NFL lockout: Falcons cut pay of some office staff
If only Arthur Blank and rest of us could see into future on the NFL lockout. (Curtis Compton)
Several NFL teams have announced furloughs or payroll deductions for their office staff and even coaches during the current lockout. The Falcons are no exception.
While owner Arthur Blank has not mandated furloughs or significant cuts, there have been minor payroll reductions to members of the office staff, according to somebody familiar with the organization. The team has not made any announcement regarding the pay cuts, per the organization’s policy of not discussing internal business matters.
Blank, who is as image-conscious as they come, also prefers that this type of news not get out. But the cuts seemed inevitable.
This is a situation worth watching. The longer the lockout goes, the more antsy owners will get. The lack of television, ticket and advertising revenue, as well as other sources of income, at some point will lead to difficult decisions.
The owners are banking on the NFL Players Association cracking first. While players won’t start losing game checks until the regular season begins, many have lost contract bonuses for organized team workouts. It’s the reason owners have fought so hard for the lockout in court.
Coaches are siding with the players. The NFL Coaches Association has filed a 20-page legal brief in support of the union (you can read it here).
They have a vested interest. The Detroit Lions have begun two-week furloughs that affect all employees, including coach Jim Schwartz and general manager Martin Mayhew.
Among the other teams that have slashed payroll, mandated furloughs or are considering one or the other are the Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills, Arizona Cardinals, Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens. (Thanks to ProFootballTalk.com for the reporting and aggregation of other teams’ plans.)
Final editorial comment: There is something wrong when low-salaried secretaries are paying the price for a collective bargain war between billionaire owners and millionaire players. That’s something both sides need to think about.
By Jeff Schultz
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189 comments Add your comment
Question for Jeff Schultz
May 26th, 2011
12:18 pm
When do NFL front offices “realize” their money from tv contracts, nfl marketing, etc ?? I contend that the bulk of their finances is year round and not tied specifically to ticket sales or gate revenue. If that is the case, aren’t all of these NFL front offices merely grand standing by saying “see, we’re taking pay cuts as well” when in fact, the need to do so is optional at this point ?
Don Garber
May 26th, 2011
12:18 pm
I’d be better off putting a third team in NYC. Screw you, fair-weather fans.
Mark (another one)
May 26th, 2011
12:20 pm
When baseball struck I paid little attention. They cancelled the end of the season, and I got used to finding other entertainment. I used to attend two or three games a week and now I do one or two a season. Its not a decision I made. It just ended up that way. I go to a lot more minor league and college games.
When Basketball struck, I was a rapid fan. I have been to two games since. Its too expensive and not as entertaining. My son was a fan until he had beer poured on him and was ignored by the ushers. We may watch a few games on TV but I prefer college ball. The teams are more disciplined and there is more teamwork.
Football has always been a favorite. We attend all UGA homegames and we travel when possible. Even when we travel we figure out how to watch on TV. I am a Falcons fan and my wife and I were discussing season tickets. That has stopped.
Professional sports need to understand that for some of us, the strikes cause us to look elsewhere for entertainment, and the raised prices drive us further away. Many of us catch the games on TV if there isn’t something better to do, but the fighting between the rich makes us think of them all as spoiled. And once the damage is done, the sport or individuals may never recover.
If you doubt this, listen to the fans boo everytime Tom Glavine is introduced in Atlanta. The man is a hall of fame pitcher who spent most of his career here, but even when the fans return, they don’t forget.
Professional sports needs to remember that they are businesses and the customers are the fans. I’m sure they will give us some lip service after the strike but strikes do damage. I for one will always vote against anyone that wants to put public money into stadiums without some guarantee for the public.
Blank wants a new stadium and he wants public money. No. Maybe LA has it right. No public money for stadiums.
Matt Ryan
May 26th, 2011
12:23 pm
People do realize that OWNERS of Businesses are suppose to make more $$ than employees
its a common practice in everyday life
fansince74
May 26th, 2011
12:24 pm
It is not the owners fault if the players don’t know how to be responsible and manage their money. Giving them more is not how you better this situation.
Jim
May 26th, 2011
12:27 pm
At this point in time, with the economy the way it is, It’s unconcionable that both sides are letting pure ‘greed’ destroy the NFL Brand. As far as I personally am concerned…I don’t care if they EVER play another game…I’ve still got Collegiate football to follow, which I prefer anyway. Its a shame that things have come to this point, but they will ‘reap what they have sewn’
True Falcon Fan
May 26th, 2011
12:31 pm
Hey E-Roll if you have NO owners – what do you have? Answer, No NFL! E-Roll back the bus up baby, the last time i looked this is a majority “PRIVATELY OWNED” National Football League. With exception of the Green Packers, they are publicly hailed by the citizery of Wis. E-Roll – baby its like this “now listen carefully”
“THERE IS NO HONOR AMONGST THIEVES” —- ON BOTH SIDES OF THE TABLE!
