3 Perspectives on the CBA Negotiations

The players’ perspective: They are the talent, not the owners. They are the ones who lift the weights, run the drills, and sacrifice their bodies for at least 16 games a season. Fans don’t come to a game to watch the owners. Players in the NFL are the best at what they do in the world. If you don’t believe me, go to an Arena football game. Peyton Manning is special. His only peers play in the same league as he does, and you can count them on a single hand. Also remember that playing in the NFL is not like a regular job. You don’t get to be sick. You are expected to miss the birth of your children. You play in games the day after a loved one died. If you make a mistake, everyone not only knows, but they never forget. In the end, you may be a superstar, but fans no longer see you as a person. They see you as a product.  A product that they are willing to pay for.  Give the money to what the fans want to see.

The fans’ perspective: Players sometimes forget that it’s not the talent alone that makes them special. It’s the fans’ appeal to that talent . Without fans, it doesn’t matter how great Peyton Manning is. I am sure there is a cup stacking champion somewhere out there that is the equivalent of Manning in his profession. The only difference is that nobody gives a crap. How many Olympic events showcase people in the weirdest sports who are the best at what they do? Many of these “atheletes” dedicate as much time to their sport as any NFL player, so why don’t they get paid the same? Answer: Nobody cares about that sport where you ski and shoot something at the same time.

If anybody deserves to be upset it’s the fans. You remember them? The ones who buy the tickets, t-shirts, and jerseys that allow the players and owners to make all this ridiculous money that they continue to fight over. The ones who travel hundreds and even thousands of miles to support their team. The ones who pay $8 for a beer.  The ones who pay $35 to park their car in the stadium lot?  The ones who give the players glory and fame via their loyalty and commitment.

As a fan I am feeling very under appreciated.

It’s the same in any pro sport: at some point the athletes and owners forget that this whole thing is not about them. They continue to fight over a revenue only to eventually settle their difference and realize that most of the fans have found new endevours. Ones they can count on; ones that don’t take them for granted. I sure hope the NFL doesn’t make the same mistake that MLB, the NHL, or the NBA have made in the last 10 years. Not one of those leagues have fully recovered despite the fact that the quality of the game is arguably better. So what’s missing then? Bingo! The appeal for the game, and that rests in the pocketbooks of the fans.