The Boston Patriot

I'm looking at the report that Goodell doesn't want the owners to opt out of
the CBA with the players union. Interestingly enough that only nine teams
need to stand up and be counted as wanting to opt out. Do you think that
Kraft will stand behind Goodell or Jerry Jones on this one? My guess is that
this is Goodell's swan song with the league reins.

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Pats726

Mods....maybe merge this with the CBA thread??

upstater1

Well, I'm not sure why you're characterizing it as Goodell OR Jerry Jones.

The big market teams are more in favor of the current CBA. So it should be Goodell AND Jerry Jones.

The Patriots were one of the big market teams that had some (little) sympathy with the small market teams, and they deemed the key provisions of the current CBA as perhaps too tough for the smaller market. The Patriots were one of the key mediators that gave into the Bills, Bengals and Jaguars.

So... I'm just not sure whose side Kraft will take, but I'll bet you in will be the one that makes for long-term stability of the league and franchise.

signbabybrady

Kraft will make his decisions based on his pocket and what he percieves as best fro the NFL.....Goodell's misdealings and spygate will have nothing to do with his decisions.

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Patsfanin Philly

But as one of the more respected (and big market) owners, Kraft is operating form a position of strength and now it is Goodell who needs him to prevent the owners from opting out. If he thinks that the current CBA is not in his, the Patriots' or the league's best interest, he may opt to vote to opt out or try to convince other owners to do the same. From that standpoint, it is Goodell who must appeal to Kraft if he wants to keep the current CBA. It's a pretty strong bargaining chip to have, if you want to view it that way.

signbabybrady

That is still going by the assumption that Kraft will do something for spite. You are right in that Goodell may very well be pleading to Kraft to keep the peace but I still don't think Kraft will be vengeful with Goodell as he gains nothing from doing so.

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PatsFanSince74

Absolutely. You're 150% right.

Kraft owes nothing to "The NFL" and even less to the small market team players and coaches who, over the past nine months, ripped at will what he has built in New England (can you say "Dungy" or "Chargers" or "Bills"?). He should sit down and do a cold calculation about what is best for him and decide accordingly.

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It is what it is. It wasn't what it wasn't.

The Boston Patriot

I agree with this but if it comes down to his influence/interests conflicting with
the NFL office, I expect that he will not subjugate those any longer for those
in the opposition. That was the point I was trying to make (poorly I guess).

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Rob0729

Actually Jerry Jones has been very vocal against the current CBA recently. He feels the new CBA has swung the pendulum too far in the players' direction. So Jones is definitely on the opt out of the current CBA.

Remember the big market teams are footing a lot of the bill for the small market teams.

upstater1

Well, with a hard salary cap, that's not going to change. The NBA has a luxury tax as well which prevents the cap from rising to a level set by the most profitable franchises. Teams help subsidize the smaller market.

Again, with the current deal, the players will be making a hefty profit, but the big teams will stay ahead of the curve as player costs eat up the operating revenues of the smaller teams.

The current deal favors big market clubs because it makes paying to the salary cap very difficult for the smaller market clubs. When you're paying the players 60% of revs and not including seat licenses and luxury boxes, etc., then you know that the smaller market clubs are being squeezed.