What would happen if the NFL disbanded

[Zaxor]

32 individual teams making their own schedule, TV rights, etc...

they could than lock out the players could they not? Their would not be any antitrust or do I have it all wrong.

 

[JD_KaPow]

32 individual teams making their own schedule, TV rights, etc...

they could than lock out the players could they not? Their would not be any antitrust or do I have it all wrong.

Nope. Thirty-two separate businessses can not collude to lock out the employees of each of those businesses. That's an absolutely clear anti-trust violation, akin to, say, all the airlines locking out their maintenance crews at the same time.

In the situation you propose, each of the 32 teams would have to negotiate a deal separately with the union, just as the automakers each have their own separate deals with the UAW.

Unless I'm mistaken, in which case someone will jump in to correct me.

 

[Zaxor]

Nope. Thirty-two separate businessses can not collude to lock out the employees of each of those businesses. That's an absolutely clear anti-trust violation, akin to, say, all the airlines locking out their maintenance crews at the same time.

In the situation you propose, each of the 32 teams would have to negotiate a deal separately with the union, just as the automakers each have their own separate deals with the UAW.

Unless I'm mistaken, in which case someone will jump in to correct me.

there is no players union supposedly? and if not lock out the players ask for a reduction in salary or cut them loose.

 

[YosemiteSam]

32 individual teams making their own schedule, TV rights, etc...

they could than lock out the players could they not? Their would not be any antitrust or do I have it all wrong.

If they all locked out, it would appear that they were acting in collusion, so yes there probably could be some type of antitrust.

 

[Zaxor]

If they all locked out, it would appear that they were acting in collusion, so yes there probably could be some type of antitrust.

I'm a bit confused as to how I as an owner would be forced to keep my business open if I want to shut it down for a year or two. so could the workers at a GM plant that is shutting down claim collusion and keep GM open...If the NFL isn't anymore how can they say it is collusion...would Ford, GM and Chrysler be in collusion if they all decided to shut down plants at the same time....

 

[bracey]

I'm a bit confused as to how I as an owner would be forced to keep my business open if I want to shut it down for a year or two. so could the workers at a GM plant that is shutting down claim collusion and keep GM open...If the NFL isn't anymore how can they say it is collusion...would Ford, GM and Chrysler be in collusion if they all decided to shut down plants at the same time....

As 1 owner, your right. 32 owners of competing businesses shutting down at the same time until the workers give in to their demands is not legal. Yes, Ford, GM and Chrysler shutting down would be challenged as anti-trust and unless the owners could prove that they all independently came to the decision to shut down for their own reasons rather than through mutual discussions, it would be found to be illegal.

 

[Manwiththeplan]

I'm a bit confused as to how I as an owner would be forced to keep my business open if I want to shut it down for a year or two. so could the workers at a GM plant that is shutting down claim collusion and keep GM open...If the NFL isn't anymore how can they say it is collusion...would Ford, GM and Chrysler be in collusion if they all decided to shut down plants at the same time....

If the NFL went this route, sure 1 or 2 teams could do this, but for all 32, that would be collusion. Like someone stated, if every airline decided to shut down and force their employees to take pay cuts, that would be illegal.

 

[Zaxor]

As 1 owner, your right. 32 owners of competing businesses shutting down at the same time until the workers give in to their demands is not legal. Yes, Ford, GM and Chrysler shutting down would be challenged as anti-trust and unless the owners could prove that they all independently came to the decision to shut down for their own reasons rather than through mutual discussions, it would be found to be illegal.

thanks I appreciate the info

 

[Zaxor]

If the NFL went this route, sure 1 or 2 teams could do this, but for all 32, that would be collusion. Like someone stated, if every airline decided to shut down and force their employees to take pay cuts, that would be illegal.

but what if they just shut down for 2-3 years to reorganize internally and than open later would that be collusion or could the NFL do that and say it needs to look at things like concusions, safety equipment, rule changes etc.

 

[YosemiteSam]

but what if they just shut down for 2-3 years to reorganize internally and than open later would that be collusion

If all entities involved did the same thing at the same time, yes.

 

[Zaxor]

If all entities involved did the same thing at the same time, yes.

even if it was for safety reasons?

 

[theogt]

even if it was for safety reasons?

The court would determine whether the reasons cited were pretextual and the actions were truly for anticompetitive purposes.

 

[Zaxor]

The court would determine whether the reasons cited were pretextual and the actions were truly for anticompetitive purposes.

thanks... I imagine the concussion thing would be pretty easy to prove in a court of law now that more is known about it.

 

[Manwiththeplan]

I apologize if I'm wrong for assuming you don't understand why it's illegal, but here's why

In America, our economy runs under the principal of capitalism, which in short says the market, not outside influences decide a workers worth or the value of a product/service. The opposite of this would be socialism where everything is regulated by the government.

Now while the government tries not to intervene, sometimes they are forced to intervene. Imagaine if only one company owned all the gas stations? Or if only one company had access to the technology needed for computers? Or even worse if only one company had access to the natural resources used in cars/planes and any other transportation vehicle. They could in essence charge what ever they wanted, because people need these things and they could also pay their workers far less than their actual value. Ofcourse people could decide to not work for them, but when that's what your skilled at and any other job would drastically reduce your income, you may be forced to just take what they offer. When this has happend through out our history in America, the government has stepped in. What you suggest is right along these lines.

 

[theogt]

thanks... I imagine the concussion thing would be pretty easy to prove in a court of law now that more is known about it.

You'd have a hard time proving its necessary to shut down the league for any length of time, much less for multiple seasons, in order to determine a solution for the safety issue, I would think.

 

[Manwiththeplan]

but what if they just shut down for 2-3 years to reorganize internally and than open later would that be collusion or could the NFL do that and say it needs to look at things like concusions, safety equipment, rule changes etc.

They possibly could've before the CBA expired, but as soon as they started making demands of the players that had nothing to do with these reasons, they would be guilty of collusion and would likely be on the hook for every dollar in player salary during that time, plus possible player revenue for the rookies and free agents, plus punitive damages.

 

[Zaxor]

You'd have a hard time proving its necessary to shut down the league for any length of time, much less for multiple seasons, in order to determine a solution for the safety issue, I would think.

I believe with the number of concussions on the rise in the NFL that it would seem a significant safety issue one that could later on in life be classified as a matter of life or death.

Again I thank you for providing such excellent legal insights for this board.

 

[Zaxor]

They possibly could've before the CBA expired, but as soon as they started making demands of the players that had nothing to do with these reasons, they would be guilty of collusion and would likely be on the hook for every dollar in player salary during that time, plus possible player revenue for the rookies and free agents, plus punitive damages.

so if they agree to a new cba they could do it rightaway and the players would have no recourse?

 

[DallasEast]

What would happen if the NFL disbanded?

Both Roger Goodell and DeMaurice Smith would immediately file for unemployment.

It's hard for anyone to get by on just $1/year salary, $.50/year salary or whatever incredibly stupid symbolic gesture those guys made when this mess first began.

 

[Zaxor]

Both Roger Goodell and DeMaurice Smith would immediately file for unemployment.

It's hard for anyone to get by on just $1/year salary, $.50/year salary or whatever incredibly stupid symbolic gesture those guys made when this mess first began.

well there is that