Now E-Roll chew on that for while, take a deep breathe and get a life “BABY”
There will “FOOTBALL THIS YEAR”!
chipontheroadbirdsrus
May 26th, 2011
12:32 pm
In the words of Hank JR “are you readdy for some football”
Sherry
May 26th, 2011
12:47 pm
Ok! Correct me if I am wrong here. The Owners(own) the ball team. Owners are in it to make money.
Players are way over rated and not worth what they are paid. No players is worth some of these salaries they are asking. You Players are Greedy Bas****s. I say we put players in there who want to play for the love of the game. I am all for salary top outs…..
fansince74
May 26th, 2011
12:47 pm
The owners were the ones who in 2009, had a potentially fork out over 4 billion dollars in salaries that had to be paid out if every team maximized its $123 million salary cap. That’s for players only and for ONE year!
And the plot thickens
May 26th, 2011
12:47 pm
Arthur Blank you are cheap. All the money you have and now you want to cut salaries. Hell dude that’s chump change to you.
E-Roll
May 26th, 2011
12:48 pm
Guys you miss the point the owners are making profits year in and year out so they are not in danger of losing the ability to operate their teams. The value of the Falcons have gone from the $545 million that he paid for them in 2001 to a value of $831 million according to Forbes last year.
The players are not asking for one red cent more and have even proposed giving some of the money back but the owners decided that they amount was not enough for them.
Matt Ryan – I agree that owners are supposed to make more money and they are already doing that and more but you can not ask for more money off the top, a rookie salary cap where the money goes to the owners and an increase of 20% of the divided portion without giving on anything.
Mid Town Joe
May 26th, 2011
12:49 pm
Tennis anyone?
fansince74
May 26th, 2011
12:52 pm
FYI: if the players get what they want the cost for the fans is going up!
DC
May 26th, 2011
12:53 pm
not too quick on the uptake huh Marcel..haha
Hey Marcel
May 26th, 2011
12:53 pm
DC
May 26th, 2011
11:36 am
Too Shay JoeV too shay!
*************************************************
Just for future reference:
Touché
Booger Fling
May 26th, 2011
12:53 pm
All the teams should just call the White House and ask for a bailout. The government is charitable when it comes to bailing out the BIG fish in this society.
True Falcon Fan
May 26th, 2011
12:54 pm
Sherry Baby, oh Sherry Baby, i am sorry to tell you are “WRONG SHERRY BABY” —- Honey in the NFL there 32 teams. There roughly 1,700 players, “THE FINEST FOOTBALL ATHELETES ON THE GLOBAL”! The owners basically bid on ALL these players services, the highest bider get’s the player, “VERY SIMPLE”, right! WRONG, there is no honor amongst thieves…………….
Hey Marcel
May 26th, 2011
12:55 pm
I still don’t believe employee’s have a right to examine the owners books in a privately held company. I don’t even believe they have a right to ask.
E-Roll
May 26th, 2011
12:57 pm
True Falcon Fan – First of all love the name and second of all I have already said that both sides are to blame and have fault but I see too many posts where people are saying how greedy the players are when it the players that are giving up some of their earned revenue but not enough for the owners.
Fansince74 – if that had happened the owners would have still made a profit because they are getting money off the top before we even get to the revenue sharing and the league made 7.8 billion in that year so they would have been OK.
E-Roll
May 26th, 2011
12:57 pm
fansince74 – fans would not pay move if the players get their way because they are not asking for more money they are just looking to move money from rookies to vets and fund health care for past, present as well as future players while at the same time giving back 10% of the money that was given to them in the last collective bargined agreement.
Hey Marcel
May 26th, 2011
12:59 pm
I guess it will be fun to enjoy weekends camping out with my family this fall, Sunday drives in the mountains, hiking the AT, renting chalets in Dillard, trying to enjoy window shopping in Cashiers and Highlands, I might even start going to church.
The Ghost of Norm Van Brocklin
May 26th, 2011
1:02 pm
Pardon me, but I am not guzzling the Kool-Aid offered up by the owners or by the players.
Let the summer roll on and let autumn come along. I doubt the owners’ lifestyle will suffer. I doubt the responsible players’ lifestyles will suffer. I have no doubt that the thug-like players will find a way to find money.
