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Based on reports from the National Football League and spokesmen from the NFL Players Association, it appears a strike is looming on the horizon. Would we be better off if Christine Aguilera and the Black Eyed Peas had a work stoppage?
It seems that the major point of disagreement between the two sides is about money. Make no mistake about it, the NFL is a multibillion-dollar corporation. The owners of each team are the employers and the players are the employees.
In Business 101, we learn that the entrepreneur, the business owner, is the risk taker. That person has an obligation to pay the business employees a fair wage. And if the employee exceeds the standard, a bonus may be in order. If successful, the owner of the business also enjoys the reward of taking the risk.
Yes, it is difficult not to be successful as an NFL owner. The simple fact is the players are employees of the team and make a fair wage. In 2009, the average salary for a player was $770,000 per year. That does not include the other bonuses and incentives in player contracts.
Boys, you are great athletes, not business owners. If you want to get a larger piece of the pie, buy ownership in the team you play for. Otherwise, let's get back to work.
J.C. Smith
Gainesville