, 2010
5:55 pm
GO FLACONS!!
Falcon Jim
November 22nd, 2010
6:02 pm
All Lanta Flacons (?)
I love you, too !
Jeez.
Big L
November 22nd, 2010
6:03 pm
This is why College football is a better product . No lockouts and the kids care about winning and losing. Besides, if there’s a lockout, A.J. Stays at UGA. Sooooooo.
Falcon Jim
November 22nd, 2010
6:03 pm
Thanks Rope ! !What’s happening, man? Boy we got some on here today ! !
I know………it’s Thanksgiving, all the turkeys are coming out.
Ackshun
November 22nd, 2010
6:05 pm
@ CRACKBABY go back to Russia commie!
Grown Man Football
November 22nd, 2010
6:06 pm
If you think college football is a good substitution for pro football, you’re either from a small country town or inbred. Or both.
Paranoid White Man That Calls Everyone A Socialist
November 22nd, 2010
6:10 pm
This is all the government’s fault! Outsourcing football to India, China, or some other failed state that hates America! Know what else is Obama’s fault? My wife won’t make love to me. Any football fans want to cuddle tonight? No? Something else to blame on Obama!!
Falcon Jim
November 22nd, 2010
6:11 pm
Why do I feel that I need to go back and explain some of my comments to some people?
I………….promise……….I………will………..slow……….down………and………..use………….smaller…………..words……..and………..not………. use……… sarcasm.
Frozen Rope
November 22nd, 2010
6:13 pm
I smell Joe Tess,,, He’s the Flacons fan
Falcon Jim
November 22nd, 2010
6:13 pm
Paranoid, be careful with sarcasm. Folks will wish for your death or use some sophomoric insult.
Falcon Jim
November 22nd, 2010
6:15 pm
Rope, without a doubt. He and his “imposer” have been getting “delated.” So, yet another incarnation.
Dawglasville
November 22nd, 2010
6:21 pm
Paranoid White Man That Calls Everyone A Socialist = Falcon Jim?
Frozen Rope
November 22nd, 2010
6:33 pm
Why the question mark Dawglasville,, you Paranoid
Frozen Rope
November 22nd, 2010
6:35 pm
FREE JOETESSCAMAROBOBTEAMEBERLUCKYSEENTHISB4
Frozen Rope
November 22nd, 2010
6:37 pm
Anyway, back to Football,, yep,, it will s-ck pretty bad if there is no big boy football next year,, college just dont cut it imho
Falcon James
November 22nd, 2010
6:57 pm
let me just say. i cant see the owners locking out the players and if they did both sides would loose money. the owners dont want to loose the proceeds from the games and the players dont want to lose the pay. as far as being a economic impact on georgia i cant say. maybe it would actually help because if people dont spend the money at the games, they will spend they money somewhere else.
Falcon Jim
November 22nd, 2010
7:09 pm
Falcon James (my formal incarnation?),
I agree. I just can’t understand the idea of a lock-out. This is what I want reported. What is their mindset? A shutdown would definitely be an economic hit for ALL concerned. The trickle-down economic ramifications would hit a lot, for sure, and i don’t think you get an off-set from people spending money elsewhere. Systems just don’t work that way.
Dawglasville……….too funny ! !
Awesome
November 22nd, 2010
7:17 pm
Has anyone else ever thought about the fact that the Falcons have drafted 4 of the NFL’s 32 starting quarterbacks?
Awesome
November 22nd, 2010
7:17 pm
Enter your comments here
Awesome
November 22nd, 2010
7:18 pm
Oops
Fans always get Hosed
November 22nd, 2010
7:35 pm
Wow now thats what you call a monopoly, TV people were stupid enough to guarantee the contracts even if there is no football being played, how will my sponsors get air time ? The NFL lawyers are the absolute best a what they do☺, this has to be the closest thing to selling ocean front property in Arizona.
Fans always get Hosed
November 22nd, 2010
7:39 pm
Sorry @ Big L college football is no better & in just as much trouble if the BCS is busted this year the Fans and Sponsors will get Hosed. I don’t see Boise St or TCU blowing the ratings out of the water LOL
Falcon QBs
November 22nd, 2010
7:46 pm
Hey Awesome only 2 of the 4 are winning games hmmm………& Shaub still hasn’t made a playoff appearance as a starter !
Falcon Jim
November 22nd, 2010
11:30 pm
1994. Baseball strike. 1995, first time in my life I didn’t watch baseball, Braves win W.S.
2011. Football strike? 2012 Falcons win S.B.? Please say it ain’t so ! ! !
Fabulous
November 23rd, 2010
2:16 am
This is just another example of a Union ruining a good business. I am not a millionaire but I do have respect for a person’s private property rights.
These owners have Billions of their own dollars invested and should be able to do what they like with their own property. Nobody is forcing these spoiled atheletes to play for ONLY Millions and Millions of dollars. They can always work like the rest of us. Don’t think they’d like it.
I always liked Van Note until he became the Falcons player rep.. Greed doesn’t look good on your favorite athelete.
THE SPORTS UNION: For Sports Fans by Sports Fans!
November 23rd, 2010
7:49 am
[...] warns Georgia leaders of lockout’s negative economic impact (Atlanta Journal-Constitution) The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) today wrote a letter to Governor Sonny Perdue, Governor-elect [...]
Tuesday | Allied Public Affairs
November 23rd, 2010
8:29 am
[...] NFL Lockout Looms, Player’s Union Gets Political [...]
The Joker...
