Football Email from Roger Goodell - Page 2

sfchief · 01-03-2011, 10:26 AM

Wow the propaganda machine is full throttle
Who else got this email

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With one of the most exciting regular seasons now completed and the playoffs about to begin, let me first thank you and all NFL fans for your incredible support. Many fans have been asking me where we stand on signing a new collective bargaining agreement with the players union. Let me update you and be clear at the outset:

I know we can and will reach an agreement.

My goal as Commissioner now is to help our teams and players find a solution that is fair to everyone and ensures that football becomes more popular, accessible, and fun. We want the next decade to be the best yet for our fans, and I’m ready to work day and night to make that happen.

We've come a long way. Compare where we are today with 10 years ago. From player accountability to player safety, more and better television coverage, upgrading the in-stadium experience, innovations like the RedZone channel, the Draft in prime time and playing the Pro Bowl before the Super Bowl, we are focused on doing what’s best for the players, teams, and fans. My priority is and always will be the game and the fans who love our game.

The NFL is great because fans care deeply about it. Economic conditions, however, have changed dramatically inside and outside the NFL since 2006 when we negotiated the last CBA. A 10 percent unemployment rate hurts us all. Fans have limited budgets and rightly want the most for their money. I get it.

Yes, NFL players deserve to be paid well. Unfortunately, economic realities are forcing everyone to make tough choices and the NFL is no different.

These are not easy negotiations, but the outcome can be positive. If both sides give a little, everyone, including fans, will get a lot and the game will improve through innovation.

Even in difficult economic times, a new CBA presents us with the opportunity to secure the future of our game. You may ask how will the NFL look under this vision?

A significant change would be to resolve fan complaints about preseason by modifying our 20-game format. Fans tell us they don’t like the quality of the preseason games, and we’re listening. An enhanced season of 18 regular season and two preseason games would not add a single game for the players collectively, but would give fans more meaningful, high-quality football.

Our emphasis on player health and safety is absolutely essential to the future of our game. We are strictly enforcing rules that protect players from unnecessarily dangerous play, especially involving hits to the head. We are changing the “play through it” culture to a “player-first” culture to ensure that if a player has a head injury, he doesn’t play again until his health is certain. We are also addressing the potential wear-and-tear on players in the way they train in-season and off-season.

It’s not just the health of players that concerns us. We must ensure the health of the league. That includes a new system that properly compensates proven veterans and retired players by shifting some of the outrageous sums paid to many unproven rookies. Earlier this year, Sports Illustrated published a list of the 50 highest-paid American athletes that included five 2009 NFL rookies. Every other athlete on the list was a proven veteran. In 2009, NFL clubs contracted $1.2 billion to 256 drafted rookies with $585 million guaranteed before they had stepped on an NFL field.

Don’t get me wrong: top draft choices will continue to be highly paid. All we’re asking for is a return to common sense in paying our rookies. Other leagues have done this and we can too.

These improvements and more will lead to better football, plain and simple. A forward looking CBA that is fair to players and clubs will lead to a great future for the NFL and our fans.

My job is to represent the game — the fans, teams, players, coaches and business partners. Protecting the integrity of the game and ensuring it thrives is a responsibility I take very seriously.

This is about more than a labor agreement. It’s about the future of the NFL. We have to improve and will be relentless in our quest. The commitment to our fans is to make the NFL experience even better in the years ahead. With a responsible CBA, we will fulfill that vision.

Happy New Year and enjoy the playoffs.

– Roger Goodell

**wazu** · 01-03-2011, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jAZ

If the NFL really wanted to get fans on their side... particularly given the effort to win fans over with the "10% umployment hurts us all" talk... they should offer a 5% cut in ticket prices as part of their proposal. Something that would recognize the sacrafice that fans have made over the last couple year. Even if only nominally.

I think the NFL owner equivalent of this has been not raising ticket prices except for club level. Reality is, though, that they will be forced to lower prices by market forces soon enough. They won't be doing it as a PR stunt.

**RNR** · 01-03-2011, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jAZ

If the NFL really wanted to get fans on their side... particularly given the effort to win fans over with the "10% umployment hurts us all" talk... they should offer a 5% cut in ticket prices as part of their proposal. Something that would recognize the sacrafice that fans have made over the last couple year. Even if only nominally.

The NFL quit giving a shit about Joe Sixpack a long long time ago~

**wazu** · 01-03-2011, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedNeckRaider

The NFL quit giving a shit about Joe Sixpack a long long time ago~

They can choose to not give a shit, but Joe Sixpack actually spends a lot of money going to games. Good luck filling the stadium with nothing but millionaires.