I’ll be content watching minor league.., uh, I mean, college, football.
Reid Adair
May 26th, 2011
1:02 pm
You’re absolutely right, Jeff. Hard-working people who may struggle to get by are the ones really suffering in this situation.
True Falcon Fan
May 26th, 2011
1:05 pm
@Hey Marcel – i agree 100% – the owners knew this issue was coming two years – “so much said for the great planner” hey
@E-Roll – Don’t cha just luv those Falcons today, man i do! I just don’t get myself caught-up in the manutia BS re: CBA – to me both sides are thieves. The NFL fan should send the biggest message now today tellem’ “FU” — “We are NOT re-upping our season tickets & stick to there guns”!!!!! Have a GOOD DAY – E-Roll
Asdf124
May 26th, 2011
1:07 pm
“Ok! Correct me if I am wrong here. The Owners(own) the ball team. Owners are in it to make money.
Players are way over rated and not worth what they are paid. No players is worth some of these salaries they are asking. You Players are Greedy Bas****s. I say we put players in there who want to play for the love of the game. I am all for salary top outs…..”
You are wrong. The owners get a massive profit – the amount of $ the players on a team make can be added all together, and guess what? The owner STILL makes their zillions. You see, it’s supply and demand; the player ks may be high, but those figures are calculated into the owners budget. In other words, if the players are paid less, that merely means more ridiculous profit for owners.
By the way, you Republicans should love this; all you care about is lining the pockets of the rich at the expense of the poor and middle class. I’m surprised you aren’t berating these secretaries/etc. for not working hard enough to get a better job; not enough personal responsibility – they should be grateful that Mr. Blank is successful enough to give them jobs, huh? Let’s have our tax dollars go to pay for a new stadium so Mr Blank gets more profit. Long live the rich!!!!
Jimmy Crack
May 26th, 2011
1:08 pm
Good article Jeff, I hope your source doesn’t get caught and become a casualty.
If anybody wants to boycott something, a good start is to boycott NFLShop.com.
Staying away from games is a fool’s move for it will only lead to television blackouts and half empty stadiums filled with opposing fans. And who do you think buys up all those nose bleed seats every Thursday by the deadline? Arthur and his equally image conscious friends of course! Boycott instead avenues of the owners’ money, like the NFL Shop.
W
May 26th, 2011
1:10 pm
You Republicans should love this; all you care about is lining the pockets of the rich at the expense of the poor and middle class. I’m surprised you aren’t berating these secretaries/etc. for not working hard enough to get a better job; not enough personal responsibility – they should be grateful that Mr. Blank is successful enough to give them jobs, huh? Let’s have our tax dollars go to pay for a new stadium so Mr Blank gets more profit. Long live the rich!!!!
Not a basketball fan
May 26th, 2011
1:15 pm
can’t wait for NBA to have a lockout and fire all those thugs. Always yelling racism when the majority of thier stupid fans are of a different color. Hockey would thrive in Atlatna if it were in an arena in Gwinnett or Cobb. As for the NFL-if youplayers cannot live on 5 mill a yr- you are sniffing too much salt! Take your bonus money, put half in a ROTH IRA and the other half in TAX FREE Muni Bonds. Do the same with 20% of your weekly paycheck and you can retire RICH after 8-10 years. As for y’all blaming the owners-do yo ucomplain like this to your Boss? The owners are paying the bills- the insurance, the mortgage, the salaries, etc. They OWN the place so it is THEIR rules. If the players don’t like it, find another job. The owners have their money at risk. Yes- they need to build their own stadiums or finance it thru their own bonds, but the players only lookout for themselves. Salaries in a normal business setting should not be more than 30 percent of the gross. This 50-50 BS is wrong. YOU chose this career, you deal with it. The owners can close the franchise if they want. here’s the salary players- take it and play or find a job at ESPN.
Jerious Norwood
May 26th, 2011
1:17 pm
You forgot to mention that not only is arthur cutting office staff’s $$$$, I’m sure he is also helping Georgia’s unemployment rate go up by firing people on his staff!
Mark
May 26th, 2011
1:22 pm
At least Blank knows what clueless folks don’t, that football is not a sport, but a cold, hard gladiatorial collision entertainment business and nothing more.
W
May 26th, 2011
1:27 pm
“can’t wait for NBA to have a lockout and fire all those thugs. Always yelling racism when the majority of thier stupid fans are of a different color.”
Wow. I did you catch your own irony/hypocrisy here? I wonder what you mean by “thug.” The usual connotation of that term, when not used in a racist manner, is “criminal.” so are you being racist or are you calling all NBA players criminals? Or is there some other meaning my tiny mind can’t comprehend?
