indiragandhi'sthong Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 Looking to vent and, perhaps, get feedback from Bills fans, on the current state and future direction of the NFL. First off, I am a HUGE football fan and start to get excited by the mere thought of the upcoming draft, the sweltering heat of training camp at SJF, and the crisp, autumn Sundays with the anticipation they bring. However, the NFL is starting to trouble me as it looks to build these gargantuan palaces for the corporate, jet-setters, extend internationally while seeming to overlook their loyal cities and fan bases, and ignore or work to cover up questionable strategies and approaches to "protect the game" and the incredible flow of revenue. I was very excited when a local, Roger Goodell, was chosen to lead the league into the new century. He has increasingly become an embarrassment, unless you are one of the 32 owners, looking solely at the league coffers. He has business savvy, but the commissioner is morally bankrupt. He should have been fired after the Ray Rice debacle. Every time I see his mug at a press conference and hear him stammer, I am reminded of what a tool he truly is. This is a league that, instead of being proactive, knew it had concussion-related issues and chose to wait, fight it, and let it explode. This is a league that fought "tooth and nail" against its retirees who built the league on their blood, bones, and guile. This is the league that seems to insulate their stars and star franchises until forced to go after them ("Deflategate") and look foolish in the process. I know we'll never get back to the brilliance and simple nature of the game from the 1970s through the 1990s, when the focus still seemed to be on the fan at the stadium ... the ticket buyer ... the jersey wearer. But at least make more of an effort to reach out to your common fans and provide the illusion that we still matter in the grand scheme of things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
May Day 10 Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 nope. You covered most of it. You either have to learn to live with it or move on. It is bad, and it isnt going away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark80 Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 (edited) The league is run by a bunch of people who made their fortunes mostly through corporations. A vast majority of corporations sole purpose is to increase revenues and profit margins for their stock holders (and especially the board of directors) often by screwing over their workforce on a yearly basis through outsourcing, shipping production overseas, wage increases that are a fraction of inflation rates, increased health premiums, eliminating benefits, etc. This mentality is ingrained in a lot of them and they don't know any other way to function really. So the NFL is no different. Increase revenues year after year, increase profits year after year, no matter what it takes. I just never understood why some great things just can't be left as is. Oh wait, yes I do, pure and simple greed. Edited February 5, 2016 by Mark80 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsFanMike Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 What comes around goes around. It will bite them in the butt eventually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronin Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 Great post! The length of the games is also becoming unbearable as are the commericals. I hardly watch much on TV anymore because of it. Even at the games it's noticeable. Goodell gets paid as much as he does to be a yes-man. Seriously, no one getting the salary and perks that he does is ever going to do anything that the owners, or at least a majority of them which will always include the Snyders, Jones, and Krafts, don't want him to do, right or wrong, moral or immoral. He's only there to be a buffer in protecting their money. The entire focus on international may be good for business as the NFL seems to be popular globally, but as you say, it's left those of us with memories of the '70s/'80s/'90s in the dust. The single biggest thing about the NFL that galls me is the way that a supposed business gets the local taxpayers to pick up the financing, and often more, for their own operating expenses. (aka stadiums) It's a business, run it like one and pay for your own expenses. I've lost interest in the NFL over recent years and have only cared about the Bills, but even there it doesn't look as if anything is going to be changing anytime soon as Pegula's ways of allowing nepotism appear to be worse than Wilson's ever were. We're told that the Sabres are on the right track, which apparently is why they're tied with five other teams that are all almost as hapless as they for second lowest in points and ahead of the last place (in points) team by only 2 points. At this point the Bills can prove to me that they're worth watching. In fifteen years we haven't seen competence on or off the field and for as unfortunate as it is after an ownership change that initially proved promising, IMO the post ownership-change result is already worse than it was prior to the change. Many don't realize it yet but we're on the cusp of another rebuild that'll take 2-3 seasons given that they plan on keeping the same brainiacs around for next season at least. Could be even longer if Ryan's allowed to stick around after next season. The NFL going the way of the NBA? Mark Cuban may have been right, but honestly, his league is the poster child for the same garbage. What comes around goes around. It will bite them in the butt eventually. How, would you say? Seems to be working just fine as long as people continue to watch, wouldn't you say? I mean that's their goal, viewership. I didn't even watch the Super