Brock · 01-03-2011, 10:52 AM

oh hai taxpayers, we need a new stadium that you won't be able to get into or else we'll leave

threebag · 01-03-2011, 10:53 AM

Almost all of my clothes are either CHIEFS or ROYALS. There is revenue there too. Lots of it.

CoMoChief · 01-03-2011, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by threebag02

Almost all of my clothes are either CHIEFS or ROYALS. There is revenue there too. Lots of it.

**morphius** · 01-03-2011, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jAZ

If the NFL really wanted to get fans on their side... particularly given the effort to win fans over with the "10% umployment hurts us all" talk... they should offer a 5% cut in ticket prices as part of their proposal. Something that would recognize the sacrafice that fans have made over the last couple year. Even if only nominally.

Outside of giving the season ticket holders on less preseason ticket they have to eat up, and a redzone channel we get to pay for there really isn't much in there for the fans.

**RNR** · 01-03-2011, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by threebag02

Forget the eighteen game season. I would like eighteen but it would Deminish the records that have stood for decades. Every year would be projected this vs actual that. I guess I just like the history of the game too.

The records are already skewed. This was said when the NFL went from 12 to 14 and again from 14 to 16. A 1000 yard season was a great benchmark for a back or wideout at one time, now it is very average~

threebag · 01-03-2011, 11:05 AM

Ya just hate them always changing shit. If it ain't broke don't fix it.

**jAZ** · 01-03-2011, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adam

I think the NFL owner equivalent of this has been not raising ticket prices except for club level. Reality is, though, that they will be forced to lower prices by market forces soon enough. They won't be doing it as a PR stunt.

Certainly possible, which is why taking the PR value now is possibly very savvy. Obviously they have to make the numbers work for them, and 5% of ticket sales is a big chunk. But The advertising bump from 2 more meaningful games would presumably more than offset the losses. Maybe not though.

**Saul Good** · 01-03-2011, 11:13 AM

If the owners would stand their ground, the players would be forced to back down. Without the NFL, these owners are still worth hundreds of millions. Without the NFL, the players are hoping to get a job driving a bus.

**gblowfish** · 01-03-2011, 11:14 AM

Here's the real letter minus the weasel speak:

ClevelandBronco · 01-03-2011, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adam

They can choose to not give a shit, but Joe Sixpack actually spends a lot of money going to games. Good luck filling the stadium with nothing but millionaires.

We need millionaires to pay for Obamacare and football tickets.

Brock · 01-03-2011, 11:21 AM

Sure, we invented personal seat licenses, but trust us.

Royal Fanatic · 01-03-2011, 02:45 PM

Goodell is absolutely right about one thing: it's ridiculous that rookies get guaranteed contracts that set new records every year for the highest paid players in the league.

I'd be all for a rookie salary cap. It doesn't have to be ridiculously low, but right now the salaries for the first round draft choices are ridiculously high. Give that money to the veteran NFL players who are living in poverty instead.

01-03-2011, 10:52 AM	#19
Brock Say hello to my little friend Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Larryville Casino cash: $9598422	oh hai taxpayers, we need a new stadium that you won't be able to get into or else we'll leave
Posts: 47,314

01-03-2011, 10:53 AM	#20
threebag Snacks Are Under My Apron Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: The Edge Casino cash: $2691660	Almost all of my clothes are either CHIEFS or ROYALS. There is revenue there too. Lots of it. __________________ Free DeBerg HayWire Greatest Almost Mod Ever In big nasty kcnut we trust
Posts: 23,976

01-03-2011, 11:05 AM	#24
threebag Snacks Are Under My Apron Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: The Edge Casino cash: $2691660	Ya just hate them always changing shit. If it ain't broke don't fix it. __________________ Free DeBerg HayWire Greatest Almost Mod Ever In big nasty kcnut we trust
Posts: 23,976

01-03-2011, 11:13 AM	#26
Saul Good Quit your bullshit Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Bored of winning Casino cash: $10052799	If the owners would stand their ground, the players would be forced to back down. Without the NFL, these owners are still worth hundreds of millions. Without the NFL, the players are hoping to get a job driving a bus. __________________ Today is not a good day to be a pussy.
Posts: 41,870

01-03-2011, 11:21 AM	#29
Brock Say hello to my little friend Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Larryville Casino cash: $9598422	Sure, we invented personal seat licenses, but trust us.
Posts: 47,314

01-03-2011, 02:45 PM	#30
Royal Fanatic Banned Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Kansas Casino cash: $10004925	Goodell is absolutely right about one thing: it's ridiculous that rookies get guaranteed contracts that set new records every year for the highest paid players in the league. I'd be all for a rookie salary cap. It doesn't have to be ridiculously low, but right now the salaries for the first round draft choices are ridiculously high. Give that money to the veteran NFL players who are living in poverty instead.
Posts: 877