To fix itself, the NFL must redress its oligarchical ownership system, clean house at the top, and speed up the game.
The first step is for state legislatures to follow the example of Rep. Kenny Havard of Louisiana, who wants to reduce the tax breaks afforded to the New Orleans Saints. While it is true that NFL teams generate significant revenues for local economies, it is ludicrous that so many state governments throw such vast sums of public money at billionaire owners.
But another way to address this issue would be to change the way in which a team is authorized to relocate in the first place. I believe the league should abandon the current oligarchical system that dominates its decision-making. At present, a team can be moved if 75 percent of NFL owners vote in favor. Yet because each owner has a vested interest in maximizing his future freedom to move, fan interests are relegated in these deliberations.
Fans should demand that power over voting decisions be shared with them. One solution would be for the league to allow more teams to adopt the Green Bay Packers’ management system, under which fan-shareholders have oversight over an executive committee.
Alternatively, the league might give each team’s season ticket holders an annual vote to elect a representative on an NFL super committee. Owners would be included on that committee, but their influence would be matched 1-1 by fans. The committee would then be responsible for all NFL concerns to include game rules, pay caps, health policies, and team relocations. Such a committee would immediately democratize the NFL’s Soviet-style governing system.
Next, the NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell, needs to go.
Goodell’s apparent submission on Tuesday that national anthem protests should be banned is further proof that the league’s commander-in-chief is incapable of leading. In the league’s idiotic showdown with President Trump (both sides are behaving moronically, in my opinion), Goodell has now decided that the league must yield. His about-face is quite pathetic, but nothing new. During “Deflategate,” Sen. John McCain memorably noted that Goodell is always behind the curve. As McCain put it, “One thing we do in politics when there’s an issue that arises, smart politicians have a rapid-response team. What is the reaction of Mr. Goodell in this latest one? He’s MIA as far as I can tell.”
The Arizona Republican is right: The NFL commissioner is always MIA, happy to collect his $30 million or so annual salary while hiding in five-star hotels. The league needs a new commissioner who is passionate about the sport and capable of making bold decisions to ensure it thrives. I suggest former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who has already expressed interest in the job.
All this said, the game itself needs to change. In my opinion, declining NFL TV ratings are not so much about the anthem protests, but about the tardiness of each game. Thanks to the greed of team owners, TV rights deals have become ever more expensive. In turn, to recoup their investment, TV networks must sell vast amounts of advertising time during each game. Goodell has gestured towards addressing this issue; in May, he reduced the commercial game impact by around five minutes. But more must be done.
Indeed, it’s in the NFL’s interest to take a lead here. If not, the reckoning may be forced upon them during the next round of NFL TV rights negotiations. Declining subscribers for cable outlets like ESPN and reduced NFL viewing figures for other outlets suggest the networks will push teams to reduce their TV rights asking prices. But if the NFL gets ahead of the curve and speeds up games before then, and viewer ratings then increase, they’ll be able to continue charging higher prices to the networks.
Regardless, the NFL needs to take action soon. If not, its problems will only grow.
