Hockey Rodent explores why EXPANSION is a bad idea

[kdb209]

The difference between the NFL and other major sports leagues is, the NFL is ran as a single entity and evenly splits a majority of revenue. Other sports leagues operate as 30 or so seperate entities with a common goal. That is partly why NFL owners are not allowed to own sports franchises in other major sports leagues. They don't want their secret getting out, as I heard it refered to one time.

The NFL is NOT run as a single entity - ie like MLS. If it were indeed run as a single entity, they would not have had the anti trust issues that they have had over the past two plus decades. The league actually did argue (in the Al Davis/Raiders case - LA Memorial Coliseum Commision v NFL) that is should be considered a single entity and not subject to anti trust scrutiny - the trial court found otherwise and was upheld by the Nith Circuit.

What the NFL does have is very good revenue sharing and a $3B+/yr package of TV deals that are divided evenly among all 30 teams.

 

[undraftedstlouis]

The difference between the NFL and other major sports leagues is, the NFL is ran as a single entity and evenly splits a majority of revenue. Other sports leagues operate as 30 or so seperate entities with a common goal. That is partly why NFL owners are not allowed to own sports franchises in other major sports leagues. They don't want their secret getting out, as I heard it refered to one time.

the NFL may act like a single entity in many ways, but as already said, it's not

actually when MLS was founded, the NFL union funded a lawsuit to try to bring down its structure as illegal

The rules preventing "cross-ownership" by NFL teams were changed in 1997
http://www.nfl.com/history/chronology/1991-2000

Owners can own any major league team in the same market of their NFL team OR any team in a market that doesn't have a NFL team. And a couple NFL owners now own English soccer teams. KC's owner (Hunt Sports Group) owns a minority share of the Chicago Bulls and operate the MLS team in Dallas.

I think part of what makes the NFL so uniquely popular is that it only requires a commitment to attend ~8 home games a year. The US sporting culture is event driven (playoffs in team sports, Bowl games, major tournaments in golf/tennis, Daytona 500, Kentucky Derby). It's tough to sustain a fans interest for 6-8 months.

 

[Westguy13]

KC's owner (Hunt Sports Group) owns a minority share of the Chicago Bulls and operate the MLS team in Dallas.

Not trying to nit pick but Hunt doesn't own the Wizards they sold them to the founders of Cerner corp.

Outside that the article is terrible. There are plenty of talented players outside the NHL level it's not like outside the NHL theres an instant drop in talent there are quite a few players in Euro and minor leagues that could hold jobs at the NHL level that just haven't gotten the chance due to lack of roster spots. The only reason I would be agianst Expansion is like stated earlier there are struggling markets that need to be addressed first.

 

[Crosby87.*]

The difference between the NFL and other major sports leagues is, the NFL is ran as a single entity and evenly splits a majority of revenue. Other sports leagues operate as 30 or so seperate entities with a common goal. That is partly why NFL owners are not allowed to own sports franchises in other major sports leagues. They don't want their secret getting out, as I heard it refered to one time.

One of those owners should sell their team, then buy 3 franchises in different sports and exploit the secret

 

[Stone87]

I have a feeling the league will expand after the next collective bargaining agreement is agreed upon. So say the league decides to expand in 2011-2012, it would then be two or three years before the teams actually joined the league. So we're looking at probably 7 years before expansion. Its going to be a while.

 

[undraftedstlouis]

Not trying to nit pick but Hunt doesn't own the Wizards they sold them to the founders of Cerner corp.

Outside that the article is terrible. There are plenty of talented players outside the NHL level it's not like outside the NHL theres an instant drop in talent there are quite a few players in Euro and minor leagues that could hold jobs at the NHL level that just haven't gotten the chance due to lack of roster spots. The only reason I would be agianst Expansion is like stated earlier there are struggling markets that need to be addressed first.

I'm not sure how your "nit pick" (or to nitpick myself, point out that it's one word ) actually finds any fault with what I said. I pointed out that HSG operates Dallas, the point being that Dallas has a NFL team owned by Jerry Jones. And for the record, HSG still operates Columbus.

This is all really off topic, but then again that article was rather awful so we're probably better off discussing other stuff anyways.

The NFL has no secret. They just have a weak union that they run all over (most succesful teams yet very little % of the contracts are guaranteed). IMO Lamar Hunt was a pioneer who played a large role in convincing the owners that revenue sharing was crucial to a strong league (he may have started the concept back in the AFL?). Parity has its drawbacks but the NFL is doing something right?

 

[Fugu]

What the NFL does have is very good revenue sharing and a $3B+/yr package of TV deals that are divided evenly among all 30 teams.

Furthermore, dividing that 3+B per year between 32 teams is enough money to cover almost all the NFL's player costs for every team. The gate receipt, even if a third is shared with the visiting team, are basically gravy, as are merchandising and other revenue sources. No player can get more than $8 MM/yr (and this has not changed even though revenues have grows). However as some are trying to point out, the NFL secret lies in the fact that most games are on weekends and there are very few of these compared to the other sports. Very low commitment levels, huge TV revenues to cover the biggest costs, a sport that is very 'watchable' on TV... doesn't seem all that secret to me.

 

[Lucky Lager]

i have an easy explanation. There are 24 teams in markets that don't like hockey.... there is your reasoning right there.