How Teams Like The Bucs Manipulate The Salary Cap

[RyanLeaf16]

The cap is going away in 2010 and it's not coming back. The owners want it this way. Mike Brown can trim the roster and provide a second-tier product and still make money hand over fist with a regional brand. On the other hand, Jerry Jones, Dan Snyder, etc. can spend freely and still make money hand over fist due to having an established national brand and big-money from the larger media markets.

The NFL is going back to the days of dynasties. Where owners have greater control over player contracts and players have limited control about their playing future. It will go back to the have and have not's that we were used to in the 80's and early 90's.

[RyanLeaf16]

Is this - in your view - a good thing?

I actually won't mind it. It will mean that players get the rare opportunity to start and finish their career with one team. It means teams can trim the fat on poor investments, etc. Plus, it will also limit rookie holdouts since the time-table for hitting UFA is 6 years instead of 4.

[RyanLeaf16]

I know we are in a deep recession, which gives the owners some cover, but do you really think the player's union will be so powerless to let your vision of owner dominance happen?

Will we even have NFL Football after the CBA expires? Lockout?

I don't think they will be powerless at all. I just think their grip on things like a portion of revenue sharing will be loosened. Right now the players union gets 59.5% of revenue sharing in the CBA. Once it goes away, they won't be taking nearly 60% of the league's money which will also hold owners accountable. Owners can't cry poor mouth due to more than half of their revenue stream being taken away.

[Vinsane]

First off, it would be a private association setting the rules, not the government.

Big business is big business, no? I'm sure the Government could thumb it's way into these situations one way or another? :rolleyes1:

Like others said, I can't see the NFLPA allowing the Owners that kind of control, if that were the case the entire UFL would be called up to start the "scrub" signings during a lock-out. I doubt that Roger Goodell would allow such a thing to happen to the league in what, his third/fourth year?

Such a situation could really be the downfall of the NFL as a whole. Blackouts are already an issue and I can't see fans wanting to purchase tickets to watch the has-beens and never-will-be's play. That would just be an atrocity.

I agree wholeheartedly that the ridiculous contract incentives must go. Or if you're going to put "X amount of certain plays = Cash". Then the contracts must be reworded to put the player in those positions to make said plays. While it's still lucrative to ask a man to block five punts a season, by guaranteeing he'll be on the field for those plays, is a step in the right direction.

[RyanLeaf16]

Like others said, I can't see the NFLPA allowing the Owners that kind of control, if that were the case the entire UFL would be called up to start the "scrub" signings during a lock-out. I doubt that Roger Goodell would allow such a thing to happen to the league in what, his third/fourth year?

That's just it. The owners are planning a lock-out in 2011. The union reps for the Bucs (Hovan & Clayton) are already telling the players to put away 25% of their paychecks to prepare for a work stoppage in 2011.

[RyanLeaf16]

I suspect an uncapped NFL would resemble MLB - some teams will spend like drunken sailors, some teams will spend nothing and be perpetually awful, and most will be some where in between - having to build for seasons where they can go for it and throwing in the towel in most. Regardless, I don't see it happening. I think the majority of NFL teams like the cap because it keeps costs down while ensuring the league remains competitive.

It doesn't necessarily keep costs down. With a salary cap, you also have a salary floor...which also isn't cheap. Some owners are seriously cash-strapped leading them to layoff a lot of team employees that are not crucial to football ops. For example, I know for a fact, that One Buc Place has NO security at all...you could literally walk right into the place without any trouble. Instead of facing fines and forfeiture of draft picks due to not coming into compliance, owners can simply spend as much, or as little, as they wish.

I firmly believe that once the cap is gone...it won't come back. The problem is the players union is split on the benefits of a capless league. Many players think a huge pay day is coming to them. Problem is, guys like Brady, Manning, etc. will get big paydays. The 53rd man on the roster however is going to see a potential drop in his earnings.

[RyanLeaf16]

We'll see - regardless, I predict a capless NFL will only hurt the league's success in the long run. MLB has been basically capless and it's popularity is has seen a steady decline over the past 25 years. I predict the same will happen to the NFL if it eschewed it's current model.

As an aside - I think a capless model would kill the Bucs and Jags - those markets would be too small to compete.

It very well could be bad for football...we will have to wait and see. However, I do disagree with you about the Bucs not being able to compete in a capless league. Tampa is a pretty large media market and draws from as far north as Brooksville and as far south as Naples. Plus, if the Glazers sell to OSI or DeBartolo I would see the Bucs as a flagship franchise.

[FedEx227]

We'll see - regardless, I predict a capless NFL will only hurt the league's success in the long run. MLB has been basically capless and it's popularity is has seen a steady decline over the past 25 years.

[FedEx227]

So then if you can't use attendance... what the hell are you judging popularity by?

You can't use TV ratings because then every league and every game besides the Super Bowl would be lowering in popularity. Leagues know that TV ratings will never be what they once were due to more channels/options, etc. Super Bowl ratings have never gone above what they got in 1985 despite an overwhelming increase in revenue and attendance.

[mgoblue2290]

Larger stadiums and expansions teams could also have something to do with that. There have been four new teams since 1993.

[FedEx227]

You can use attendance - however, according to opinion surveys, MLBs popularity is decreasing. What's so hard about that to understand?

You have a link to the result of this survey or no?

[FedEx227]

Larger stadiums and expansions teams could also have something to do with that. There have been four new teams since 1993.

True, but that one graph measures the attendance against % of American population.

Plus there were much bigger stadiums throughout baseball during the 70s-80s than there were in the 90s as the cookie cutters started getting torn down.

[KINGOFOOTBALL]

Another reason I hate Goodell. Tags was pretty adamant about the cap and was very strict with teams for many years. Both in spending and not. Goodell has let the owners chew away every loophole so they can get the cap taken away.
The cap has meant very little last few years. No matter the situation owners will ALWAYS cry poverty. Its a disgusting shame for the fans of these greedy scumbags teams.

Much as I would love to see the Cowboys sign every FA and go on another dynasty run I love the competitive balance the league enjoyed for many years.

Longer periods before UFA
Strict salary scaling for rookies
Cap exemptions for veteran players.
Stricter enforcement of salary caps and minimums. Strict penalties for violations of either.
Id love to see all implemented.