Be thankful for the incredibly entertaining
display the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers put on in Super Bowl XLV,
as it may be the last meaningful NFL game we'll be witnessing in quite some
time.
It's looking more and more like football fans will indeed be coming to grips
with their greatest fear, a work stoppage that threatens to at the very least
disrupt the offseason methods of operation for the league's 32 teams and at its
worst, would place both the start of the 2011 regular season and the likelihood
of a full 16-game schedule in serious jeopardy.
The chances of that ominous prophecy becoming fulfilled were enhanced by the
recent revelations that the league and its players association cut short an
intended two days of negotiations towards establishing a new collective
bargaining agreement, a development that has soured the outlook of even the
most heartened of optimists that were keeping their fingers crossed that a deal
would be hammered out before the existing pact expires on March 3.
The owners' decision to walk out of Wednesday's meeting wasn't so much an
indication of the sizeable chasm that presently consists between the two
parties, but more a sign that neither is feeling a sense of urgency to get
something done at the moment. It's a stage where public relations takes
precedent over the real issues in question, with both sides desperately seeking
to show a perception of strength and solidarity while additionally trying to
portray the other as the evildoer in the eyes of the fans.
Expect that chess match to go on past the deadline as each group subtly works
to defile the other's image. There's a somewhat popular theory making the
rounds that the union is actually hoping for a lockout, which would not only
provide the means to attempt to block it by filing an antitrust suit through
decertification, but serve a dual purpose of painting the owners as self-
serving perpetrators with little to no regard for the wishes or the opinion of
their customer base.
That latter goal may have already been achieved, and with the unwitting help of
the enemy. The owners' insistence on an additional $1 billion to be exempt from
revenue sharing between themselves and the players reinforced a reputation for
greed and indifference, and did little towards building back goodwill with a
public that's still miffed over the league's mishandling of the ticket
situation for this past weekend's Super Bowl (more about that later).
The union shouldn't be absolved from its role in this growing mess either.
Reports that the sides are also very far apart on another major sticking point,
a proposed wage scale for rookie draft choices that would seem to benefit the
vested veterans the NFLPA counsel is supposed to be representing. But the union
quickly rejected the league's initial plan on the subject, leading some to
wonder whether its interests are more aligned with the agents who stand to lose
considerable commission fees if the negotiation process for draft picks is
eliminated than those of the players themselves.
With the NFL raking in an estimated $9 billion in gross revenue per year, it's
pretty apparent that there's way too much at stake for either faction to risk
losing any portion of the upcoming season, and at some point both will panic
when the prospect of losing significant income becomes closer to reality and a
deal will get done. But if this week's proceedings have revealed anything, it's
not to expect a resolution anytime real soon.
Hey, at least we've still got the draft to look forward to.
DALLAS DEBACLE
As the first Super Bowl I've ever personally attended and covered, I'm
unfortunately unable to draw any comparisons between this one and previous
editions. But from all the information I've gathered, either from talking with
other media associates at the game or by reading the various stories that have
been written in the aftermath, it's safe to say this wasn't the best of weeks
for both the league and the Dallas Chamber of Commerce.
Having the majority of area hotels situated between 20-to-30 miles from Cowboys
Stadium created a bit of a logistical dilemma for the event's organizers, one
which was further compounded by the atypically cold and snowy conditions that
wreaked havoc upon travelers to the North Texas Region during Super Bowl week.
As it turned out, the weather was the least of the game's problems.
It goes without saying that the NFL and the Dallas Cowboys, in their
unscrupulous efforts to milk every available cent out of its showcase
extravaganza, created a massive faux pas over the decision to sell tickets in
an area in which temporary seating was not completed in time for Sunday's
festivities. As most know, some 400 attendees were forced to either watch the
game on television from a club level section or in standing room only areas,
while an additional 2,000 were delayed extensively in getting to their
makeshift seats, some of which were still being constructed near kickoff.
While the league has rightfully been taken to task for its inexcusable
mistakes, it does deserve at least some credit for its attempts to make amends
by offering refunds, tickets to future Super Bowls and in some cases,
complementary airfare and hotel arrangements. Some have claimed that's still
not enough, noting that a number of those displaced ticket-holders purchased
their seats for more than the $2,400 credit the NFL has pledged, but the league
shouldn't be held responsible if a customer goes to extreme (and possibly
illegal) measures to obtain their seat.
For the most part, it's a fair gesture and a noteworthy show of sympathy. On
the other hand, it's practically impossible to reimburse a fan for missing out
on an experience he or she will never be able to get back. Despite being packed
in like a sardine in an auxiliary press table in Section 327, I still consider
myself fortunate to have been in a position that many others would've greatly
switched places with on Sunday, so I can surely feel for those that were denied
that chance.
As for the chances of Dallas hosting another Super Bowl, don't think for a
moment this disqualifies the city from doing so again in the future. For all
the problems that went on, the game still managed to draw the second-largest
attendance figure in the game's history.
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