Roger Goodell should be negotiating, not Tweeting for clicks
Hello, I'm Roger Goodell. Follow me on Twitter. (AP photo)
With the potential of a $9 billion league blowing up in roughly a few weeks because NFL owners and players can’t figure out how to divide their gold bars and caviar, Roger Goodell just did the last thing you would expect: He Tweeted.
Never mind have a meeting with owners. Never mind having a meeting with players. Never mind the novel concept of setting up a meeting with owners and players . . . wait for it . . . together!
The absurdity of an NFL lockout just reached a new level because it’s clear now Goodell is worried only about winning a public relations battle. At 2:27 p.m Wednesday, he sent out a message on Twitter from @NFLCommish address: “Here’s why the status quo is not an option for the next CBA.” And then he added a link to an op-en piece that began running in media outlets last week, titled, “We need an agreement both sides can live with.”
Goodell presumably sent out his link for the same reason I send out my links: to increase page views because there’s an editor standing behind him with a blowtorch. This confirms that the NFL wants to copy the long-successful business model of the thriving newspaper industry and AJC.com, which of course leads to one question: Where’s my share of the $9 billion?
But seriously . . .
I don’t want to take sides at this time on the owners vs. players debate because the fact it has gotten this far — less than three weeks from the expiration of the CBA — illustrates that both sides are idiots. But if the commissioner of the NFL is Tweeting, it shows he cares more about perception than getting a deal done.
Let me also pull excerpts of Goodell’s manifesto:
– “From 2001 to 2009, player compensation doubled and the teams committed a total of $34 billion to player costs. The NFL is healthy in many respects, but we do not have a healthy business model that can sustain growth.”
Comment: I love how he got specific about player salaries but not owner revenues. Just a modest reference to the NFL being “healthy.”
– Goodell wrote, “We need an agreement that both sides can live with and obtain what they need, not simply what they want.” Yet later he referenced, “We need new stadiums in Los Angeles, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Oakland and San Diego; and the ability for more league investment in new technology to improve service to fans in stadiums and at home.”
Comment: Actually, new stadiums are not what owners need. That’s what owners want. They want bigger TV screens. They want more luxury suites. They want to make more money. Problem is that owners can’t find sucker governments to build them stadiums like they used it.
But it’s all about the spin, right?
I’ve never been more certain that there will be a lockout. Why? Because the commissioner of the NFL isn’t focused on getting a deal done. He’s focused on selling you his side. And getting page views.
By Jeff Schultz
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Earlier:
– Dreaming of Albert Pujols as a Brave
– Braves spring training: What do you think is No. 1 issue?
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86 comments Add your comment
Shug
February 16th, 2011
5:18 pm
It’s easy to opine that “both sides are idiots.” However, your article makes clear that the owners are the greedy side, wanting to cut labor costs even though it’s evident that labor costs aren’t hurting the league’s product or profitability.
You may notice in all the materials that come from the owners’ tent in the next few months that reduction in ticket prices is not a reason for cutting salaries.
I’m with the players on this one.
Worm
February 16th, 2011
5:18 pm
Lock out all the players..Their union rep is an idiot..The owners are holding 2 Aces and the players are drawing at an inside straight…A Lockout would be great for College Football and bring the salary structure down a few levels…Let some of these Bozo’s have their Bentley’s repossesed and they will change their tune.
Paul in RDU
February 16th, 2011
5:20 pm
Goodell (like every other commissioner of a US sports league) works for the owners – no surprise in what he is trying to do here, even if it is clumsy PR. Now, if he really wants to become a sports’ emperor, he needs to get advice from Sepp Blatter and Jacques Rogge.
I love how the owners claim that they need changes to the CBA because the players are taking too great a slice of the gross revenue and yet they refuse to open the books. I guess the players need to trust them.
JSS
February 16th, 2011
5:25 pm
Jeff Schultz
February 16th, 2011
4:09 pm
“JSS — Being from LA, I think it’s hysterical there’s no team there. Knowing that market, there was no way NFL could taxpayers to foot bill for a stadium. Majority of populace would respond “Screw you, I’ll go to the beach.” Fact is the rest of the country only now is catching up what L.A. decided about 15 years ago.”
Heaven bless the Vikings or the Jaguars if they fall for the propaganda line about that proposed stadium in City of Industry. It is why I go off on people when they kept holding that Arthur Blank moving the Falcons to LA extortion carrot out there…
Pro football teams are not SC, UCLA, CAL, or even Cal Poly San Luis Obispo! As you said, I will get up at 5 AM and drive up to the Point or Malibu and put in channel and wait for the Super Tankers to churn up some righteous wakes for my kayak to ride! People still willing to be held hostage by the Arthur Blanks of the World on the public tax dime are insane!
