You keep telling me I'm reading it wrong but can't seem to explain why, other than saying that players are more important than journalists - which is only true depending on what player or journalist we're talking about - Skip Bayless for instance matters magnitudes more to the league than Brandon Bolden, but somewhat less than Richard Sherman... maybe. Journalists are around much longer than players.
Apologies for taking so long to reply. Electrical storms knocked out the power here today. I'm not going to repeat myself and go over issues I have already raised and addressed so I'll narrow in on the journalist/player/revenue component.
You're right in that journalists are around for a lot longer than players. Employees, including industry employees are transient in the NFL. Players have a short window to play the game. That short window represents their NFL related earning potential. Where exactly does this money come from? I imagine it would be industry related revenue.
Sponsorship is a large component of that pool. In 2013, the 32 teams split $6 billion in revenue. This year, that number looks closer to 9 billion. Sponsorship related revenue is in the vicinity of $1 billion. That's a big slice of the revenue pie.
In 2011 during the NFL lockout, the players held out and
collectively bargained to improve their share of NFL revenues. Sherman is arguing against the hypocrisy of the NFL and league sponsors versus individual sponsors. The thing is, sponsors pay for the right to be associated with the NFL. They pay for the right to have their name and products promoted by their association with the NFL. Individual player sponsors do not. The NFLPA went to great lengths to get you a greater slice of the pie and now you're going to complain about the manner in which the NFL does so? C'mon man. Further to that, having an alcoholic sponsor has no relationship to the avoidance of DUIs. That's an absurd connection. The NFL may have a tractor sponsor. Big deal. Personal responsibility Richard.
Now, here's where I do agree with Sherman. Unless it expressly states in Marshawn Lynch's contract that he has to spend a certain amount of time in front of the media, fining him absurd amounts for not doing so is ridiculous. Further to that, I agree with Sherman about player safety and the NFL's hypocrisy when scheduling games with short breaks.
The simple truth is Sherman is being hypocritical complaining about the NFL and sponsorship. He's free to plug his personal sponsors on his own time. The sponsors that are plugged by the NFL have paid for the right to do so. Those dollars help maintain the financial health of the NFL, its related parties and have helped to make Richard Sherman a wealthy man.
Now, NFL administration and the many stuffs ups they make, well that is an entirely different story/discussion all together.