Ed’s Take–Feb. 16, 2011
After a great Super Bowl to end another fantastic NFL season it has been disappointing as a fan to see the conversation shift now to the labor battle between the owners and the players.
Having played the game I’m all for seeing everything be done to protect players and make sure they are are taken care of in the best way for the risks they take and the long-term health implications. And I also understand that owners have business to run and need to protect their interests.
But in the end, I think fans are reluctant to take a side in the issue because they just want to see football, and have a hard time sympathizing with either side when the game is so popular and fans play a big role in supporting it.
Does that describe your feelings as a fan, or are you on one side or the other?
It’s hard to sympathize with people who make in one year what most Americans dream of earning in their entire life. As a fan I already feel gouged by the NFL. Every offseason my stomach churns as I hear about the contracts the star players are able to get. Having the labor dispute is nothing short of disgusting, especially in this economy. I will always love the game and really only enjoy it at the professional level, but I have absolutely no sympathy for either side.
Comment by Jon — February 16, 2011 @ 3:15 pm
Hey Ed,
My position is this. Both side have their issues granted, but what really upsets me as a fan (Denver Post’s Broncos Super Fan) is the reluctancy of both sides to sit down and negotiate. Someone needs to lock these two sides in a room and not let them out until there is an agreement. I’ve been saying this all along, the fans, not the players, not the owners and not the league are the reason there is an NFL and an NFLPA. The fans want football simple as that. I think the longer this continues us fans might be willing to direct our attention and our money elsewhere.
I think this is like Paris Hilton getting her million dollar allowance taken away by her billion dollar parents. It would be interesting to see what the average income is for the average fan attending NFL games. I can’t imagine it’s more than $45,000 a year. Everyone’s bitching about money. Owners want 18 game to turn more of a profit, and the players don’t want to give up and additional billion off the top, I just don’t get it???
Comment by James — February 16, 2011 @ 9:59 am
Well said, Ed. I do stand in the middle (by the middle I mean that I’m very annoyed by both) and just see both sides pointing the finger back at the other. It does seem like Goodell is trying to be a good mediator, but everyone loses if they don’t work it out, fans, players, and owners.
Comment by Dino — February 16, 2011 @ 9:57 am
I understand the issues that the players have with safety, salaries and the effects on their bodies long after they are playing the game (Like #87’s leg). I see a very large disconnect from the owners side. All in all I would rather not hear about it everyday…. The NFL has such a stronghold in terms of fans and media- Why mess that up? I have spent a lot of money to watch the Broncos and am a complete fanatic of the team. It is hard to be sympathetic for Billionaire owners that have a long shelf life to make money. The average NFL player makes it 3 years…. Seems to me that each athlete should be able to capitalize on the short amount of time they are playing in the NFL and in term have be covered in the future for football related health issue.
In the end I hope that the players are taken care of and a rookie wage scale in implemented. 16 game season!
They don’t make them like you anyone Eddy MAC!
Comment by Tom — February 16, 2011 @ 9:45 am