Jeff Schultz
February 16th, 2011
5:34 pm
D.A. Double U G — I think you’re off base a little (and I overstated the page view thing somewhat for yuks). Yes, editors look at my PVs. But I write things that interest me and I think will interest my readership. Roger Goodell Tweeting in the middle of CBA talks falls into that category.
JSS
February 16th, 2011
5:35 pm
“A Lockout would be great for College Football and bring the salary structure down a few levels…”
The NHL fed people that crap… Please tell me how their new salary structure has helped? You still have loads of teams and owners under capitalized or unwilling to pay up to the cap! They are playing like Calvin Griffith (the old Twins and Senators owner)… NEWS FLASH: The owners are never going to lower prices long term. They will pull an Arthur Blank (2008) and lower them artificially and then jack them through the roof! They do not care about the fans, it is the bottom line!
Jeff Schultz
February 16th, 2011
5:38 pm
GT Alum — What’s going on right now is two sides playing high-finance chess — the threats, the vow to decertify the union, etc. It’s talk negotiating. The players have always wanted to get a deal done, but remember it’s the owners who want to change the existing deal and want to expand season to 18 games.
Jeff Schultz
February 16th, 2011
5:39 pm
Ted Striker — Sometimes I get the feeling high school seniors will be unionizing one day.
Paul in RDU
February 16th, 2011
5:41 pm
Jeff,
One little trick for sports teams is to amortize the value of the players’ contracts – this reduces the taxes and on-paper income. There are few businesses that can do this – I bet that Cox doesn’t amortize you. You can bet that when crying poverty the owners are taking full advantage of the value of their players.
Jeff Schultz
February 16th, 2011
5:42 pm
JSS — I’ll say this for Blank: I completely support his desire for a new stadium if that’s what he wants. But he’ll have to do it on his own, private financing and not one public dime, as you said.
Jeff Schultz
February 16th, 2011
5:45 pm
Paul in RDU — Owners definitely not in poverty. All this is about is new stadiums and amenities that they used to get others to pay for. So now they want to change CBA to take $1 billion off the top for “the betterment of the game.”
Daffy Duck
February 16th, 2011
5:49 pm
Should have been titled: “Roger Goodell should be negotiating, not Tweeting for Twicks”
Okeefe/Bob
February 16th, 2011
5:58 pm
They can shut it all down as far as I’m concerned.at one time I loved NFL but now I’ tired of hearing all these rich crybabies ( including the rich players). i’m sick of hearing this crap.As for the NBA and Baseball,I’m sick of them also.None of this is about the fans.The owners and players are only interested in “what can you do for ME”To hell with the fans.
Tweets that mention Roger Goodell Tweets about NFL lockout potential | Jeff Schultz -- Topsy.com
February 16th, 2011
6:16 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by mark S. verbin and Nubyjas Wilborn, D. Orlando Ledbetter. D. Orlando Ledbetter said: Roger Goodell should be negotiating, not Tweeting for clicks http://t.co/ZckbWU7 [...]
Hillbilly Deluxe
February 16th, 2011
6:43 pm
Maybe Goodell could suspend himself for inane Tweeting?
Hillbilly Deluxe
February 16th, 2011
6:45 pm
They do not care about the fans, it is the bottom line!
That’s the truth. Anybody who thinks otherwise is just fooling theirself.
Countdown To No Kickoff: Next Football Season Hostage To Owners’ Demands – Huffington Post | Bet 31
February 16th, 2011
6:52 pm
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
Ted Striker
February 16th, 2011
6:54 pm
PMC — I am very interested to see how the EA lawsuit turns out. Btw, EA sports presently has zero debt. Not one single penny. Their fortunes may soon change.
jim
February 16th, 2011
6:59 pm
I am sure I am missing something here -but – if there is a lockout, why not schedule some college games on Sundays during the lockout? The NFL might develop a more intelligent, proactive approach if there was some actual competition on Sunday. As dumb as it might sound, I “discovered” NASCAR years ago during the baseball strike. Now go to races around the Southeast and watch alot on tv. Never really got back into baseball either. Wake up and smell the coffee NFL.
"Chef" Tim Dix
February 16th, 2011
7:33 pm
Just an idea: Why doesn’t the “League” build it’s own facilities and not each owner?
Answer: The only people the owners can agree with less than players are each other.
