Collective Bargaining Crash Looms

[Atlanta Dan]

FYI is a link to a Washington Post article on the looming crash in the collective bargaining negotiations.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...801300_pf.html

I am posting this on the Steelers board rather than the NFL board because if the salary cap goes away so does the likelihood of the Steelers ability to compete every year for a championship. Based on this link to franchise valuations, we may be seeing a lot of Redskins and Cowboys championship games in the future without a salary cap. Of course, the valuations of all teams may crash if the NFL goes the way of major league baseball in terms of competitiveness. Wouldn't be the first time a golden goose was killed.

http://www.forbes.com/business/2005/..._05nfland.html

[Livinginthe past]

I am hugely worried about the implications of a cap-less future in the NFL - even one year could throw the whole system.

Its a shame because the concept works well - it stops the builing of dominating Dynasties through the roster - its coaching that holds the competitive advantage for teams which is the way it should be.

I do wonder if cash happy teams such as the Redskins would win a little more without a salary cap - their attempts to win this way have not been too succesful during the cap era.

The Golden Goose metaphor is an excellent one - the way the NFL is currently run is a winner with the most important people - the consumer, the fan...in short, you and I.

To see it killed would be a tragedy - all for the half baked attempt from some owners to line their own pockets in the short term.


NM

[83-Steelers-43]

Originally Posted by Livinginthe past

I am hugely worried about the implications of a cap-less future in the NFL - even one year could throw the whole system.

Its a shame because the concept works well - it stops the builing of dominating Dynasties through the roster - its coaching that holds the competitive advantage for teams which is the way it should be.

I do wonder if cash happy teams such as the Redskins would win a little more without a salary cap - their attempts to win this way have not been too succesful during the cap era.

The Golden Goose metaphor is an excellent one - the way the NFL is currently run is a winner with the most important people - the consumer, the fan...in short, you and I.

To see it killed would be a tragedy - all for the half baked attempt from some owners to line their own pockets in the short term.


NM

I agree 100%

[Petesburgh66]

The popularity that NFL enjoys would go south if no cap system is in place. Contracts would have to be guaranteed in a non cap system.

[Suitanim]

This is probably going to be handled before the draft this year...nobody wants to let the Jerry Jones' and Dan Snyder's ruin the NFL...

[mdhus]

I agree 100%

same here......without the cap some of the poorer teams would be unable to compete(AKA KC royals in baseball).

siko

[Hawk Believer]

Does the Rooney family have enough cash lying around to be a player in a capless NFL?

[Mr. Clean]

If Snyder and Jones want a league without a cap, the let them leave the NFL and start their own league. Hell with 'em.

[Atlanta Dan]

Originally Posted by Hawk Believer

Does the Rooney family have enough cash lying around to be a player in a capless NFL?

Check out the link to valuations in my original post in terms of which franchises are the best positioned financially. The market value of the franchise is the standard benchmark of relative power, but the franchises with higher operating income and lower debt/value ratios would be more likely to have access to cash for players. The Steelers are in good shape on the level of debt they are carrying and middle of the pack on operating income.
It is not a Pirates type situation, but they are not on the top shelf of franchises and certainly not among the 9 teams that allegedly are threatening to sue the league if any deal forces too much revenue to be shared by the wealthier teams.

Of course, if an owner simply wants to buy a championship and wants to use his non-franchise assets to do so, Paul Allen leaves the other owners in the dust in terms of personal net worth. For the Rooneys, the Steelers are their source of wealth and I understand they have relatively minimal outside sources of income.

Maybe the Steelers would consider selling a chunk of the franchise to Mt. Lebanon's Mark Cuban if they could not otherwise stay in the game financially.

[SteelCityMan786]

GET A DEAL DONE! I can't imagine a year without the NFL!