An Open Letter to the Owners, the Players Union and Cowboys Fans..

[Redball Express]

With the apparent break down of the CBA now..I feel compelled to say a few things that need to be clarified with some perspectives for the league, players and Cowboy fans in particular.

I welcome any contributions to this thread that show logic and points of view not here expressed in a friendly manor.

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To the Owners, Union/Players and Cowboys Fans..

The players need the NFL and the NFL needs the players and both need the fans to pay their way.

The last strike proved that. And if it comes to a strike down the road if things go too far..it gets ugly.

I remember that very clearly as a Cowboys fan dating back to '65.

And the Union will play the strike card before long..IMO. It will begin with rumors and take on a life of it's own. Talk about the NFL continuing next season under the agreement in place is all fine sounding, but if this continues, the Union could call for a strike at any point in the future if things get too hairy.

I'm hopeful that all the parties see the problems and how it sets some poor outcomes in motion if an agreement isn't reached.

I lived thru the strike season and it was not good for the team. And uncapped teams do not always mean success. Unless you have coaches like Tom Landry and Jimmy Johnson. It wasn't good for the players nor the fans, especially. It was difficult to watch players brought in to play for us that were not NFL quality. Fans were angry about paying ticket prices for Canadian League level talent.

Players were having to make choices about their Union and their families and not making a living. It got ugly at points as Unionist tried to use typical Union methods to make their union members stay in line and turned teammates against each other going to and from practices and games.

I'm sorry.

But that isn't what any of us want, not as fans and not as a sport.

Ultimately, it's the fans that control the entire thing, despite what the NFL owners or the Union players believe.

So until the fans speak, this whole thing may crash and burn from not understanding the third party in these negotiations who goes unrepresented.

You and Me.

And once the fans do speak, it will not be with fancy words read from prepared statements.

No.

But by not buying season tickets, not buying paraphenalia, not signing up for NFL Season Ticket in the Falls, the networks balking because the NFL will not be able to deliver NFL quality product and threaten to cancel their revenue contracts..

..then all the parties involved will realize that a huge mistake was made because these things weren't seen at the time or given enough weight.

The NFL fans are not the fatted calfs waiting to be slaughtered by the NFL and it's players Union. The fans control this whole situation much bigger than the any other party involved.

We actually have a huge say. I hear both the Owners and the Players Union make statements about how they are doing this for the good of the sport and the fans.

This is ridiculous. I'm sorry, but I haven't received my bonus and multi-year contract with yearly incentives in the mail from either party.

Have you guys..?

If those two sides were truly the protectors of the sport and the fans, it wouldn't be this difficult to get this done as they both are making it out to be.

The best thing both the Owners and the Players Union can do is not to force us, the fans, to also enter this negotiation later on thru our pocketbooks.

We fans have proven to be notoriously fickle when it comes to paying for what we want. And we can't be depended on to be fatted calfs for anybody.

At this point, The Cowboys can't possibly want a change in the cap or the Union. They have meticuliuosly rebuilt the cap, the players, the schemes and most of the coaches to produce finally in a salary-cap players union world.

So for those entertaining the thought of no CBA and instead salary cap freedom driven by increased spending by teams with deeper pockets and Championships for decades..that isn't going to happen.

There are huge downsides to that approach and teams will be lost in the NFL that can't keep up and the level of competiton will plunge as only those teams with huge revenues will afford the best players. Fans are going to get burned in that scenario.

Not to mention the players and it will ultimately break the Players Union completely.

And the sport will greatly suffer.

On the other hand, the Owners and the Players Union have to both agree that by accepting less on these matters they can't agree on, still leaves room for improving the product in the years to come and the positions of each party in the future and still serves the purpose of advancing their causes.

So if the owners and the players are truely speaking for the fans and the sport ultimately, then they must agree to agree and move on.

To do otherwise, is seriously creating a vacuum from which the whole thing could be completely destroyed.

I'm not interested in becoming an Arena League fan or a European Football League fan or a Canadian League fan while this all gets sorted out or watching a guy like Dan Snyder or even our own Jerry Jones leave the NFL and start another World Football League or USFL or something.

Been there, done that, hated it. Wouldn't pay for it, either.

So back to the tables Owners and Union.

For the good of the sport you both say you hold so dear.

And for us the Fans, your paying bosses.

Remember..? Or have you forgotten who you really work for..?