Falcons Chic
February 16th, 2011
7:37 pm
In re LA? Husband went to UCLA, and he said the fan base was just desultory: Arrive in the 2nd quarter, look around for stars, and leave by the start of the 4th quarter to avoid the traffic.
In re lock out? Owners refusing to sit on the second day looks really pissy. They know they have the upper hand, so why not send your one of 32 and at least live up to the mutually agreed upon meetings?
Assuming there is a season, anyone want to lay odds that the Falcons will be playing one game at Wembley this year?
JSS
February 16th, 2011
7:38 pm
“I am sure I am missing something here -but – if there is a lockout, why not schedule some college games on Sundays during the lockout?”
The last group of people that NCAA wants on their respective throat is the National Football League. They have a symbiotic relationship. For all of the things that they drain from the colleges (talent, administrators, and in most regions appeal). They have since the early 1950’s given the college game in return the prestige of life after use. Alabama Football was big, but having Bart Starr, Joe Namath, and then Ken Stabler give them a platform of free advertising for nearly 20 years that no amount of appearing in Bowl games could give… There are no greater examples of this than Southern Cal. They became Tailback U because of what sent to the NFL. Mike Garrett, O.J. Simpson, Anthony Davis, Ricky Bell and then Charles White were rolled out their in succession. While just across town, can you name one tailback from UCLA other Wendall Tyler? College is pageantry, on the other hand, the NFL is the show! You don’t want to watch the Miss America pageant every day… But you’ll watch a good TV show for the variety!
GT Alum
February 16th, 2011
7:39 pm
I don’t doubt that the players have always wanted to get a deal done. However, I do doubt how hard the players’ union is trying to get a deal done. You talk like they’re the same thing.
And you said you weren’t getting into the merits of each side’s argument, but it’s obvious you’re picking on Goodell because you think he and the owners are in the wrong.
So basically what this post amounts to is you taking any opportunity you can to criticize Goodell and the owners because you blame them for the impending lockout. Not saying you’re necessarily wrong, but let’s be honest here.
Cam Newton gone but NCAA investigating Auburn again | Jeff Schultz
February 16th, 2011
7:57 pm
[...] – Roger Goodell should be negotiating, not Tweeting for clicks [...]
Ted Striker
February 16th, 2011
8:02 pm
JSS — That’s some very good points you made at 7:38. Right on the money. Plus you worked in the word symbiotic.
Winner winner, chicken dinner!
JSS
February 16th, 2011
8:23 pm
“let’s be honest here.”
OK, the owners want 18 games… Will adding two games improve the product? This amounts to nearly 6 games having been added in the last 50 years. Have rosters expanded? Have the amount of injuries decreased? Have the talents of players improved with diminishing of emphasis on a full collegiate career?
The rookie salary scale, point 2… Has the NFLPA said that they are against it? No, they agreed to it…
The scale back of salaries by $1 billion dollars proposed by the owners. The union declined this provision. This owner declined to open their books to show how this will one) result in actual cost savings instead of artificially making teams tickets more profitable. For there to be saving, the charge of tickets will have to keep increasing while labor decreases. Guess who is going to make those exaggerated sums? This is a 60/40% split, would you agree to this?
3) The early end of the contract… It was the owners who opted out!
So tell us please who is being unreasonable?
JSS
February 16th, 2011
8:29 pm
@ Ted Striker…
Thanks, Boston Market or chain store?
Players Rule
February 16th, 2011
8:34 pm
The players union needs to call a long strike if the owners lock them out. The players should get a lot more money and benefits than they get now, since they are the game. The owners can’t afford a long strike and will be begging the players to come back and get whatever they want!!!
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
February 16th, 2011
11:00 pm
Lockout a problem?
Not for the Falcants, it would be a good thing. At least with a lockout, they are guaranteed not to fail in the playoffs
What’s this I hear of the Cowboys giving Vick the key to the city and Vick was a bigger draw than CHOKE in Atlanta’s memorabilia signing?
Commanding 3 major cities at once – Vick is a badddddd man
Ted Striker
February 16th, 2011
11:40 pm
JSS — Nothing but the best for you.
Snake Doc
February 17th, 2011
7:48 am
When MLB went on strike I lost all interest in baseball. I used to watch every game every day I could. I was a Braves fan. After the strike, sure I follow the Braves from the fringe, and sure I will come on the blogs and give Braves fans a hard time from time to time. And when the Braves won the Series, yes, even I’ll admit it it was a great day for Atlanta.
