Can an uncapped NFL work?

[sonnyboy]

I was discussing with a friend how the NFL might look/function without a cap.

Interesting thing to come out of the conversation was that it might not only work, but it might solve some of the issues that could lead to a lock out.


A few things think I understand:

1) The NFL has a cap and a floor. 15% spread between the two.

2) Much of the revenue each team generates is shared equally.

3) Smaller market teams like Jacksonville are losing money because the revenue not shared is too little for them.


If the league operates without a cap, their will be no floor so the teams like Jacksonville aren't forced to lose money.

Because much of the rev is shared, you probably won't have teams like the Cowboys with a 200mil payroll, while Jacksonville pays out 50 mil.
I believe the spread between the highest and lowest payrolls might be something like 100mil -150, maybe 175mil.

Teams that can't generate enough local rev can move. Either way I don't see a disaparity between the rich and the poor to the extent we see in Baseball.

I think it could work and the competitive balance be maintained.

 

[Gadfly22]

The spread of available cash between the big market teams and smaller market teams may still be enough to allow the big market teams to hog the best talent. And if there was no rookie cap, as the smaller market teams begin to do worse with lesser talent, they become less able to pay the numbers asked for by high draft picks. So, eventually, the smaller market teams begin circling the drain.

And it's not so easy to just pick up and move a failing franchise. It has to have someplace to go, with a potentially deep fan base and decent stadium.

 

[xWraithx]

it did before didn't it? huh?? IT DID BEFORE DIDN'T IT????!?! DIDN'T IT?!!?!?!?!?!?

 

[sonnyboy]

it did before didn't it? huh?? IT DID BEFORE DIDN'T IT????!?! DIDN'T IT?!!?!?!?!?!?

Yes, but the obvious difference is FA.


I really think it could work. I would like to see the shared revenues each team gets and the non-shared revenue each team generates.

How much of a difference are we really talking about?


I'll tell you the last thing that really concerns me that seems to be at the top of most people's list............

It's that some owners will go nuts and spend HUGE $ to field the best team possible without any concern for profitability.

Not going to happen. OK maybe short term, but not over the long haul.
Money is still money. Anyone who thinks that Snyder will sustain an annual payroll that losses him 30,50 or even a 100mil a year is nuts!

 

[SaltwaterServr]

A few months back I asked a Cowboys employee if the organization had considered what each additional win would generate in capital to the team if there was a soft cap/luxury tax system implemented for the 2010 season.

"No Comment."

 

[speedkilz88]

There will be only one year without a cap. The nfl owners will lockout the players after that if they don't come to a new cba.

 

[jrumann59]

Personally I would prefer a soft cap, much like the NBA. You should be able to sign your own, "drafted", FAs to any type of ludicrous contract once they hit FA and that contract would not count against the cap. This will cause teams to home grow talent plus you will see your favorite stars most likely remain with one team. I also believe there should be a rookie cap also. I also think their should be a clause in the CBA that wipes contracts off the books if a player suffers a career ending injury.

 

[Trace1015]

What I dont understand is y we are going to have a uncapped year in the first place?

 

[Kangaroo]

I was discussing with a friend how the NFL might look/function without a cap.

Interesting thing to come out of the conversation was that it might not only work, but it might solve some of the issues that could lead to a lock out.


A few things think I understand:

1) The NFL has a cap and a floor. 15% spread between the two.

2) Much of the revenue each team generates is shared equally.

3) Smaller market teams like Jacksonville are losing money because the revenue not shared is too little for them.


If the league operates without a cap, their will be no floor so the teams like Jacksonville aren't forced to lose money.

Because much of the rev is shared, you probably won't have teams like the Cowboys with a 200mil payroll, while Jacksonville pays out 50 mil.
I believe the spread between the highest and lowest payrolls might be something like 100mil -150, maybe 175mil.

Teams that can't generate enough local rev can move. Either way I don't see a disaparity between the rich and the poor to the extent we see in Baseball.

I think it could work and the competitive balance be maintained.

Short term no but long term it becomes baseball real quick because fans quit going to games. Knowing there team can not win or keep their good players there is no hope ever. I will quit watching over time much like I have baseball way before the steroid scandals. It makes the league a bad league the have and the have not is usually due to bad management not because of money.

They will get some stuff ironed out and will have another CBA in place but the owners are fighting about money.

 

[Aikbach]

It worked in 1993 with the advent of full blown free agency, plan b free agency worked before that without a cap.

The NFL is better off with peopel building through the draft anyhow, if people blow draft choices there are consequences just like with any business you lose out if you get behind.

The teams that build through free agency exclusively fail without exception.

 

[Beast_from_East]

I was discussing with a friend how the NFL might look/function without a cap.

Interesting thing to come out of the conversation was that it might not only work, but it might solve some of the issues that could lead to a lock out.


