Opinion about keeping the National Football League (NFL )viable
Coronavirus has deflated most of the sports world. Gone are the tailgate parties, the rivalries, the complaints about ten dollar hot dogs. Fantasy gamers had to stoop to a all time low when we bet on who would say what at the democratic Preseidential debates a few months ago. Well, desperation knows no bounds.
But I digress. I am here to talk about how we can save football. Currently, the players in the NFL have contracts that are a little different from other team sports. They haven’t factored in acts of god such as this virus. The legal term is “force majeure”. This is not in the NFL contract, therefore it gives Roger Goddell, the commissioner of the NFL and the owners control over the schedule. They can most likely shorten the season, but there are issues with things running past the normal playing time, like free agency. All in all if the players do not play, they do not get paid. Which is all well and good for someone like Pat Mahomes, who is a star and has plenty of money, but what about those who make the league minimum, or those rookies who are just starting out? Why should we care?
To me, this is the all -American sport. I have been involved in football since I was a toddler, grown men crying, yelling at the television, it was truly awe- inspiring. Being from Washington DC, I remember going to my grandmother’s house which was a mile away from RFK stadium. It was so loud that we could feel the earth shake outside at the house. I will forever be a Washington fan through the good and the bad, Billy Kilmer to Joe Thiesmann, Doug Williams fantastic run, the fun bunch , and those Hogs. But it is more than just players, it is family memories of football games at picnics, and the annual beach game. We are a football family, for better or worse.
So owners, take notice. Here are my ideas to continue to innovate and keep football alive.
- Play the game. Have players wear shields on their helmets and tested prior to games. Whatever that State is doing for public places, you do. If they are doing half capacity and masking then you do masking for all to get in the stadium and do 1/2 capacity 6 foot distance, keep couples together. Season ticket holders get first dibs.
- To make up the difference sell Virtual seating. Place camera in each section, sell that view in a pay per view style. You could even throw in stadium food package sent to the house.
- Place cameras on all players and coaches, maybe even the water boy or the refs. Sell each of these views for extra charge. These would be premium money. You could pick which one you wanted on a first come first service basis. There would be no audio, and no locker room view. Even if they played regularly, this is a way to earn money, maybe give some to a charity, some to the player .
So even if we cannot be there in person , virtually, there is a way we can still have football, and the NFL can stay afloat. Play on boys, play on.
