What we as fans can do to end the lockout instead of just talk

[simpleman]

As we fans all talk about the lockout there actually is one thing we can do to help end the lockout. This would not be legal if the NFL had their Anti-Monopoly exemption removed by the Congress. Individual corporations such as the Bills may legally be able to lockout their employees as a labor dispute between employees and employers, but acting in concert with all the other corporations in the market to enforce the lockout industry wide is not legal. Remove the special legal exemptions the NFL enjoys and the lockout would be ruled illegal. If all the fans contacted their local representatives and demanded the exemptions be immediately removed, the chances of season would be greatly enhanced. Get out there and act, just don't talk, if you want the lockout to end.

[silvermike]

The NFL's statutory anti-trust exemption is for their broadcast rights, not their labor arrangements. Those are currently being litigated in Brady v. NFL, and while threatening to revoke the broadcast exemption might pressure both sides, it's not going to resolve the issue on its own.

[Nanker]

It might be more productive to just hold our collective breaths till we all turn blue and pass out.

I'm just sayin'.

[Kevin]

Or jump off a bridge. The end result would be quicker.

[simpleman]

The NFL's statutory anti-trust exemption is for their broadcast rights, not their labor arrangements. Those are currently being litigated in Brady v. NFL, and while threatening to revoke the broadcast exemption might pressure both sides, it's not going to resolve the issue on its own.

 

Other than push for changes in the political makeup in the courts to enforce ALL Anti-trust issues, which would take time and be difficult. Removing the yearly Anti-Trust exemption would be the quickest and easiest way to send the NFL, the courts, and the players a message. And even judges listen to the mood of the country, they are all politicians first. Sending them a message that we are tired of monopolistic actions by the NFL can make a difference. It is the only other action we as fans can take to put pressure on the parties involved, other than a ticket boycott. This lockout is about money, and where does most of that that money come from? From the TV broadcast rights and the sale of branded merchandise, which are affected by the exemptions. To say we can't do anything about it is just plain defeatist. Inactivity in life, as in sports is a sure path to losing, you have to make an effort if you want to win. If the posters here spent a few minutes to email their reps about the issue and expressed their support for Conyer's efforts, their simple efforts would be a positive move toward a solution of the problem.

[Mr. WEO]

Congress would never vote to kill the NFL, which is what would happen if the current "anti-trust exemption" was removed and teams were allowed to negotiate TV deals themselves (no revenue sharing). What do you think the Bills would get for their broadcast rights? Right now, they(and everyone else) get over $120 mil per year just for showing up. To put that in perspective, the NHL just inked a deal that will pay the entire league only $200 million per year.

 

Why on earth would you advocate for such a thing? Because you are angry about a 2 month old lockout?

Edited May 26, 2011 by Mr. WEO

[KD in CA]

Congress would never vote to kill the NFL, which is what would happen if the current "anti-trust exemption" was removed and teams were allowed to negotiate TV deals themselves (no revenue sharing). What do you think the Bills would get for their broadcast rights? Right now, they(and everyone else) get over $120 mil per year just for showing up. To put that in perspective, the NHL just inked a deal that will pay the entire league only $200 million per year.

 

Why on earth would you advocate for such a thing? Because you are angry about a 2 month old lockout?

 

But I just can't stand the thought of no NFL on Memorial Day!!!!!

[simpleman]

Congress would never vote to kill the NFL, which is what would happen if the current "anti-trust exemption" was removed and teams were allowed to negotiate TV deals themselves (no revenue sharing). What do you think the Bills would get for their broadcast rights? Right now, they(and everyone else) get over $120 mil per year just for showing up. To put that in perspective, the NHL just inked a deal that will pay the entire league only $200 million per year.

 

Why on earth would you advocate for such a thing? Because you are angry about a 2 month old lockout?

 

Maybe because unlike you, I see the bigger picture. Don't get all chicken little and say you will destroy the NFL and the Bills. The non renewal of the exemption is a leverage tactic to force the resolution of the dispute quickly. You are 100% right in saying the NFL would be unable to survive without this special "favor" from the government. This is a pressure tactic to force a quick resolution to the dispute. If you give someone a favor, you have every right to expect something in return. It is called carrying a "big stick". If you want this lockout to end, why not use the big stick to force the players and the owners to resolve the dispute.

It is not about anger, but logic and power. You sound like the angry one. It sounds like you have a personal stake in the owners coming out ahead on the dispute at any cost. The owners and most of the players are not stupid, they have a good thing going. They would not sacrifice that good thing if they knew they would loose the exemption that makes them rich. That is why I would advocate such a thing, because it would work. It is available to us as fans, it empowers us. And if the exemption is removed, it can be leverage to say "Solve this thing NOW if you want it reinstated, and THEN you can have your exemption back".

[BillsWatch]

Players just do not want previous deal to end; they got on a gravy train and expected it to go on forever despite clause in contract they agreed to that it could be terminated. It is just as when they get signing / upfront money and hold out (being cut is part of contract), etc it is all about the me generation. And I am not calling my congressman to make a change because someone is holding their breath until they turn blue no matter how many union supporters join and post threads. Have seen this on a number of boards meaning possible attempt to manipulate fans.

 

Let it get resolved and have NFL players have to agree to what they sign or give back money.

[bladiebla]

Errr lifting the lockout doesnt resolve the issue nor does it give us Football, it does however give the NFLPA leverage over the NFL in what is currently a deadlock. What is needed is a ruling from the 8th circuit that the lockout is legal. If the lockout is ruled legal NFLPA and the NFL are basicly in an even standoff, which forces both of them to negotiate resulting in a comprimise that should benefit the fans above all.

