I have written often over the last decade in this space about the tilted relationship between NFL management (owners, teams, commissioner) and NFL labor (players, union, agents). Starting with the 2011 lockout, the owners have been intent on “resetting the economic model,” which is management-speak for clawing back whatever they can from the players. And they have been dramatically successful in achieving that objective.
An economic model that was a 50-50 revenue split between owners and players is now between 52 and 53% for owners and 47–48% for players, with those percentage points amounting to billions of dollars over the lengths of these collective bargaining agreements. And the 47–48% for players does not even include a percentage of revenue sources such as premium seating, stadium naming rights, most gambling revenue, real estate appreciation, etc. Beyond economics, the owners have forged a 17th regular-season game for each team, an extra playoff game in each conference and wide-ranging penalties to snuff out player discontent.
And here is the kicker: The balance seems to be getting worse, not better, for the players. This offseason alone has seen some further examples of owners, well, putting players in their place. They are taking an even tougher stance toward the players that seems, in some ways, even punitive. Why? I’m not sure. Perhaps it’s as simple as, “Because they can.” Let’s examine.