A few things think I understand:

1) The NFL has a cap and a floor. 15% spread between the two.

2) Much of the revenue each team generates is shared equally.

3) Smaller market teams like Jacksonville are losing money because the revenue not shared is too little for them.


If the league operates without a cap, their will be no floor so the teams like Jacksonville aren't forced to lose money.

Because much of the rev is shared, you probably won't have teams like the Cowboys with a 200mil payroll, while Jacksonville pays out 50 mil.
I believe the spread between the highest and lowest payrolls might be something like 100mil -150, maybe 175mil.

Teams that can't generate enough local rev can move. Either way I don't see a disaparity between the rich and the poor to the extent we see in Baseball.

I think it could work and the competitive balance be maintained.

This is the root of the problem.

When the current CBA expires next year, THERE WILL BE NO MORE REVENUE SHARING!!!



Teams that are high revenue teams (like Dallas, Washington, New York) are not going to share their revenue with the low revenue teams (like Tennesse, Jacksonvile, Cleveland) once the CBA expires. Now for a new CBA to be agreed to, the large market owners and the small market owners will have to agree to some sort of new sharing arrangement. The problem is that the "haves" see this as a handout to the "have nots".

For example, the Bengals refuse to sell naming rights to their stadium. They say that tradition is more important than revenue from selling the naming rights to a corporate sponser. Well the big boys laugh at that and say "get off your arse and make your own money then" and dont wont to help teams that will not help themselves.

Second problem you have is free agency. If the big boys are not resticted in free agnecy (like the rule of 8 for 2010) then they can pretend they are the Yankees and just sign up all the best free agents. The poor teams do not have the cash to compete with Dallas or Washinton in terms of signing bonus or guaranteed contracts. Dallas could basically give Peppers a $50 million signing bonus and Carolina simply would not have the money to counter.

That is why people say that the NFL could turn into baseball where you have just a handful of teams that have any shot at winning a championship. With no restrictions, it is conceivable that you could end up with 6 or 7 teams in the NFL that have probowlers at almost every position and those teams would fight among themselves for championships each year.

Now the question becomes, if you are a Cowboys fan do you give a **** about Jacksonville or do you care more about fielding an all-star team??? I am a greedy SOB, so I would love no cap and no free agency restrictions since Dallas is the highest grossing revenue team in the NFL. I personally dont have a problem watching Dallas slaughter 3/4 of the teams in the NFL on a weekly basis!!!!!

 

[cowboys102030]

As a Cowboys fan, the future is looking good for us with the CBA and cap situation.

As an NFL fan as well, I'm quite sad.

It's a catch 22.

 

[Beast_from_East]

As a Cowboys fan, the future is looking good for us with the CBA and cap situation.

As an NFL fan as well, I'm quite sad.

It's a catch 22.

**** the rest of the league, I want to see Dallas feild an all-star team.

 

[cowboys102030]

**** the rest of the league, I want to see Dallas feild an all-star team.

That's how I normally feel, but I hate the Yankees with a bloody passion. Seeing the Cowboys potentially become the Yankees... I'd feel like a hypocrite!

Oh well, go Royals, Pirates, Reds, and other teams that hardly stand a chance in the big league anymore. Let the Rays be an inspiration to you all.

 

[Beast_from_East]

That's how I normally feel, but I hate the Yankees with a bloody passion. Seeing the Cowboys potentially become the Yankees... I'd feel like a hypocrite!

Oh well, go Royals, Pirates, Reds, and other teams that hardly stand a chance in the big league anymore. Let the Rays be an inspiration to you all.

I guess the difference is that I absolutely hate baseball and havent watched a single game in over 10 years. The only baseball I see is the highlights on SportsCenter while I am waiting for them to get back to NFL coverage.

 

[T-RO]

Personally I would prefer a soft cap, much like the NBA. You should be able to sign your own, "drafted", FAs to any type of ludicrous contract once they hit FA and that contract would not count against the cap. This will cause teams to home grow talent plus you will see your favorite stars most likely remain with one team. I also believe there should be a rookie cap also. I also think their should be a clause in the CBA that wipes contracts off the books if a player suffers a career ending injury.

Good post. I agree.

 

[T-RO]

**** the rest of the league, I want to see Dallas feild an all-star team.

I want to dominate but not with a ridiculously stacked deck.

A small advantage in salary I'd take. I'd hate it, honestly, if it was like baseball. I think the Yankees are a fraud. We'd be a fraud too if we had twice the money as the other teams.

 

[sonnyboy]

I want to dominate but not with a ridiculously stacked deck.

A small advantage in salary I'd take. I'd hate it, honestly, if it was like baseball. I think the Yankees are a fraud. We'd be a fraud too if we had twice the money as the other teams.

That's what I'd like and where I was going with this thread.

I think it could work if the league continued to share TV revenue. That's a large portion of the total revenue.