But I have not paid to go to one game since that strike, in fact I’ve only been to one game at all since the strike and the tickets for that one game were free. Today, I can’t stand to watch baseball on T.V., can barely stand to listen to baseball on the radio, which I don’t do all that often except for the fact that I can’t stand anything else so I do tune in to listen to Sutton call the game.
Point is Baseball is dead to me, the NFL will be dead to me. This is a college football state and region. Can the NFL say Good Bye?
idot
February 17th, 2011
7:08 pm
Dbag love.
idot
February 17th, 2011
7:11 pm
Snake Doc……One question. Who cares?
RMikel58
February 18th, 2011
12:39 am
I love watching the NFL on sundays. I am so sick of “Unions” collective bargaining agreements and soforth. No one ever complains about what players make, rock stars and movie stars. Only Rich people in Corporate America are made out to be villians.
Some of these guy’s make a Million a month………. my God thats more than some make in a lifetime. Then after they retire or have to quit because of injuries they end up poor. Hows that? There isnt anybody on planet earth worth 200 million dollars in 6 years.
Yeah yeah we love sports but my gosh this is ridicolous. I have nothing against being rich its just crazy to pay a person when all they do is blow that money, increase their life style and keep up with the Jones. I really do not care if football comes back or not. What these Agents make and then the players rake in is almost criminal.
Its just amazing what we will do to just win at all cost. Nothing else matters even if they break laws, fail drug tests, and chastises fans and owners.
I see more THUGS, GANGSTAS, HOMIES, more than ive ever seen in both Football and Basketball than ever. No Class at all, never concerned about what their teaching our kids. Its about the “Money”.
I loved the Magic Johnsons, Larry Birds, Michael Jordans of the world, not Kobe, Lebron that carry the torch now. You wont see players stick with 1 team anymore like John Stockton , Karl Malone did anymore. Those guys played with passion and love for the game and what it meant to preserve it for future players without being self centered.
Kinda like going “Bass Fishing” and catching a 7-8 lb. Bass and releasing it back into the water so that a kid might catch it in the future.
When is enough enough? If you make 50 million whats 5 more million to ya? How can you appreciate something without working for it? Making Millions for just 6 months aint too bad is it? Sad just real sad.
RMikel58
February 18th, 2011
1:09 am
Snake Doc’s right about who suffers and thats the fan. Players have already fattened their bank balance. Got their 10-50,000 bonuses from the playoffs, went on their vacations in 6 star hotels without a care in the world. Unions are the killer word that will bankrupt Owners in sports. Agent has got to make his millions, players will go somewhere else if you dont pay him what he thinks he worth.
Union leaders are just as bad as the “Mafia” is with “I’ll make you an offer you cant refuse”. They get their weekly check dont they? The Owners want to make a profit but how in the heck can you when you have a 100 million dollar payroll?
There has to be a win win situation.
Alot of these problems were brought on by the owners themselves outbidding eachother to get a player. Nuts! Now the FAN suffers yet again. Everytime this stunt is pulled you lose more and more fans because of the selfish nature of individuals.
When baseball went on strike that was it for me, no more season tickets, no more memorabilia for me, no autographs and certainly no contributions toward the team and its players.
Now its football. Arthur Blank dont worry about sending me anymore offers of season tickets purchase i wont be there. All of you guys are all selfish to me, self absorbed, egocentric, and too arrogant to be realists.
If there is a LOCKOUT yippeee! You deserve it. If all you Rich cry babies dont have a job next season good. Im sick n tired of hearing about you not getting your extra million a month while normal Americans are losing their houses and living on the streets while you guy’s are trying to decide if you need a 30 or 40 room house.
People having their cars being repossed while your trying to decide which of the 7 exotic cars you wanna drive. Drinking champagne at 750.00 a bottle while people cant even buy a cup of coffee. Buying shoes at 3000 a pair while people cant even wear “used” shoes.
Just incase you think im just sore about this, you are far from right…. i make my 300k a year and i work a full 12 months to get it. I dont flaunt my wealth if you call it that like these players do. They cry about everything and i really wish there were no contracts and they got paid based on their performance instead.
We do! Why do you think these players have a great year when their on the final year of their contract? Players dont care about the fans and owners. When they get paid those fat contracts, its you and i that have to pay for it by paying more for drinks, food, items and tickets.
I hear the Players and Owners complaining but nothing from the fans. Maybe its time we do our own “LOCKOUT” !
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
February 22nd, 2011
7:20 pm
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/615137-nfl-insider-who-the-top-five-teams-will-be-in-2011
Can you say “Super Vick”