Bowl last year I was so fed up with everything. I'll probably watch it this year just because there is no moral controversy regarding cheating or anything surrounding either team and both teams seem to be led by good and decent players/people. The half-times are becoming a joke with paid fans lining the stage as if Elvis himself were performing over-emoting every note, not to mention that they're what now, 40 min. long. Either way, I'm curious why you think this will fail over the long term as I see it continuing to succeed, especially if the NBA is what it is today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_Formerly_of_Roch Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 Personally I think Roger is doing a great job of projecting the position that the league wants to be seen in. He's just doing what the owners asks him to do and based on the popularity of the game it seems to be working well. In a way it's great strategy by the league. Roger you stand up front and take all the hits publicity wise, while we pull the brinks truck up to the rear door. In exchange we'll give you a big bag of loot for being the fall guy. But why blame him? IMO the whole concussion thing way predates Roger. That was an issue floating around for years that's been ignored by all as it truly goes against the fundamentals of the league as to it's ability to make money. I worked for Kodak for many years and it kind of reminds me of Kodak's strategy of ignoring digital film as it would strike directly at it's profits from selling film. Granted this is much more serious but same idea of management ignoring a massive issue as they knew it would hurt them in the pocket. As far as the Ray Rice I have a different perspective on that. When it first came to light Roger tried to protect Ray Rice by just kind of viewing it a;s Boys will be boys, the woman wasn't complaining, so just slap him on the wrist. Then when the video came out the league had to do much more, but then were on very shaky ground as they had already disciplined him for it. I thought the players took advantage or Roger in that he was trying initially to do the players a favor for not coming down hard on him for this, then when everyone was ripping the league and Roger for not doing more the players jumped on the bandwagon too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Big Cat Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 The league is run by a bunch of people who made their fortunes mostly through corporations. A vast majority of corporations sole purpose is to increase revenues and profit margins for their stock holders (and especially the board of directors) often by screwing over their workforce on a yearly basis through outsourcing, shipping production overseas, wage increases that are a fraction of inflation rates, increased health premiums, eliminating benefits, etc. This mentality is ingrained in a lot of them and they don't know any other way to function really. So the NFL is no different. Increase revenues year after year, increase profits year after year, no matter what it takes. I just never understood why some great things just can't be left as is. Oh wait, yes I do, pure and simple greed. I imagine some of the 'free market' hard wingers around here will find a way to trample this post, but what you've said here is simply irrefutable. And relative to the OP, quarterly performance evaluation--the only universe that really matters in the corporate realm--breeds the kind of short-sightedness that will weed out the long-term strategic benefits of doing things like being proactive on concussion and retiree benefits. An even greater dilemma now is this Millennial-appeasing shift to a false-facade of "corporate responsibility." Suddenly money making behemoths whose existence is and always will be precisely that are having to convince themselves so they convince their consumers that they have a conscious, that (for the sake of selling more units) doing the right thing matters to them. I won't deny the collateral benefits of this shift, but ultimately it's a ruse, and it's setting expectations that will inevitably trigger outrage when (gasp) they were in it for the money after all! I hope I'm wrong. And I hope that leaders are steadily emerging who actually do care about something other than the bottom line. But I think it's a sea change that, at worst, will never happen or, at best, will take at least another generation to come to fruition. I'm done with my soap box now if anyone else needs it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronin Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 (edited) Personally I think Roger is doing a great job of projecting the position that the league wants to be seen in. He's just doing what the owners asks him to do and based on the popularity of the game it seems to be working well. In a way it's great strategy by the league. Roger you stand up front and take all the hits publicity wise, while we pull the brinks truck up to the rear door. In exchange we'll give you a big bag of loot for being the fall guy. But why blame him? Exactly I hope I'm wrong. And I hope that leaders are steadily emerging who actually do care about something other than the bottom line. But I think it's a sea change that, at worst, will never happen or, at best, will take at least another generation to come to fruition. I'm done with my soap box now if anyone else needs it. LOL ... rant away brother! As I said though, as long as there are viewers and ticket purchasers, this will continue. There aren't nearly enough people such as myself who refuse to pay or expend their time for incompetence and a poor product overall. The NFL has become like an addiction for many, a societal addiction no different than any other addiction. Fortunately for me I'm not the