No Sympathy for NFL Lockout
By Angie Wiatrowski in News on Mar 12, 2011 8:30PM
While the nation is trying to overcome economic issues, unemployment, Illinois alone battling with one of the highest tax rates, the concern is how the NFL is going to dish out their $9 billion per year… really? Don’t get me wrong, I’m a sports writer, it’s my job to pay attention to these things and care about them but in this case there are clearly other important things and kudos to President Obama for basically telling the NFL fat cats to get over it and work out their differences on their own.
The fact that the NFL turned to Obama in the first place is pretty ridiculous but Obama made a note to say in a news conference, “I’ve got a lot of other stuff to do.” Well said Mr. President.
He also reiterated the above information that there are people across the country facing economic hardship while millionaire athletes and billionaire owners bicker over quite a few greenbacks.
Obama said he is a big football fan, ‘But I also think that for an industry that’s making $9 billion a year in revenue, they can figure out how to divide it up in a sensible way and be true to their fans, who are the ones who obviously allow for all the money they’re making.
“So my expectation and hope is that they will resolve it without me intervening, because it turns out I’ve got a lot of other stuff to do.”
Bravo commander in chief, bravo.
With or without Obama’s help, the NFL labor talks wouldn’t be pretty. The NFL owners and players have put the country’s most popular sport in limbo by breaking off negotiations hours before their contract expired. At midnight Friday, owners locked out the players, creating the NFL’s first work stoppage since 1987.
The union decertified Friday, meaning it declared itself out of the business of representing players. In return the players are able to take their chances in court under antitrust law. Ten players plan to sue the owners in federal court including Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.
Part of the NFL’s statement reads, “At a time when thousands of employees are fighting for their collective bargaining rights, this union has chosen to abandon collective bargaining in favor of a sham ‘decertification’ and antitrust litigation. This litigation maneuver is built on the indisputably false premise that the NFLPA has stopped being a union and will merely delay the process of reaching an agreement.”
A promise to the fans was also included, “Our message to the fans is this: We know that you are not interested in any disruption to your enjoyment of the NFL. We know that you want football. You will have football. This will be resolved. Our mission is to do so as soon as possible and put in place with the players an improved collective bargaining agreement that builds on our past success and makes the future of football and the NFL even better - for the teams, players, and fans.
We have great respect for the fans. We have great respect for our players. We have great respect for the game and the tradition of the NFL. We will do everything that we reasonably can to ensure that everyone’s attention returns to the football field as soon as possible.”
While this is definitely some historical stuff, I still believe we have better things to worry about, even as an avid sports fan. It’s still pretty disgusting how everyone is so wrapped up about losing football and ignoring what’s important here. Let the fat cats dish out their cash and move on, football won’t disappear forever, it’s not the end of the world, and I won't be throwing a pity party anytime soon.