Lock out is on

[Eric Wettschreck]

Watching Sportscenter this morning. The lock out is on.

[Scott K]

I think this lock out thing is stupid. We have people not working at all, dieing of hunger, and kids that are starving. While these spoiled brats are fighting that they think playing a foot ball game isnt worth playing for millions per game!

[Eric Wettschreck]

Agreed.

[Steve Foss]

I think this lock out thing is stupid. We have people not working at all, dieing of hunger, and kids that are starving. While these spoiled brats are fighting that they think playing a foot ball game isnt worth playing for millions per game!

I agree. That, in a nutshell, is what's going to produce a lot of ill will among NFL fans towards owners and players alike with this current bullsnot.

[LindellProStaf]

Well said, all of you. I am a huge Vikes fan and have been since the Joe Kapp days. I am just getting a little sick of all the money these "entertainers" get even when they don't perform. The NFL is kind of like Big Oil, or Wall Street. They are greedy and want more, more, more. This whole money thing always comes down to the working man paying for everyone elses wealth.

[Juneau4]

NFL owners took in 8 Billion last year and the cities or state is supposed build the teams stadiums.

[bucketmouth64]

Nfl should have a building fund in which all teams/players need to put a certain percentage of money in yearly. Kinda like a union due so to speak. Certainly this may not pay for an entire stadium, but it would decrease the cost burden.

[Freewheeler]

Maybe the Football Govenor could just take the players bargining power away from the players and all will be well again. lol.

[FISHINGURU]

I wish everyone would quit watching football and going to the games all together, see how they like that.

[zepman]

The NFL will help or put $$$ towards a new stadium.

I guess I just don't understand the players refusal to budge on any of their demands. I don't see this ending anytime soon...

[Scott K]

They should make the pay scale easy, and fair for all. Give each player a 1 million dollar base pay, (maybe have it stepped for years in service) then for every sack, reception, completion, TD, etc.. they get a spiff. Then you get paid for how well you perform. If you do great, you can make 10 million, if you suck, you get your 1 million base. This way teams can avoid offering up huge contracts, then have the player not try hard any more. Then instead of the owners raking in the extra cash that they arent paying out, they can charge less for tickets, or a beer at the game, and actually give back to the fans, since they claim thats what this is all about.

I know one thing, if these spoiled brats arent back to work (if thats what you want to call it) by the start of spring training, I will not go to, or watch a game next season. I am sure I can find better things to do with my time in the fall, like hunt, fish, or camping.

[Steve Foss]

Well, it IS a little hard to get enthusiastic when you see millionaires trying to "protect" themselves and their benefits against billionaires. For most regular folks looking on, it's just a matter of the greedy fighting with the greedier.

[tonkapat]

the league minimum is just over 300,000. Most roster players are near the league minimum. How many of these guys actually would make any money if not playing football? 1 or 2 maybe.

100,000 base maxed at 2 million a year sounds fine to me.

[CJH]

Currently, the players get 60% of revenue after $1bil is taken off the top for stadium funding/renovation. The owners want to exempt $2bil due to rising costs. The players said NO to this. Owners lowered their offer to to somewhere between $1.8-1.6 off the top and the players still said NO. Then the players wanted 10 years of financial data for every team in the league by the end of the day Friday (which was never going to happen) or they were going to de-certify, and you saw what happened.

The rest of the issues are all important, but as is true with most things, it all comes down to money.

From Buzzle:

Average NFL Player Salaries

The average NFL player salary for the year 2009 was around US $770,000. The average base salary of an NFL player in 2009 was around US $990,000. The average NFL player signing bonus salary for all players in 2009 was approximately US $1.3 million.

We'll see how many of these guys can last without any paychecks coming in.

[PrairieLakeLogJam]

NFL owners took in 8 Billion last year and the cities or state is supposed build the teams stadiums.

I bet them Koch Brothers are behind this!

[LindellProStaf]

AND as far as blackouts go I think the players and coaches should have to buy the unsold tickets. Whatever percentage their salary is of the team as a whole per week is the percentage of ticket revenue that person has to pay for unused seats. I have presented this to KFAN, WCCO, and KSTP radio stations many times over the years and of course they don't respond back to me. Imagine how much more production we would see out of everyone on the team if they were held accountable.

[zamboni]

NFL owners took in 8 Billion last year and the cities or state is supposed build the teams stadiums.

I do agree that the owners should pay for a stadium, but you have to realize everytime a pro player steps on a field, onto the ice or court here in Minnesota they have to pay the state income taxes.

[Juneau4]

They would pay that whatever state they play in. Does the owner of the visiting team pay any tax here?

[ANYFISH2]

The lockout sucks for those of us that love the NFL.

But guys remember that it is the OWNERS(NFL) that chose to end the collective bargaining agreement and not to continue with it. This situation was not brought on by the players. So even though they make millions they should still be able to fight for their share of the pie, you would if it were you! I hope it ends before next season.

[jeffreyd]

One positive is that college ball will always be there. Tired of the cry baby nfl players and their money problems. Let them try making it on 50k a year with a family.

[Juneau4]

+1

[zamboni]

They would pay that whatever state they play in. Does the owner of the visiting team pay any tax here?

Why would they? And no, they don't pay states in every state they play in. There are a few states that have no income tax.

[CJH]

But guys remember that it is the OWNERS(NFL) that chose to end the collective bargaining agreement and not to continue with it. This situation was not brought on by the players. So even though they make millions they should still be able to fight for their share of the pie, you would if it were you! I hope it ends before next season.

I agree with you to a certain extent, but if the deal is not financially feasible for the owners, then I don't blame them for backing out - they are the ones putting up the cash for everything. The players did agree to the back out clause in the last deal as well, plus they didn't need to decertify the union so quickly, as the owners were willling to continue negotiating via a mediator. I know the new Cowboys' stadium cost around $1.2bil alone, think of what the costs are for building, maintaining, and renovating all those stadiums? The writing is on the wall the local Govt's aren't going to help with the stadiums as much as they have in the past, and they shouldn't.

I am not trying to justify the owner's position, just playing devil's advocate. A $9bil "problem" is a good one to have, and both sides should be able to work it out.

[Juneau4]

I don't think it was about finance, more about control and power.

[ANYFISH2]

I would love to have a better understanding of what each side is negotiating, but us fans only know the little we hear on espn or the radio. I don't think I know enough to really have a one sided opinion other than the owners are the ones locking out. I am sure the players want alot of things they can't or shouldn't have, but reguardless they should have thier piece of the pie, 40% of bottom line dollars sounded fair to me, what % does payroll get of an ordinary business?

I do believe there are large issues that are not directly related to finances also.