Unions vs Pro Sports

[awatarius]

Hello,

With all the talk in the last week and the back and forth of the Unions vs Owners I was wondering... I am not a fan of Unions generally but in pro-sports is it different?

Pro Sports the way that the Supreme Court seems them especially in football makes it very unique I think. I am pro-players in this recent argument, but I would love to hear what you folks think about it.

Thanks,
Matthew

 

[Fletch]

When the pro sports industry goes off welfare and becomes a profitable business on its own merit, I'll think about it. Until then it's just another pack of leeches.

 

[awatarius]

When the pro sports industry goes off welfare and becomes a profitable business on its own merit, I'll think about it. Until then it's just another pack of leeches.

Excellent point. I think they are profitable but they steel from taxpayers to boost profitability. That I do agree is wrong.

Thanks,
Matthew

 

[ATF Consumer]

Unions these days are nothing but profit robbing entities.

 

[eldirector]

+1 for Fletch. Beyond that, I don't really care about either "side" of the football stand-off. Players complain about a salary that puts them WELL above the median income, and they get to PLAY A GAME. Owners complain they are paying too much, but more than half of it ISN'T EVEN THEIR MONEY. Boo-hoo. I wouldn't be sad if ALL pro sports went away.

 

[awatarius]

+1 for Fletch. Beyond that, I don't really care about either "side" of the football stand-off. Players complain about a salary that puts them WELL above the median income, and they get to PLAY A GAME. Owners complain they are paying too much, but more than half of it ISN'T EVEN THEIR MONEY. Boo-hoo. I wouldn't be sad if ALL pro sports went away.

:-O but my Colt's...... nooooo.

I agree but I hope they don't go away. I will say the argument about players just playing a game isn't a good one. I played minor league football, and I worked hard. Pro-football is even harder. The amount of conditioning, gym time, film review, practice... no I think if most people worked as hard our middle class would grow by leaps and bounds.

Thanks,
Matthew

 

[eldirector]

I KNOW it is hard work. I KNOW it takes a lot of skill. But it is still for entertainment ONLY. We pump billions of dollars into the football industry, ether by choice or by force (taxes), and gain nothing but a couple of hours of whoopty-do in return.

I say let them stand on their own or fall, just like any other business. If the fans want to support a team, they can pay for it. If the players want a raise, they can ask their fans to pay more.

Indianapolis has a $50 million budget deficit, and the Colts cost the city more than half of that (tax breaks, LOS maintenance, LOS mortgage, and still paying the Dome mortgage). Sorry, player's salaries are WAY down the list.

 

[ATOMonkey]

:-O but my Colt's...... nooooo.

I agree but I hope they don't go away. I will say the argument about players just playing a game isn't a good one. I played minor league football, and I worked hard. Pro-football is even harder. The amount of conditioning, gym time, film review, practice... no I think if most people worked as hard our middle class would grow by leaps and bounds.

Thanks,
Matthew

Hard work has nothing to do with how much you get paid.

How much it costs to replace you does.

Players, owners, cities, everyone needs to sink or swim on their own merit.

There's a reason players used to be paid diddly squat, because they were easily replacable.

 

[awatarius]

Hard work has nothing to do with how much you get paid.

How much it costs to replace you does.

Players, owners, cities, everyone needs to sink or swim on their own merit.

There's a reason players used to be paid diddly squat, because they were easily replacable.

I believe that you are correct, but in todays world I don't believe that is as true. I would also make the argument that the players are in a field where true competition doesn't exist (it's not as if there are multiple NFL's) so the players don't get the option to compete on a true free market for actual job worth. There are only a few Peyton Mannings ever, and I don't think they are easily replaceable. Plus the fans would start to bail on the NFL if they started to put out a inferior product. So how do the players (without a union) demand fair, and balanced pay. That's why I think the NFL is unique when it comes to Unions. But that's just me. I know when I worked for the IBEW I sure hated it.

Thanks,
Matthew

 

[spec4]

Not one penny of tax money should be used to support any sports team. I have a friend who lives near Green Bay. He said when the new Lambeau Field was built the county raised sales taxes .25% to fund it. I asked him if he got a free lifetime pass since he was helping pay for it.