addictive type. As to our team, I find myself asking after viewing games, "was that worth it?" If I went was it worth the drive, money, hassles at the gates, the uncomfortable seats that are too short for my legs, etc., if I watch it then simply was it worth the time? Was I entertained? Too often I think to myself that it was more aggravating than enjoyable due to the incompetence, so my viewing has curtailed itself. Why do I want to pay money or expend my time to be aggravated. If more people would do that then perhaps ownership would try a little harder to see to it that the team is run competently. As to the NFL though, a handful of owners dictate what the league does and where it will go despite the majority notion. Some fans take the angle that we owe the team our support in terms of time and purchase of tickets, parking, etc. But I'd rather give my time and money to say a local microbrewery that has owners that have gotten where they've gotten without the use of taxpayer funding and provide a product that people purchase because it's good. So why is a professional sports team more important than the sum total of other small businesses that could benefit even more with the infusion of my money and time. It's a rhetorical question, just sayin'. When the team starts to manage itself competently then I'll spend my money and time on it every week again, until then, the burden of proof is on them/it. Edited February 5, 2016 by TaskersGhost Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty McFly Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 (edited) nope. You covered most of it. You either have to learn to live with it or move on. It is bad, and it isnt going away. Agree. I think spy-gate and deflate-gate and the pandering of the Pats* was really when the morals went out the window. Ray Rice isnt a good example cuz he hasnt played a game since that shenanigan. EDIT: i did not know they tried to sweep it under the rug till the footage came out. Edited February 5, 2016 by Marty McFly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthBuffaloKid Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 Spot on! Something similar happened with baseball and they are still recovering... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronin Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 Spot on! Something similar happened with baseball and they are still recovering... or trying to recover. Yet, they're still in business and some of the salaries/contracts are of ludicrous speed. The core issue is that pro sports now cater primarily to the wealthy and no longer to the common blue-collar working stiff and middle class person. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobbyC81 Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 or trying to recover. Yet, they're still in business and some of the salaries/contracts are of ludicrous speed. The core issue is that pro sports now cater primarily to the wealthy and no longer to the common blue-collar working stiff and middle class person. Yep. I went to the Super Bowl at Stanford in 1985. Ticket face value was $60 and i paid $125. This year, upper section tickets are face value of $850 and resale are posted over $5k. I don't know about you guys but my salary hasn't gone up by the factor of 14 that the face value s have, much less the 40 x for resale Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acantha Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 (edited) How, would you say? Seems to be working just fine as long as people continue to watch, wouldn't you say? I mean that's their goal, viewership. I didn't even watch the Super Bowl last year I was so fed up with everything. I'll probably watch it this year just because there is no moral controversy regarding cheating or anything surrounding either team and both teams seem to be led by good and decent players/people. The half-times are becoming a joke with paid fans lining the stage as if Elvis himself were performing over-emoting every note, not to mention that they're what now, 40 min. long. Either way, I'm curious why you think this will fail over the long term as I see it continuing to succeed, especially if the NBA is what it is today. In businesses that deal with the public, corporate culture is being forced to change. The internet, and far more importantly social media, are requiring companies to be far more user friendly and to be able to change with the times. Everything is becoming more transparent, and companies that are too slow to change are having trouble keeping up. The NFL is a money grubbing, stubborn, anti-everything that doesn't 100% benefit them organization. Businesses simply can't survive long term with that kind of mindset anymore. The NFL is also a behemoth and basically has a monopoly on the countries favorite pastime, so it's not like they're going to go broke in a couple of years, but I feel pretty sure that if they continue business as usual, they will begin to fall back down to earth in the not so distant future. I'm sure plenty will call me crazy, but in my opinion one of the most important things the NFL has going for it is Fantasy Football. Without the rise in popularity of that game, it wouldn't have the same growth and bullet proof mentality it has today. People are so consumed with their FF leagues, the first thing they think of when someone has a concussion or gets arrested is how it's going to affect their scores. Edited February 5, 2016 by Acantha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Goodell Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 Thank you for your feedback. The NFL continues to seek ways to improve the product on the field while always keeping the fan experience foremost in mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. WEO Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 