Responding to a thread about how the Bears could offer so much for Russell Wilson, a QB who has more football behind him than ahead, (spoiler: it’s because of the potential for $$$), got me thinking about how this organization is run.
There is a mainstream, tried and tested method to achieving success for an NFL franchise, and it involves a separation of powers. The owner’s main business goal is to achieve maximal profitability for the franchise. It’s pretty much universally agreed to that the way to do this is by fielding a consistently competitive and successful team. This increases ticket sales, which increases concession sales, merchandising, media contracts, etc. All revenue is driven by butts in seats. The management of money is the owner’s job.
To achieve the goal of fielding consistently good teams, the owner hires a GM. The GM’s doesn’t really care about profitability. He cares about setting up a system that allows them to obtain the best players and the best coaches to develop and utilize those players. Win and he keeps his job. Win and more money flows in to the franchise. Both owner and GM achieve their goals.
Since Jerry Jones is both owner and GM of the Dallas Cowboys, he can’t just focus on one side of this formula. When acquiring players or hiring coaches, financial considerations get intertwined with team building considerations. This muddles direction and clouds focus, and oftentimes bad decisions are made when it comes to improving the team.
So, Jerry has chosen a different path to achieving success for the franchise (to maximize profits from the owner’s perspective). His method of putting butts in seats does not necessarily rely on fielding a consistently competitive team, but creating a consistent fan experience and emotional attachment for Cowboys fan. It’s about building a brand and brand loyalty. They want the name Dallas Cowboys to be synonymous with success, fame, wealth, etc.
That gets us to America’s Team. America’s team is now nothing more than a slogan. A tag line for an advertisement. If you asked JJ 25 years ago why we’re America’s Team, he would have pointed to 3 Super Bowls in 4 years. Well, we can’t do that now. So, now it’s about highest merchandising sales, building the most expensive stadium, and, ironically, name recognition around the world. And if you ask a Cowboys fan, they will defiantly proclaim that we are still America’s team. That’s because we’re loyal to the team...and the brand. Which is just what Jerry wants. Which is why we’re not really America’s team. Just one man’s team.