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Parcellswaterboy

 

[StanleySpadowski]

I'm confused about "Fans, your paying bosses".

Fans are not the "boss", fans are customers of a service. THe NFL is no different than Exxon, WalMart or McDonalds. Just because I bought a Big Mac doesn't make me their boss.

 

[Redball Express]

I'm confused about "Fans, your paying bosses".

Fans are not the "boss", fans are customers of a service. THe NFL is no different than Exxon, WalMart or McDonalds. Just because I bought a Big Mac doesn't make me their boss.

In the businesses I'm in, which are service industries, if I don't produce a product or a service my clients want..I'm out of business.

Those people are actually the bosses of my business. Supply and demand rules. The willingness of the customer to pay decides what is produced.

Therefore, the lineal line goes from my wallet directly to the NFL's.

Simple math.

If the fan doesn't agree..if the fans stop the cash lifeline..Tags will be out of a job and so will Upshaw.

To take your Big Mac example..if people decided that the McDonalds companies were mixing too much filler in their hamburgers (which they do, BTW) and it was not a hamburger with 100% beef but a watered down mixture..

..and people felt it was not what they wanted and stopped buying it..

..do you think MickeyD would change their formula..?

Absolutely. Or lower their price on it to get people to buy it anyway.

You're the boss of McDonalds. You and all the rest of the customers.

Enjoy your power.

)

Parcellswaterboy

 

[StanleySpadowski]

Not to take this to a purely economic discussion but businesses lose customers every day. Sometimes you have to forgo one customer to add two others.

A business needs to be receptive to the wants and needs of its customer base, but the first time that they allow customers to dictate operational practices or "be the boss" signals the beginning of the end.

 

[conner01]

it's a long time before we have to worry about strikes or lockouts. remember the cba does'nt expire till after the 07 season

 

[Redball Express]

it's a long time before we have to worry about strikes or lockouts. remember the cba does'nt expire till after the 07 season

But experience shows where this goes and how deep and can run.

Sure..2007 sounds like a far off date, but so did today, back two years ago when the redflags started going up that there was going to be a rift between the parties.

I'm fast forwarding and laying out ideas and reasons that should make the parties stop and think now about where it goes before anymore backward steps happen.

That's all.

Thanks for replying.

Parcellswaterboy

 

[Rockytop6]

I too was around and remember the trauma, hostility, division, etc. of the strike.

Some fans are turnign cartwheels about the possibility of "no cba" and don's seem to understand all of the ramifications. When the cap is removed it doesn't mean that the Cowboys can "buy" a SB ring.

The owners came to terms with the Players' Asso. before because the alternative was decertification and the PA sueing the owners to dispense with the draft. If the draft is gone, which had been termed illegal, without a negotiated contract with the union, then some of the small market, cold weather clubs would not survive. The draft is the key to a competitive league which is necessary to have teh tv revenue, etc.

The owners and the players are playign with fire. Both have never had it so good. The players are paid WELL and the owners, currently are paid WELL. All of them are paid too well it seems as they won't leave well enough alone.

The poster said that the fans will not be led to the slaughter by the owners and players and that is the only commend in his article that I disagree with.
Most fans never delve deep enough to understand all the ramifications and support NFL blindly. The fans could make a difference. They could organize and boycott the first game of the season if an agreement is not in place. The fans have a lot of power but won't use it.

It is disturbing that all I read is how this will help the Boys and hurt the Commanders. I don't like the Commanders, but I am more interested in the health of the league than I am hurting a divisional rival. The Boys will be fine whether the Commanders are "hurt" or not. We are on the right track and now who really knows how this situation will affect the Boys and the rest of the league.

When you are up to your eyeballs in cream, don't scream because you get a little butter in your eyes every once in a while. The only good thing I see out of all of this is where some of these free agents are asking for 50 million $$ with $20 M signing bonus, etc. may be a little reality sets in.

If I were an owner I would never agree to give the players a slice of my luxury boxes' income. Also when a player is making $10 m and is complaining about not being respected because he is making $12 per year because another player across the country got a new contract for $12 m I would tell him that i wasn't buying respect I was buying the use of his talent and if he wanted respect then I would be glad to introduce him at every game and give him all the respect in the world and I would keep the money. I would rather pay with respect than money.

At the same time a player can ruin his physical well being for life playing for an owner and because he is hurt and can't perform quite as well he is kicked out the door. I don't have a lot of sympathy for the "owners side" nor the "players side". I agree that the fans should be more active or militant in this situation, which they never will and that is why they will be led to the slaughter again.