 

 

[DrDawkinstein]

As we fans all talk about the lockout there actually is one thing we can do to help end the lockout. This would not be legal if the NFL had their Anti-Monopoly exemption removed by the Congress. Individual corporations such as the Bills may legally be able to lockout their employees as a labor dispute between employees and employers, but acting in concert with all the other corporations in the market to enforce the lockout industry wide is not legal. Remove the special legal exemptions the NFL enjoys and the lockout would be ruled illegal. If all the fans contacted their local representatives and demanded the exemptions be immediately removed, the chances of season would be greatly enhanced. Get out there and act, just don't talk, if you want the lockout to end.

 

 

I like that you are trying to find ways for the fans to have a say in this, as we are the ones that are losing out the most.

 

However, if you really want to do something to show the NFL the fans mean business, then the best thing to do is move on from NFL football.

 

It would be impossible to organize, but a league wide "fan strike" would really go a long way. One week of the season, maybe week 1, no one buys tickets, no one goes to the game, no one tunes in to any of them on TV. Everyone spend that first Sunday doing something productive. It would be great if the fans could manage to stick together and give the league a big "Eff You".

 

But that will never happen, unfortunately.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

It might be more productive to just hold our collective breaths till we all turn blue and pass out.

I'm just sayin'.

[NoSaint]

I like that you are trying to find ways for the fans to have a say in this, as we are the ones that are losing out the most.

 

However, if you really want to do something to show the NFL the fans mean business, then the best thing to do is move on from NFL football.

 

It would be impossible to organize, but a league wide "fan strike" would really go a long way. One week of the season, maybe week 1, no one buys tickets, no one goes to the game, no one tunes in to any of them on TV. Everyone spend that first Sunday doing something productive. It would be great if the fans could manage to stick together and give the league a big "Eff You".

 

But that will never happen, unfortunately.

 

 

How are we even remotely losing the most? Lots if people aren't getting money and all I've missed out on is OTA headlines, and free agency is running late. Players are missing out on pay checks, owners are getting killed in the media, coaches are missing time to prep their teams, employees are getting pay cuts... I'm not speculating on June 1st cuts.

[nucci]

How are we even remotely losing the most? Lots if people aren't getting money and all I've missed out on is OTA headlines, and free agency is running late. Players are missing out on pay checks, owners are getting killed in the media, coaches are missing time to prep their teams, employees are getting pay cuts... I'm not speculating on June 1st cuts.

Not yet. Players get paid every week during the regular season.

[White Linen]

Other than push for changes in the political makeup in the courts to enforce ALL Anti-trust issues, which would take time and be difficult. Removing the yearly Anti-Trust exemption would be the quickest and easiest way to send the NFL, the courts, and the players a message. And even judges listen to the mood of the country, they are all politicians first. Sending them a message that we are tired of monopolistic actions by the NFL can make a difference. It is the only other action we as fans can take to put pressure on the parties involved, other than a ticket boycott. This lockout is about money, and where does most of that that money come from? From the TV broadcast rights and the sale of branded merchandise, which are affected by the exemptions. To say we can't do anything about it is just plain defeatist. Inactivity in life, as in sports is a sure path to losing, you have to make an effort if you want to win. If the posters here spent a few minutes to email their reps about the issue and expressed their support for Conyer's efforts, their simple efforts would be a positive move toward a solution of the problem.

 

What should we do if we agree with the owners right to lockout the players?

[NoSaint]

Not yet. Players get paid every week during the regular season.

Roster and workout bonus money, signing UFAs etc... Many a player has missed out on huge sums of money.

[Dragonborn10]

You can visit a good psychiatrist. Because if you think the fans mean anything to the players and owners you are delusional.

[spartacus]

What should we do if we agree with the owners right to lockout the players?

 

If the lockout is lifted, the players will continue to refuse to negotiate until the anti-trust suit is concluded in 5 years.

 

 

If the lockout is allowed to continue, the players will be forced to return to the bargaining table when they start losing money.

 

Doty may award them money from the TV litigation, but they will be tied up in appeal before it can do the players any good.

 

 

 

 

 

[benderbender]

The owners hold all of the cards. Did the players forget that the owners have millions of dollars of their own? And that owning a football team just sounded like a hoot and something to occupy their spare time? The owners don't count on game checks and they have the funds to field an army of lawyers to do battle while sunning in the south of France for the rest of their lives. The players should have taken the best offer they had and counted themselves lucky. Now we're anxiously awaiting the alternative minimum football league just to see some kind of pigskin this fall. Too bad baseball is the most boring its ever been.

[Mr. WEO]

Maybe because unlike you, I see the bigger picture. Don't get all chicken little and say you will destroy the NFL and the Bills. The non renewal of the exemption is a leverage tactic to force the resolution of the dispute quickly. You are 100% right in saying the NFL would be unable to survive without this special "favor" from the government. This is a pressure tactic to force a quick resolution to the dispute. If you give someone a favor, you have every right to expect something in return. It is called carrying a "big stick". If you want this lockout to end, why not use the big stick to force the players and the owners to resolve the dispute.

It is not about anger, but logic and power. You sound like the angry one. It sounds like you have a personal stake in the owners coming out ahead on the dispute at any cost. The owners and most of the players are not stupid, they have a good thing going. They would not sacrifice that good thing if they knew they would loose the exemption that makes them rich. That is why I would advocate such a thing, because it would work. It is available to us as fans, it empowers us. And if the exemption is removed, it can be leverage to say "Solve this thing NOW if you want it reinstated, and THEN you can have your exemption back".

 

So congress would first vote to lift the exemption, then would vote to reinstate it after a deal is made?

 

There is no "big stick" because every owner, league official, union official and TV network knows that the whole of congress would never do any of this.