Goodell tells fans lockout is for them, too ..

Posted by Michael David Smith on June 9, 2011, 7:08 AM EDT


NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says he’s not just thinking about the owners’ finances during the NFL lockout. He also says he’s thinking about the fans.

Specifically, Goodell told Tampa Bay Buccaneers season ticket holders that curbing the rising cost of attending games is one of the reasons for the lockout.

“We can’t continue to shift the cost, whether it’s the rising player cost or the rising cost of operating an NFL franchise, on to our fans,” Goodell said, per the Tampa Tribune. “That’s why we’re trying to get a better economic model. And I think everyone understands that. You are not being left out of the equation. The fans are a big part of that equation and a big part of the success of NFL football.”

If Goodell is telling the truth, that means that if a new Collective Bargaining Agreement that’s more favorable to the owners is hammered out, the growth rate of ticket prices should decline.

But if I were a season-ticket holder, I wouldn’t hold my breath: Supply and demand tells me that owners will charge as much as the market will bear for tickets, regardless of how they split the ticket revenue with the players.

On the conference call with Bucs fans, one said he’s praying for Goodell during the lockout.

“I appreciate your prayers,” Goodell said. “We’ll take any help we can get.”

I can think of several choice comments to make on Rodger's sudden burst of altruism, but after briefly reflecting, perhaps it's better I don't say anything ...

While I doubt that the price of season tickets will be impacted, the truth is that fans benefit more from teams that are healthy businesses than they do from the players making more money.

Owners use ticket prices to maximize revenue, not recoup expenses and prices are based on anticipated demand, not rising player costs.

The spin doctor does it again.

It's worth noting that the amount set aside for player salaries is based on a percentage of revenues. Therefore, if prices and attendance had been more or less the same over the years, salaries would not have been increasing. What exactly is Goodell talking about when he says the rising cost of operating an NFL franchise? Aside from the veterans' health care that hasn't been implemented but should, what new costs are there that didn't exist a decade ago?

If they want to save the fans money, maybe they could just stop insisting on building a new $700,000,000-$1,000,000,000 stadium every 10-15 years for every team.

Hey...wait a minute...when did I get the word "Stupid" tattooed on my forehead?

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Originally Posted by Truth

Hey...wait a minute...when did I get the word "Stupid" tattooed on my forehead?

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You were right after me. Wow! You don't remember that?

Yes, when I look at you it I see "Stupid" on your forehead, when I look in the mirror I see "diputS". I can't find diputS in the dictionary...

I like how Goodell keeps referring to the "Fans". Yes we are fans but more importantly we are paying customers.

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Originally Posted by ramsanddodgers

Yes, when I look at you it I see "Stupid" on your forehead, when I look in the mirror I see "diputS". I can't find diputS in the dictionary...

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LOL. It's right next to LFN.

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Originally Posted by laram0

You were right after me. Wow! You don't remember that?

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I must have had a bit too much of that NFL Kool-aid. I can't remember a thing.

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Originally Posted by laram0

I like how Goodell keeps referring to the "Fans". Yes we are fans but more importantly we are paying customers.

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Did he say "fans"? He meant "minions."