November 23rd, 2010
8:49 am
John,
I understand your point that you made; however, I think when the subject about Atlanta losing $160 million exceeds far more than the overall minimum wage jobs at the actual venue ( Georgia Dome) itself, think about this… Look at how much business the Hotel Industry, Resturant Industry, and various Attractions such as the GA Aquarium make during NFL weekends primarily due to fans from other cities…. With a strong Steelers fan base around the country, think about how much revenue the sports bars and hotels gain when a team like the steelers come to town, not to mention the hometown fans who choose to go to bars/sports bars prior to and during the game…. If the NFL is a lockout next year, it will be absolutely desvasting to several cities, I believe Atlanta will actually not feel the brunt of the hit as much as some cities because of the high volume of college football in this region ( SEC Championships, kick off classics) but it will still get hit hard….
lovetravel
November 23rd, 2010
9:51 am
I am sorry to hear about that but like everyone mention, it just a game and all they talk about is $$$ would anyone talk about something that’s very important. I am not sure that many of us just don’t care what other say but they will do anything to get some extra $$$. No one isn’t going to stop them unless we the “fan” stop going to the game that it. Talk is cheaper but fan isn’t cheaper so watch what you are ask for NFLPA.
FrontRow
November 23rd, 2010
11:35 am
It’s not just a game it’s big business. The owners are guaranteed tens of millions and in turn guaranteed the players tens of millions in the last CBA.
The players “only” want the equivalent of the current CBA. No wonder – the deal guarantees over 50% of the league revenue to the players (before profit).
I wonder how the players would like a guarantee of post profit revenue. How about the same money but more of the players portion being re-directed toward taking care of retired players?
The line in the sand is simple to understand – the players want the same deal and the owners want more control over their revenue stream. As a true liberal, I stand on the side of the owners right to control their hard earned money.
SirReal
November 23rd, 2010
12:15 pm
The numbers may be a bit skewed but if you account for 8 homes games and the direct benefit of businesses surrounding the Dome, it may equal out to something similar over the course of a season. HOWEVER, with that said, I think the owners just want more and so do the players when both sides are seeing revenue that the “common man” such as us probably wont come near. I’d be surprised but not shocked if there was a lockout but we all know that nobody wants to shoot the Golden Goose. This will probably go down to the wire and get hashed out hrs before the current agreement expires.
Jimmy Crack
November 23rd, 2010
1:43 pm
Oh yes, the oracle Kevin Mawae will tell us of Tidal Waves crashing over our buildings and there will be looting in the streets and everyone’s health care will go into bankruptcy if those evil rich owners don’t pony up more millions to the player millionaires so they can move their mansions to higher ground!
Oh the huge manatee!
Jimmy Crack
November 23rd, 2010
1:45 pm
Er, what I mean is BRING ON THE REPLACEMENTS!
StuDawg
November 23rd, 2010
3:24 pm
Interesting stat, Awesome
fairburn1
November 23rd, 2010
4:16 pm
WHAT ABOUT THE SEASON TICKET HOLDERS AND THE FANS! ALL I HEAR ABOUT IS THE DAMN PLAYERS AND OWNERS. TICKET PRICES HAVE GOTTEN OUTRAGEOUS! THE FANS NEED TO HAVE A BOYCOTT SO THAT TICKET PRICES REMAIN FIXED!
fairburn1
November 23rd, 2010
4:32 pm
Fire all the players and convert the Georgia dome into a big ass aquarium and fill it with beluga whales. At least those fish don’t complain as much as those cry baby NFL players. Just think how much money this would bring into the City. Although, Roddy “The Flight” White is a pretty tuff cat! Beat them packers! GO Falcons! Rise up!
Jethro
November 23rd, 2010
4:47 pm
Can Keanu Reeves quarterback our replacement team?
just a fan
November 23rd, 2010
4:51 pm
Well both make me sick..on 1 hand the owners do own the franchise..these players salaries keep going up and up (and so do tickets) the players want bigger salaries and more of profit..I am sorry 1 man is not worth what some of these guys are getting paid..I get as much enjoyment going to watch a little league, high school or college game…they are gonna keep raising prices till they kill the game…I have been a 10 year season ticket holder and this will probably be my last..I just can’t afford it. Come on guys you get paid to play a game…
THE OBGYN
November 23rd, 2010
7:08 pm
In what City do the Flacon’s play? Is it Latanat, Ag.?
Falcon Jim
November 23rd, 2010
8:38 pm
Sh!+, I’d lick toilets to make 1/10th of what the players make.
DO IT ! ! !
Falcon Jim
November 23rd, 2010
8:41 pm
OBGYN…..huh?……been workin’ too hard lately?
patrick
November 24th, 2010
2:16 am
cancel the 2011 year…..AJ Green will stay at UGA…with the D improving and learning the 3-4 and Justin Houston staying as well….look out.
ClinchPanther
November 24th, 2010
8:54 am
i would love to see an entire year with no pro football. i think it might put into perspective what an athlete is earning vs. average joe. maybe those multi million dollar contracts would look a lot better to them. i know the owners are making big money, but they have that right. how many of us argue with our bosses about money? most of us are glad to have a good job and make a decent living at a lot less then pro athletes do.
Gordon Gekko
November 24th, 2010
3:46 pm
Greed is good (hee, hee)
chief pitchanono
November 24th, 2010
4:37 pm
Well we better hope the falcons win the superbowl this year, then if theres a lock out next year we get to repeat. Right? ha! ha! I won’t begin to pretend like I understand who’s right or wrong in these situations, but it usually takes a halt in play, before someone decides they’ve lost enough money and decides to cave. Its too bad all these people can’t get it together and work things out before it comes to this, but thats the way it seems to go these days. I mean the NFL obviously makes plenty of money, and all the players who make it into the league should be fairly paid, not just the “stars”, but I also understand that the owners obviously want to make money on their investment too. The NFL is totally different than other pro sports because of the limited games played, and short careers for most players, so I guess I side with the players a little because of that.