National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell
has had the tough task of being at the center of the league’s labor
situation. In March the owners locked out the players as both sides
strive for what each feels is an adequate slice of that wonderful
revenue pie. In Minnesota, Judge Susan Nelson recently voted in favor of
the players to end the lockout. This is a crippling blow to the owners.
Commissioner Goodell
has been front and center in addressing all issues and trying to ensure
labor peace. Goodell has taken a pay cut in which his salary is now one
dollar until a new collective bargaining agreement can be made. Goodell has been on conference calls with season ticket holders
of various teams in an attempt to smooth things out as desperate fans
want to know of the possibility of football in the autumn. The problem
is Mr. Goodell has to ultimately answer to his bosses, the owners.
Goodell was hired by the owners who voted him in to succeed Paul Tagliabue
in 2006. Goodell may know what is best for the league, but in a room of
billionaires who are accustomed to getting their way, he may be the odd
man out. I am in no way going to bat for the man to lose his job but
it’s just the reality of the situation. I have been critical of some of
his decisions such as playing games overseas and player suspensions, but
Goodell is trying to do the right thing with the labor situation.
Goodell understands the popularity of the game of football and wants to
ensure it where players and owners are compensated fairly and fans get
to enjoy the game. If Goodell cannot give the owners what they want I
would not be surprised if the owners thought about another guy to lead
the charge. Most owners were not around during the last league work
stoppage in 1987 and are not aware of the public relation strife. Since
then the other three major leagues, MLB,
NBA, and NHL have had work stoppages and it took fans some time to warm
up. We will see if Goodell can sustain the ship through this.
The current labor situation is weird as lawyers are slugging it out in
the courtroom for men who usually dish out their own brand of justice on
the gridiron. For everyone involved, I hope nobody is taking things
personal and cooler heads will prevail.
This will blow up in the owners’ faces. They are crying broke but have yet to present any material to back this. The people are sided with the players.
If roger godell understands the popularity of his sport, then he needs to hurry up and figure out to to get this thing resolved.