Why does the NFL players union suck at protecting its players?
 

Was talking with some buddies over the holidays and this topic came up and was reminded of it by El D's thread.

Baseball has guaranteed $$$.
NBA has guaranteed $$$
Even after getting killed in the last CBA the NHLPA still has guaranteed $$$.

No guraranteed $$$ in the NFL.

The NFL is by far the biggest industry of the 4 mentioned.

The NFL player's union job is to get the best deal for the players, but any NFL contract not worth the paper its written on since the team can terminate them at will, but not the player.

I know some teams pay big signing bonus, as they are demanded by players in absence of guaranteed $$$, but the everyday lunchbucket 5 year NFL career guy gets screwed. (I know its nice to "get screwed" for a couple of million a year, but I'm talking about realtive screwing given the amount of $$$ involved in the industry)

I don't know enough about the NFL and its union to know the answer to this, can anyone enlighten me?

I'm not a union advocate, but the NFL players sure seem to hold most of the risk in this relationship.

Also, if anyone is interested in a interesting read about the NHLPA, I just finished reading "Money Players" by Bruce Dowbiggin and highly recommend it. Interesing to follow the timeline from when the players were truley exploited from the 20's to the 70's until the see-saw way over-compensated and the players were breaking (probably) some teams to the current CBA.

So, why does the NFL player's union suck at getting guaranteed $$$?

Regards,
Woodguy

Re: Why does the NFL players union suck at protecting its players?
 

I think that it's because the owners have done such a good job of constucting the league in a way that supports and protects them. It seems that the owners in the NFL have managed to work collectively to support their common good (for now, anyway) as opposed to working in conflict with each other for individual good (but ultimately to the detrement of all).

Re: Why does the NFL players union suck at protecting its players?
 

Well, the NFL has a much higher atrition rate than the 4 other major sports, plus they have 53 guys on a roster instead of the 12-25 that the other three sports have. Therefore, that makes it critical for the NFL owners not to owe guaranteed money to everyone on the roster when half of them will be out of football in three years.

Re: Why does the NFL players union suck at protecting its players?
 

Guaranteed contracts are bad for sports. Its the worst in the NBA because they are so few players per team. One bad contract can really set a team back a couple of years.

I don't really know how they would make it work in the NFL since the threat of injury is so high. I mean can you imagine if Duante Culpepper's contract was all guaranteed for the Dolphins?

Re: Why does the NFL players union suck at protecting its players?
 

they have guaranteed money, its called a signing bonus.

Re: Why does the NFL players union suck at protecting its players?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Guaranteed contracts are bad for sports. Its the worst in the NBA because they are so few players per team. One bad contract can really set a team back a couple of years.

I don't really know how they would make it work in the NFL since the threat of injury is so high. I mean can you imagine if Duante Culpepper's contract was all guaranteed for the Dolphins?

[/ QUOTE ]


Guaranteed contracts alone are fine in sports. It's the combination of guaranteed contracts + salary cap that can kill a team in the NBA. I may be wrong though, but aren't there injury exceptions in the NBA? I thought I remember the Heat trying to get one for Zo when the kidney stuff started up.

Re: Why does the NFL players union suck at protecting its players?
 

[ QUOTE ]

Well, the NFL has a much higher atrition rate than the 4 other major sports, plus they have 53 guys on a roster instead of the 12-25 that the other three sports have. Therefore, that makes it critical for the NFL owners not to owe guaranteed money to everyone on the roster when half of them will be out of football in three years.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's a good point if I'm an owner, but why would the NFL players union care?

They are they to help the players not the teams right?

Regards,
Woodguy

Re: Why does the NFL players union suck at protecting its players?
 

[ QUOTE ]
they have guaranteed money, its called a signing bonus.

[/ QUOTE ]

I put this in the OP:

[ QUOTE ]
I know some teams pay big signing bonus, as they are demanded by players in absence of guaranteed $$$, but the everyday lunchbucket 5 year NFL career guy gets screwed. (I know its nice to "get screwed" for a couple of million a year, but I'm talking about realtive screwing given the amount of $$$ involved in the industry)

[/ QUOTE ]

So do "average" NFL players get signing bonuses or is it just to top elchelon?

Regards,
Woodguy

Re: Why does the NFL players union suck at protecting its players?
 

[ QUOTE ]

Guaranteed contracts are bad for sports. Its the worst in the NBA because they are so few players per team. One bad contract can really set a team back a couple of years.

[/ QUOTE ]

Then team managers shouldn't give out bad contracts. Its not the players fault if Isaiah Thomas makes poor decisions, its his fault and the owner's fault for hiring him.

Isn't part of the competition of sports a battle of management to see who can put together a better team?

Regards,
Woodguy

Re: Why does the NFL players union suck at protecting its players?
 

Not everyone get's a signing bonus.

http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/footb...05&team=27

Is an example. Most of the big name FA signed by the 9ers got signing bonuses. Most of the rookies got signing bonuses especially the ones at the top. A lot of the mid level vets don't.