Anybody read that ESPNMag longform article bodying Goodell

[phillycavsfan]

OTL: His Game, His Rules - ESPN

It's longform, so I'm not gonna bother posting the entire article.

I'll post a couple excerpts though.

It's a business Goodell can take much of the credit for. In 2013 the NFL will almost certainly exceed $10 billion in annual revenue for the first time, drawing closer to his goal of $25 billion by 2027 that he's shared privately with the owners. In 2014 the NFL's television contracts with CBS, NBC and Fox will increase 63 percent to an average of $3.1 billion a year. Next fall ESPN will begin paying the NFL $1.9 billion a year, up from $1.1 billion. Goodell and the league, headquartered at 345 Park Ave. in Manhattan, aggressively seize technological platforms and new markets -- its own fantasy football platform, the NFL Network and the RedZone channel, among others. Thirteen clubs are set to renovate their stadiums with $3.3 billion committed by the league and owners. Goodell has pushed expanding the regular season to 18 games and talked of adding more playoff teams, proposals that players and union leaders say is contrary to his goal of improving player safety. Says Jones, "He is what I call a grow-the-pie thinker."

The history lesson not only places Goodell in Roosevelt's shoes and the current worries about player safety into a historical context, it also portends one of his greatest fears: An NFL player is going to die on the field.

It's happened only once. Lions wide receiver Chuck Hughes died of a heart attack late in a game on Oct. 24, 1971. Within the past year, Goodell has told friends privately that he believes if the game's hard-knocks culture doesn't change, it could happen again. "He's terrified of it," says a Hall of Fame player who speaks regularly with Goodell. "It wouldn't just be a tragedy. It would be awfully bad for business."

Even DeMaurice Smith is in awe of the commissioner's business acumen. "When it comes to that stuff, he's brilliant," Smith says. "They monetize everything. The 18-game season is a perfect example. It's a revenue-generation idea that benefits the owners on the front end because it creates more revenue. And then it benefits owners on the back end because a longer season means more injuries and fewer of our players would get into a state of vesting where owners would have to pay for their pensions. It is diabolically brilliant. It also happens to be completely inconsistent with health and safety."

Apologize if I'm late with this thread.

 

[Easy-E]

Will be back...

 

[BLAZO da GAWD]

The union has to veto an 18 game schedule at all costs. At ALL costs

 

[Koapa]

ESPN playing both sides. Sometimes I really hate 24 hour news. About the hard hits and Goodel being afraid someone will die, that statement has been debunked. That was from a "source", and Goodel has already trashed that statement.

 

[phillycavsfan]

ESPN playing both sides. Sometimes I really hate 24 hour news. About the hard hits and Goodel being afraid someone will die, that statement has been debunked. That was from a "source", and Goodell has already trashed that statement.

Goodell's also said concussions happen just as much in women's soccer as they do in football. He's full of shyt.

 

[concise]

1/3 of all living retired players are suing the league
at getting interviews critical to league deaded
at the 2nd side effect of an 18 game season. More injuries = more guys you can simply cut and dispose of

 

[Koapa]

Goodell's also said concussions happen just as much in women's soccer as they do in football. He's full of shyt.

You're right dude is full of shyt at times. He's trying to protect the NFL brand and expand the business. As fans, we see the NFL as a sport but he has to manage and run as a business. I don't think he should expand the business overseas, nor add more games, nor more add games throughout the week. Keep the games only on Sunday and Monday. To make it fair, have week nine as the bye/break week.