Looking to vent and, perhaps, get feedback from Bills fans, on the current state and future direction of the NFL. First off, I am a HUGE football fan and start to get excited by the mere thought of the upcoming draft, the sweltering heat of training camp at SJF, and the crisp, autumn Sundays with the anticipation they bring. However, the NFL is starting to trouble me as it looks to build these gargantuan palaces for the corporate, jet-setters, extend internationally while seeming to overlook their loyal cities and fan bases, and ignore or work to cover up questionable strategies and approaches to "protect the game" and the incredible flow of revenue. I was very excited when a local, Roger Goodell, was chosen to lead the league into the new century. He has increasingly become an embarrassment, unless you are one of the 32 owners, looking solely at the league coffers. He has business savvy, but the commissioner is morally bankrupt. He should have been fired after the Ray Rice debacle. Every time I see his mug at a press conference and hear him stammer, I am reminded of what a tool he truly is. This is a league that, instead of being proactive, knew it had concussion-related issues and chose to wait, fight it, and let it explode. This is a league that fought "tooth and nail" against its retirees who built the league on their blood, bones, and guile. This is the league that seems to insulate their stars and star franchises until forced to go after them ("Deflategate") and look foolish in the process. I know we'll never get back to the brilliance and simple nature of the game from the 1970s through the 1990s, when the focus still seemed to be on the fan at the stadium ... the ticket buyer ... the jersey wearer. But at least make more of an effort to reach out to your common fans and provide the illusion that we still matter in the grand scheme of things. Ok, I'll bite.. (of course!). What was the NFL doing about concussions...or rampant steroid and amphetamine use in the 70's? Nothing In the good ol' 70's and 90's, what was the NFL doing about al of those retired and broke players? Absa--loootly nothing? What "direction" is the NFL "headed in" now? The league has a pension plan that includes player with a single credited season in the last 23 years and starts paying at age 55. They also have an annuity program that for players with 4 seasons of play that starts at age 35 if retired for at least 5 years. They also have savings plan, like a 401(k). The league has a $1 billion concussion settlement covering over 20,000 retirees. I don't see in the OP what the poster would do differently. He mentions concussions and retirement funds, yet, ironically, the "current" NFL is the only era that has addressed these issues (belatedly or not, they have). So, other than hating the league for making a lot of money, what would the OP do to improve the NFL? Put earnings limits on the owners? Put caps on prices for tickets and concessions and merchandise? This is a game that we can (largely ) enjoy for no extra cost on our big screen TVs in our comfy homes. I don't see anything new in this thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manther Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 What comes around goes around. It will bite them in the butt eventually.Unfortunately, I do not think the NFL will get bit at all. The machine won't stop working. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jauronimo Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 The league is run by a bunch of people who made their fortunes mostly through corporations. A vast majority of corporations sole purpose is to increase revenues and profit margins for their stock holders (and especially the board of directors) often by screwing over their workforce on a yearly basis through outsourcing, shipping production overseas, wage increases that are a fraction of inflation rates, increased health premiums, eliminating benefits, etc. This mentality is ingrained in a lot of them and they don't know any other way to function really. So the NFL is no different. Increase revenues year after year, increase profits year after year, no matter what it takes. I just never understood why some great things just can't be left as is. Oh wait, yes I do, pure and simple greed. What should their purpose be? Are you familiar with fiduciary duty? If I and other investors gave Mark80 Co. a few million in capital by way of a stock purchase and the company donated the money to charity instead of growing the business, Mark80 Co. would be faced with a class action lawsuit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KD in CA Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 What should their purpose be? Are you familiar with fiduciary duty? If I and other investors gave Mark80 Co. a few million in capital by way of a stock purchase and the company donated the money to charity instead of growing the business, Mark80 Co. would be faced with a class action lawsuit. But if they're investors they are already rich and don't need the money so the right thing to do would be to use the money to give rebates to all the customers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. WEO Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 But if they're investors they are already rich and don't need the money so the right thing to do would be to use the money to give rebates to all the customers. I'm going to give you credit for sarcasm here.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KD in CA Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 I'm going to give you credit for sarcasm here.. I'm just trying to apply some of the economics theory I've seen here on TSW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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