Who is NOT at the table?

[Gumby]

With all the stories about the negotiations and this scheme benefits players this one benefits small market; this large market yada yada yada......

WHO IS THE ONE GROUP COMPLETELY UNREPRESENTED HERE?

us; that's who. The FANS!!!!!!!

Football is an amazing product. I love it and hope it continues to do well; but I hate in large part what it and every other sport has become.

Current ticket prices for a Pats game are what $75 a head at the low end? If you are a family man with 2 kids and were lucky enough to have 4 season tickets that runs you $750 a head for 10 games. $3,000 a year without parking, hot dogs or drinks in the price.

The average family brings in something a little over $60K last I heard. So that means a family would have to spend 5% of BEFORE TAX INCOME to be able to afford that. And that is as it is RIGHT NOW!!!! JUST IMAGINE where we will be with these even bigger salary caps these guys are talking about.

Upshaw wants to take 60% of revenue for salary. Well; no business man is going to change his profit structure - he just increases his prices to compensate for the increased overhead.

Now; I am a staunch capitalist and firmly believe businesses should be able to charge what the market will bear. But that only works in a free enterprise capitalist system with low entry barriers.

The NFL is a government sanctioned monopoly of sorts with little to no ability for competition to enter into the marketplace.

I think in large part the players are paid pretty well. Nobody makes less than 6 figures and most are in 7 at least for part of their careers.

I think somebody ought to be sitting at the table with these yahoos representing us and telling Upshaw and the owners; look you are going to make a deal that supports the FANS TOO. One that wont drive ticket prices through the roof.
Or say if you want this deal you have to eliminate the local blackout rule. That way if you cant put a good enough product on the field to bring in the fans; at least the stay at home fans dont get screwed.

 

[Miguel]

Excellent post.

As the ultra-rich owners champion the idea of maximizing revenue, they seem to be forgetting that we fans are the ones footing the bill.

 

[Murphys95]

I completely agree with you, we fans seem to be sitting on the sidelines squirming over this CBA nonsense. The NFL as of late has appeared to take its fan base for granted, with ideas like flex-scheduling, Thursday games, and the notion that London would be a great venue for a regular season game. They are clearly mistaking high ratings for a loyal fan base. What's next, a pay-per view league?

...watering it down for the benefit of the casual viewer, at the expense of its base.

 

[mgteich]

An interesting concept.

So, if the Reebock shoe company is considering a new contract with its workers, the customers should be part of the negotiations. NOT

Fans are CUSTOMERS. We chose whether to go to stadiums, buy goods, and watch the games on TV. Kraft and other competenet owners probably do regularly marketing studies to better understand customer needs, just like any other business.

BTW, I believe television and its advertiser may the vast majority of the costs of NFL football.

 

[mikey]

Excellent post.

As the ultra-rich owners champion the idea of maximizing revenue, they seem to be forgetting that we fans are the ones footing the bill.

Monopoly without regulation will maximize profit by setting marginal revenue equal to marginal cost, increasing ticket price and decreasing product.

On the other hand, regulated monopoly will maximize social interest by setting marginal benefit equal to marginal cost.


.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

As fans we can simply boycot and not buy the higher priced product.
This will never happen as the fan base is irrational - look at those supporting a loser org like the Red Sox, attending game after game.
Sad to say, and I like Kraft, he has priced his product WAY out of reach of middle class families with kids. There are too many wealthy corporate types prepared to pay whatever the freight. Just look at the Cape Cod coastline and the hundred thousand 2nd homes all over a megabuck.

On the plus side he's made summer training camp free and accessable for families, a good marketing move to hook the next generation's rich yuppie kids on the NFL season ticket drug.

 

[sarge]

We have the option not to support the product. So in a sense we do have a say!

Most of us just refuse to take that course. So who do we really have to blame?

 

[Gumby]

There is a significant difference between buying coke versus pepsi and watching football versus going to the ballet.

coke and pepsi are effective marketplace substitutes.

watching ballet may be a leisure activity; but I doubt you could in any way shape or form call it a substitute; let alone effective.

