The 5-Hole: Blue Jackets News and Notes – 11/10/09
November 10, 2009Are Browns Tickets Really Prizes?
November 10, 2009
Pro Football Talk is reporting that the meetings between the NFL and player’s association are now starting to get into financial details. Specifically, they report by way of SportsBusiness Journal that the concept of a rookie wage scale could very well be on the table now. The NFL is the best-run league in the United States right now and I think a rookie wage scale would only help the league further. There are a couple things going on with the current “slotting” system that bug me.
First, the top ten picks in the NFL draft are artificially lowered in market value. The talent level is obviously high at the top of the draft, but so is the risk because of the amount of money that the picking team will have to pay the player. This is not to even mention the possibility that the player will hold out and not show up. This is a disadvantage to everyone involved. The player ends up behind in his development. The team that presumably needs that player most is behind in integrating the player into the game plan. The fans of the bad team that needed the player end up suffering longer as they wait for a hopeful turnaround.
From a trade perspective, it becomes increasingly difficult to get any kind of serious value for trading out of those high slots. If the rookies were slotted at a reasonable first contract value, the team trading out of the top ten could get decidedly more. Instead of getting picks and Abe Elam and Brett Ratliff, the Browns probably could have gotten much more from the New York Jets if the Jets already knew what they were going to have to pay Mark Sanchez. Even more importantly, if the Browns knew they wouldn’t have had to pay a king’s ransom to the #5 pick, maybe they would have decided to stay up there and actually take somebody. Knowing the Browns were many many pieces away, I probably still would have recommended they trade down, but they would have gotten more compensation.
This is not even mentioning the improvement for veteran free agents who have proven their worth on the field. If cap money isn’t tied up in the busts and unproven rookies, you know that money will get spent in free agency. Ultimately it shouldn’t change the game too much except that it will allow poor teams in the top ten to improve their teams faster and more economically. Of course, there could be a side effect that we have seen in the NBA where teams occasionally tank to get high draft picks. Without that huge rookie salary being owed to the #1 pick, the worst teams could conceivably “compete” for the right to be #1. Hopefully someone from the NFL is thinking about that too. Ultimately though, I hope the NFL gets a rookie scale in these negotiations.
14 Comments
That would be great. It could be just like the NBA where rookies come in hungry to get that 2nd contract…the one paid on performance in the actual league.
I’ve never been worried about a team tanking the season for a high pick. The guys doing the tanking are at risk of being displaced by said high draft pick.
The 2nd most overdue financial change due in sports next to a salary cap in baseball. Hopefully, the agents will let it happen.
You mean actually letting teams benefit from picking early in the draft? Get outta here.
The #1 loser here are agents. Well, that and future players who have no say. If common sense was a factor this would have happened years ago.
If they’re worried about teams tanking for number 1, that’s an easy fix, make the top 5 draft picks lottery format like the NBA does.
You can’t win in the NBA without a superstar. With only 5 guys on the field, one guy makes a world of difference.
In the NFL, one player doesn’t have that kind of impact. Sure Peyton Manning is good – but he can’t play defense.
Also – player contracts aren’t guaranteed so the players themselves would not play under their ability because there is no promise they will get paid next year if they under perform.
Amen Craig. Amen.
I would love to see this happen.
Commenting on the Pro Talk article, the Union seems to be manipulating this issue to see the leagues/owners books. If they see the books now, they have more pull in the future. I cannot fathom how the Union is opposed the current proposal… everyone currently in it will make more money if this proposal is accepted.
I find it dispicable how the Union feels they have the right to ask for the financial details from the league and owners. It has nothing to do with the issue. The issue is unproven players making more money than some of the leagues best, and yet continuing to demand more.
Im all in favor for this because then it allows the vets how have been solid players but not necessarily stars to be able to get some more pay, or in the browns case, guys like J Cribbs. Also, as mentioned it wont damn a team that misses on a top 5 pick. It will add so much more value for that pick then it is now.
i disagree that agents will lose out. its not like the money wont get spent. right now, teams are forced to pay huge money to unproven rookies at the expense of proven veterans. with a rookie scale, rookies will get paid appropriately and that will allow other money to get spent on proven veterans. its just reallocation of funds. the agents will be fine.
There are some other benefits from a rookie pay scale that need to be exposes as well.
If rookie salaries are kept low enough, how many college junior do you think would declare early for the draft? The benefit…they’d actually stay in college and get their educations instead of chasing the big money. That’s a huge benefit for colleges, taxpayers paying for many of those scholarships and for the player after football is no longer part of their lives. One injury and a career can end as quickly as it began.
Earlier, when I suggest that a rookie pay scale be kept low evening, I was thinking in terms of “veteran minimum” for the first two years. That does two things. First, it keeps the teams (and thus ticket holders) from having to pay out huge sums of money for unproven players and, secondly, gets everyone through the sophomore jinx.
The down side is definitely for the players to come but many of them are immature and need a good kick in the pants anyway. Give them something to play for. Stop running your mouths. Actions speak louder than words. You get paid for your production on the field and not how quickly you can fill a room with hot air off the field.
No player is “entitled” to play in the NFL. This would nearly eliminate holdouts because there would be nothing to hold out for. You get what you get and you play where you’re drafted. Period. Sorry, Eli. You would have spent your first two years in San Diego instead of feigning entitlement while chasing the money.
@#10 Stinkfist:
I heard the head of the NFLPA talk on the on Mike and Mike earlier this year. He isn’t opposed to a rookie wage scale of this sort. He says the NFLPA represents all players including the rookies, so he just expects the players to be given something in return if the league puts in an extra salary cap on rookies.
“I find it dispicable how the Union feels they have the right to ask for the financial details from the league and owners. It has nothing to do with the issue.” Why the hate? The NFL has been granted a monopoly, really its books should be public. It has everything to do with the issue. The NFL knows what its players are paid, to negotiate a contract in good faith it wouldn’t hurt for the union to have the same information on the owners. Does being born a Ford, a Brown, or a Lerner make you deserving of your millions; but making it in the NFL doesn’t?