 

[awatarius]

Not one penny of tax money should be used to support any sports team. I have a friend who lives near Green Bay. He said when the new Lambeau Field was built the county raised sales taxes .25% to fund it. I asked him if he got a free lifetime pass since he was helping pay for it.

Hello,

Green Bay is not a good example of this. Green Bay is owned by the city, and has no owners. The board is elected by the tax payers. The revenue pays the players, stadium, and any leftovers (since they are a non-profit) goes back to other funds in the city. In other words Green Bay makes money for the tax payers. I think the other teams should follow suit.

Thanks,
Matthew

 

[ATOMonkey]

Yes, Green Bay is the anomoly.

The NFL is a monopoly, but the labor market as a whole is still based on pure competition. We're not a class society...yet.

Just because there are a limited number of jobs in one profession doesn't mean there isn't any competition for those jobs.

 

[kludge]

Bread and circuses.

 

[ArmedProgrammer]

... I would also make the argument that the players are in a field where true competition doesn't exist (it's not as if there are multiple NFL's) so the players don't get the option to compete on a true free market for actual job worth.

....
Thanks,
Matthew

Ever heard of the CFL???

That's where people who can't make it in the NFL go...

NFL players are gladiators - pure and simple. High risk, high reward. Money and fame, if you're the BEST - a broken down body in any case when it's done.

I agree that taxpayers should not support it. More bread and circuses.

 

[rambone]

ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED??

NFL players are gladiators - pure and simple.

 

[gunowner930]

Professional sports teams get money to build stadium from cities because they can, it's that simple. They accumulate a fanbase, then threaten to leave if they don't get public funding. If Indianapolis took a stand and said no more money for the Pacers or Colts, There are other cities that would take them, leaving behind fans that are angry with the city for letting them walk. I don't think pro sports teams should be able to extort money from cities like this, but this is how it works.

Players get paid what they do because people want to see them play a game at an elite level. There are very few athletes that ever reach this level. Bad teams want to improve, good teams want to stay good, so there is a demand for elite players. players are worth whatever a team is willing to pay them for their services. People complain about how much the get paid, but watch them on TV and go to go games.

A players union will fight with owners over who gets what amount of revenue. In this situation, they are not negotiating over taxpayer dollars, unlike public sector unions.

So yes I can see why people are upset about taxpayer money being sent to NFL and NBA owners, but the current NFL labor situation doesn't involve the taxpayer.

 

[hornadylnl]

Professional sports teams get money to build stadium from cities because they can, it's that simple. They accumulate a fanbase, then threaten to leave if they don't get public funding. If Indianapolis took a stand and said no more money for the Pacers or Colts, There are other cities that would take them, leaving behind fans that are angry with the city for letting them walk. I don't think pro sports teams should be able to extort money from cities like this, but this is how it works.

Players get paid what they do because people want to see them play a game at an elite level. There are very few athletes that ever reach this level. Bad teams want to improve, good teams want to stay good, so there is a demand for elite players. players are worth whatever a team is willing to pay them for their services. People complain about how much the get paid, but watch them on TV and go to go games.

A players union will fight with owners over who gets what amount of revenue. In this situation, they are not negotiating over taxpayer dollars, unlike public sector unions.

So yes I can see why people are upset about taxpayer money being sent to NFL and NBA owners, but the current NFL labor situation doesn't involve the taxpayer.

You do realize that the less the owners have to pay in operating costs, the more they have to pay salaries, right? Imagine your employer got a free building to operate out of and didn't have to pay operating costs. That'd free up a lot of money for profit and employee salaries.

 

[ruger7722]

i am not a fan of unions either,bricklayers union will screw you when it benefits them.they act like they are there for you.they can all suck one.if it were fair ,unions would be the way to go.i do have a retirement and think a person that wouldnt want to be union would be kind of crazy to say the least.if i ran the union,you would work or be gone,not the opposite.every one in the union hates me,i make sure of it.I have gotten in trouble at Lillys for doing too much.one tube a day of caulking when a person could use x amount of buckets,i guess you have to use up there money,or they cant budget more.thats a game too

 

[spec4]

In Googling the Packers, I found they have over 4 million shares outstanding and about 112 thousand owners. That doesn't sound like Green Bay owns them.