 

[Coast2CoastPatsFan]

The posts by PWP and sarge hit the nail right on the head. As difficult as it would be for most of us fans to do, the only way to get the attention of the owners and the players would be for us to BOYCOTT THE GAMES. Sadly, I am becoming more and more disenchanted with professional sports and the ridiculously greedy attitudes of the owners and players. These people are making money hand-over-fist, though I believe that NFL players are the most deserving high-paid athletes due to the inherently violent nature of the game. Every fan has a different breaking point, but in order for us to send a message to the owners/players we must stop supporting the game, and then maybe they will come to their senses and stop taking us fans for granted. It will be a very sad day for me if all this nonsense causes me to lose interest in the game. The big business nature of sports is taking all the fun out of following the game.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

The posts by PWP and sarge hit the nail right on the head. As difficult as it would be for most of us fans to do, the only way to get the attention of the owners and the players would be for us to BOYCOTT THE GAMES. Sadly, I am becoming more and more disenchanted with professional sports and the ridiculously greedy attitudes of the owners and players. These people are making money hand-over-fist, though I believe that NFL players are the most deserving high-paid athletes due to the inherently violent nature of the game. Every fan has a different breaking point, but in order for us to send a message to the owners/players we must stop supporting the game, and then maybe they will come to their senses and stop taking us fans for granted. It will be a very sad day for me if all this nonsense causes me to lose interest in the game. The big business nature of sports is taking all the fun out of following the game.

I've said it before and despite being a forever fan I would follow through. IF the NFL goes the way of MLB with gypsy team of the year, I'm out. There's plenty in life besides football...at least my wife keeps saying that to me as I type away.

 

[PATSNUTme]

I've said it before and despite being a forever fan I would follow through. IF the NFL goes the way of MLB with gypsy team of the year, I'm out. There's plenty in life besides football...at least my wife keeps saying that to me as I type away.

She's lying to you. Don't trust her.

 

[PATSNUTme]

There is a significant difference between buying coke versus pepsi and watching football versus going to the ballet.

coke and pepsi are effective marketplace substitutes.

watching ballet may be a leisure activity; but I doubt you could in any way shape or form call it a substitute; let alone effective.

In case you decide to watch ballet.

 

[PatsSteve1]

I've said it before and despite being a forever fan I would follow through. IF the NFL goes the way of MLB with gypsy team of the year, I'm out. There's plenty in life besides football...at least my wife keeps saying that to me as I type away.

* And if fans don't like what happens that's what they should do. They really have no place at the table of negotiations between the NFL, the owners and the Players. Sorry but you don't. And there's no constitutional right to NFL football the way fans would like it. The fans rights here are to decide if you don't like the product or the price of the product is to high, you shouldn't go buy it anymore. If the owners come to an agreement and agree to the NFLPA's offer, then the players vote to accept it, I don't expect any major changes for fans. The NFL will still be a money making machine. Patriots fans are charged $40 to park because for various reasons, people are willing to pay it. Last year I was in NE and went to see the NE Revolution in the semifinal playoffs against Chicago. I paid $15 to park in Bob Kraft's parking lot pretty close to the stadium. The next day I went to see the Patriots play da Colts and the girl in the booth asked for $40. I asked her if I could have the $15 parking spot I had the day before for the Revs game. She laughed.

 

[dhamz]

The players and owners agree 100% on the fans. They want to get every possible dollar they can from them. The problem is they can't decide how to split it up.

 

[PatsSteve1]

The players and owners agree 100% on the fans. They want to get every possible dollar they can from them. The problem is they can't decide how to split it up.

* Every business charges as much as they can and still sell thier product. Couldn't Bill Gates charge a little less for Windows and just be 1/2 as rich? -

 

[Pats726]

This is a great post and I agree, the NFL and the NFLPA is totally overlooking the fans...the fans who DO pay their bills. OK..it is television and advertising that raises the bar, but what happens to TV rights if the ratings goes down the tubes...the ratings that are generated by fans?? But besides that, if they cause fans to depart in numbers, in time the revenue will go down one way or another. It happened in baseball and many predicted that to be something that would never happpen. The NFL has done many things right and has grown as other leagues have not...but don't count on that..the Superbowl with its pitiful referees did NOT make many wish to jump up and down with glee and certainly the last week or so of millionaires arguing about money has not given the league a good image. It's very possible if the CBA is not done and labor rifts get larger, the NFL could be on a down swing. I think they have to watch it..project even higher revenue streams and see it be less and then see how they scramble. If it comes to a lockout and strike in 08, it could case a fall faster than a house of cards. It's happened in other sports...and football is not immune to it. They may be overlooking the fans, but don't do that too much or your league may be toast in time.

 

[gomezcat]

Don't forget that fans DO have the power. My soccer team, Manchester United, has been able to sell out for years regardless of ticket prices. Generally, they still sell out now but not always. Attendances are down on last year and tickets are easier to get hold of. People in England have had enough of an overrated product, played by people who dive at the sign of a tackle and earn £100k a week for the privilege. They also behave like ***holes off the pitch. The point about being taken for granted is a good one. Traditionally, games here were played on a Saturday at 3pm, which makes them reasonably easy to get to, regardless of what part of the country you need to travel to. Away supporters are increasingly boycotting Monday and Wednesday evening games which kick off at 7.45.
The corporates are all well and good, but we know that they will drift away when the Pats start to post losing or mediocre seasons again. At that point, middle class New Englanders will have the power back.