Paul
May 26th, 2011
1:28 pm
AJC please use spell-check: “Among the other teams taht…”
Thinkaboutthat
May 26th, 2011
1:44 pm
It’s not who you sleep with, it’s who you wake up with. You think about that.
Beef Stroganoff in a Bowl
May 26th, 2011
1:44 pm
First……The owners are not in this to make money. They are in this because it is one of the most exclusive clubs ever. It’s a huge accomplishment to own a professional sports franchise. Even more so if it is an NFL franchise.
Yes, they want to make money…..Who doesn’t? To say the only reason they are in the NFL is to make money is false. I want the owners to succeed. I also want the players to be compensated.
Look at a player after 10 years in the league, and an owner after 10 years in the league. Tell me who is better off?
Doo Rag
May 26th, 2011
1:46 pm
Hey beef, I think some of the smoke from the firepit got to ya. Yo, it’s all about the benjamins. Winning a championship is definitely secondary.
question
May 26th, 2011
1:47 pm
Are there any other business out there other than MLB and the NBA that pay SOME of the employees such a huge percentage of revenue?
I seriously doubt it. No sympathy here for the players.
W
May 26th, 2011
1:53 pm
“Are there any other business out there other than MLB and the NBA that pay SOME of the employees such a huge percentage of revenue?
I seriously doubt it. No sympathy here for the players.”
Law firms. Partnerships. Professional corporations; doctors, dentist, etc. And no, I don’t feel sorry for the players, but the owners deserve even less sympathy.
Jeff Schultz
May 26th, 2011
1:53 pm
DC — No idea what mayor talking about although there’s talk of an MLS team I think. Haven’t paid attention, to be honest.
Jeff Schultz
May 26th, 2011
1:58 pm
Roger — I’m guessing the folks who had their pay cut would rather not be named. They want to keep their jobs.
Jeff Schultz
May 26th, 2011
1:58 pm
Thanks, Hankie.
Jeff Schultz
May 26th, 2011
2:00 pm
Matt Ryan — Actually, sir, you’re not being paid either. Except for your product endorsements (which should be sufficient).
Jeff Schultz
May 26th, 2011
2:01 pm
Jimmy Crack — Thank you, sir.
5150 UOAD
May 26th, 2011
2:04 pm
Cut Players Salaries and give raises to the personnel that want to work.
The Billions OWNERS split pay many many more salaries than the Players that blow their money on Smoke, Trashy Women (ie. Kim Z), too Grand Houses, and Cars.
Jay Dubu
May 26th, 2011
2:05 pm
A lot of the players are not in the millionair club. Granted they’re making way above minimum wage, those are the players that will be hurt the most, the quickest.
Jay Dubu
May 26th, 2011
2:05 pm
The players are the product in sports, and thus shopuld be compensated for their contributions to the revenue stream.
The players have a very short career on average, and a lot of them will be hurt beyond repair by this stoppage if it goes into the season.
5150 UOAD
May 26th, 2011
2:07 pm
I bet if NFL, NBA, & MLB Players were paid a lot less, then they would not have so many kids and Baby mamas to pay for.
5150 UOAD
May 26th, 2011
2:12 pm
J Dubu
if you were paid $400k over 16 weeks don’t you think you could buy a $400k home (now costing 125k) and a nice car with money leftover for the rest of the year? Listen to the PLANS and Dreams Kroy and Kim Z have. They think they need to RENT a $3 Million Dollar home to be part of the IN CROWD of Pro Athletes. They could buy the house across from my parents in Sandy Springs for $305k with 5 bedrooms 4 1/2 baths, 2 car garage, Swimming pool, great public and private schools close. See many NFL players don’t think that way.
Mass Dawg
May 26th, 2011
2:14 pm
This just goes to show you how greedy these owners are. This is the same organization, led by a multi-millionaire, who is holding the city of Atlanata hostage to build a new stadium. A new stadium so Arthur can make more money for himself. Meanwhile, Fulton County and the City of Atlanta can’t fund its retirement plans, pay its teachers, and patrol the streets. Yet we’re going to spend $900 million dollars of the tax payers money to fund a facility that gets used 11 times a year.
I equate these guys to CEO’s of big companies, who lay off thousands and then grant themselves a big raise.
Wrong blog
May 26th, 2011
2:16 pm
Oh well.
Melkey’s numbers: .281, 6 Hrs, 29 RBIs, 28 runs scored, and even 5 SBs which on the Braves would be considered, if not fast, then adroit on the base paths.
But why keep a good player for 3 million when you can toss 12 down the toilet instead?