NFL--NBA who really???

Upcoming NFL season and next years NBA season who really cares if they settle. I for one could care less if they settle. Just think of all the colleges that would benefit from the TV monies rolling into they conferences. Let see on the other hand the owners could always make up for their loses by passing along increases to their loyal fans and charge more for tickets, beer and food at the game. On the other hand if there is no settlement just think of all the nice homes (players) that would be sittting back in the hands of the banks for non payments. It sad when all they are thinking about in the NFL is how they are going to cut up the 9.3 million dollars. I may be mistaken but I believe the whole thing started because of this. Bring on good college games on Sunday and mondays nights and I would one would not miss a beat.

The loss to the sports books in Vegas would be huge. Many people would be laid off because of a downturn in business.

Sue's right about the impact on sports books (especially with the NFL). As for the TV money going to the colleges, those contracts were signed months or years ago, and unless the colleges want to play hardball or the broadcasters are feeling generous, I don't see them getting a lot more money even if the NFL doesn't play at all this season. The NBA/NCAA might be a different story, but that's peanuts by comparison.

The impact goes way beyond sports books. To name just one industry: It would impact individuals all over the country who have invested every dime they have to their name in restaurants and sports bars and all of minimum wage servers who rely on tips to pay their way through college who may have a dip in income even if they don't have a team in their city. And there will be a big ripple effect in NFL and NBA cities. Surely, this needs no further explanation??

Ahh, if life were as simple as we wish it were.

I understand that there would be an negative impact on Sportsbooks in LV. I know there are people who are only interested in betting on Pro games however I'm sure a true gambler would find somewhere to bet his money. Sunday college football would not be that far out of the picture. I'm sure TV would be ready and willing to pay college conferences TV monies for Sunday games. Biggest thing is people making a change in their plans for Sunday college insead of Saturday. People plans probably have been made for road trips to college games may create a problem. The buck has to stop somewhere. Try to take a family of 4 even to a baseball game and it gets quite expensive (tickets, gas, soveniers, and food) let alone an attending an NFL game. I think the word greed has to enter the picture somewhere whether it be on the Owners part or the Players. I not taking a stand for either side but ticket pricing and salaries are way out of line.

Greek, if it were only about how much of the pie the owners or the players get, 99 percent of us wouldn't give a flip.

I don't think salaries are out of line, when one considers the incredible punishment that players' bodies take each season in exchange for those salaries, and add in the incredible punishment that tens of thousands of prospective players' bodies take each season in hopes of playing in the NFL.

NFL football is an extremely brutal sport and takes many years of the typical player's lifespan. The typical player plays 3.5 years for 1.9 million a year. But think of how many bodies get ruined in high school and college so one player can have an average career?

Sure, $5.7 million will buy a lot of aspirin and ice. But when you consider the lifelong physical consequences of that career, and the undeniable fact that most ex-players leave the game at 29 with few marketable skills, I'm very glad that wasn't my path.

I work for a company that installs AV systems at a well know sports bar group through out the country and we have seen job loss from the scare of not having a NFL season. Owner are not wanting to upgrade and put new stores on the back burner till they know there will a football season. We have not hired our normal summer help this year. In fact I'm not sure how much longer I will have my job if things don't pick up. The owner and player may lose, but is will the everyday working guy who really will end up losing the most. I enjoy my Sunday afternoons watching the games as I don't get to see alot of college games as the rights have been bought up by the sports networks (channels I don't get), and while I would miss those Sunday afternoons--I would miss my paycheck more. Lets hope things get resolved to prevent more unemployment which is something no area of the country needs.

I for one look at the salaries paid to players in a lot of sports are way out of line not just a tad. Yes maybe a Pro football is a brutal sport and it take its toll on their bodies but that is a fact well know before they even sign on the dotted line. Hockey is a brutal sport, boxing is a brutal sport, NACAR is a brutal the list goes on and on. I said salaries are not the players fault so much as the owners that agree to pay that much. I see they all went home for the holiday to enjoy and will resume talks later next week. I'm sure there are a lot of other people lives that will be touched if a settlement cannot be reached but there are decisions everyday that effect people in the same fashion but in different areas of the business world today. I say both owners and players are pimping out the fans. Again I will say I'm not on owners or players side on a decision whether there will be a settlement and a full season this year. There are way too many other problems facing Americans today and these talks are really not on my top five list of things to worry about. Baseball took one big hit in fan base with strikes history may just repeat itself unless a settlement can be reached.

I don't think the money paid to high-profile athletes is any more out of line than the money paid to top-flight entertainers. Look how much money certain actors make per film. Anyone want to take a guess on how much money Lady Ca-Ca (no it's NOT a typo) made last year?

Yes, the salaries are something you and I can't comprehend - well I can't anyway. But even, and maybe particularly during trying economic conditions, these people provide a valuable escape from day-to-day realities for a lot of people. Bottom line, LeBron James is almost impossible to replace and he still generates a profit for his employer, the companies he endorses, etc. Ultimately, we're paid on our abilities to generate profits and on the difficulty in replacing us.

The teams do pimp out the fans and despite their public statements, they couldn't give a rat's ass less about the fans. But that's our fault - we let them. When the labor issues are settled, the fans will come back, paying whatever they want to charge for tickets, beers, jerseys, foam fingers, and anything else they want to sell us.