If this agreement is settled the first thing that will happen is that all of the
tickets, etc. will be raised again. Then the people shouting about the cap being raised will fuss about how much it costs to attend a game.

O well. I suppose most of us, owners, players and fans, wind up getting what we ask for, or deserve.

 

[Redball Express]

I too was around and remember the trauma, hostility, division, etc. of the strike.

Some fans are turnign cartwheels about the possibility of "no cba" and don's seem to understand all of the ramifications. When the cap is removed it doesn't mean that the Cowboys can "buy" a SB ring.

The owners came to terms with the Players' Asso. before because the alternative was decertification and the PA sueing the owners to dispense with the draft. If the draft is gone, which had been termed illegal, without a negotiated contract with the union, then some of the small market, cold weather clubs would not survive. The draft is the key to a competitive league which is necessary to have teh tv revenue, etc.

The owners and the players are playign with fire. Both have never had it so good. The players are paid WELL and the owners, currently are paid WELL. All of them are paid too well it seems as they won't leave well enough alone.

The poster said that the fans will not be led to the slaughter by the owners and players and that is the only commend in his article that I disagree with.
Most fans never delve deep enough to understand all the ramifications and support NFL blindly. The fans could make a difference. They could organize and boycott the first game of the season if an agreement is not in place. The fans have a lot of power but won't use it.

It is disturbing that all I read is how this will help the Boys and hurt the Commanders. I don't like the Commanders, but I am more interested in the health of the league than I am hurting a divisional rival. The Boys will be fine whether the Commanders are "hurt" or not. We are on the right track and now who really knows how this situation will affect the Boys and the rest of the league.

When you are up to your eyeballs in cream, don't scream because you get a little butter in your eyes every once in a while. The only good thing I see out of all of this is where some of these free agents are asking for 50 million $$ with $20 M signing bonus, etc. may be a little reality sets in.

If I were an owner I would never agree to give the players a slice of my luxury boxes' income. Also when a player is making $10 m and is complaining about not being respected because he is making $12 per year because another player across the country got a new contract for $12 m I would tell him that i wasn't buying respect I was buying the use of his talent and if he wanted respect then I would be glad to introduce him at every game and give him all the respect in the world and I would keep the money. I would rather pay with respect than money.

At the same time a player can ruin his physical well being for life playing for an owner and because he is hurt and can't perform quite as well he is kicked out the door. I don't have a lot of sympathy for the "owners side" nor the "players side". I agree that the fans should be more active or militant in this situation, which they never will and that is why they will be led to the slaughter again.

If this agreement is settled the first thing that will happen is that all of the
tickets, etc. will be raised again. Then the people shouting about the cap being raised will fuss about how much it costs to attend a game.

O well. I suppose most of us, owners, players and fans, wind up getting what we ask for, or deserve.

Great..great reply and terrificly thought out. That's the kind of replies I was hoping to see from fans. Thanks so much.

If we all post our thoughts in a meaningful way, who knows who will read it and think a little deeper about what's at stake.

Well done. Let me hear more, guys.

Parcellswaterboy

 

[Alexander]

To say the NFL fan is the "boss" of the league is a stretch.

That is like saying to the drug pusher "I am your boss".

The NFL knows they have the product and we won't stop craving it. I know after the last two strikes, I did not lose interest. In fact, I became more interested because I missed it. It is very much like the lover you know you sometimes loathe. If the sex is good, you will go crawling back anyways.

It is much different than other sports such as baseball or hockey that have been struck by fan discord after labor disputes.

I just beleive football fans in general are more passionate and loyal than others.

 

[Doomsday101]

To say the NFL fan is the "boss" of the league is a stretch.

That is like saying to the drug pusher "I am your boss".

The NFL knows they have the product and we won't stop craving it. I know after the last two strikes, I did not lose interest. In fact, I became more interested because I missed it. It is very much like the lover you know you sometimes loathe. If the sex is good, you will go crawling back anyways.

It is much different than other sports such as baseball or hockey that have been struck by fan discord after labor disputes.

I just beleive football fans in general are more passionate and loyal than others.

I think to a certain degree your right but I also think this is a dangerous game of chicken that is going on and it could cost the league in terms of fans coming back should a strike take place. There will be fans like you but there will also be those who say to heck with these over priced cry babies go get a real job.