Why does Roger Goodell still have his job?
… owners understand one thing: $$$
Without doubt, Roger Goodell is the most unpopular head of any professional sport at any point in history. Prove me wrong, but I cannot find the name of anyone nearly as unpopular.
According to a poll about a year ago by Public Policy Polling, Goddell's job approval rating was just 28 percent. That is in range with some of the most unpopular presidents in history.
As a result, last fall the NFL public relations office made an attempt to improve that rating. It was probably unsuccessful. He is still despised by the fans and particularly by the players. Hated may be a more accurate word for how the players feel about him.
Scandals
Then the scandals of the past few years have really taken a toll on the league. Deflategate and the Ray Rice domestic abuse case have done tremendous amounts of damage to its reputation -- and to his.
Bleacher Report's Mike Freeman explains why that is the case. "Despite some of the mistakes Goodell has made, including Deflategate and the Ray Rice fiasco, his footing has stabilized among ownership, even ones who didn't think he was doing a good job," Freeman wrote.
"Why? It's simple. Goodell is the head of the league at a time when it is making unprecedented levels of money, and owners have put aside their issues with him because their pockets are getting fatter."
So, even the owners do not like him, but they are only concerned about the bottom line.
Goodell knows that he is despised in New England, so he did not even go to any of the playoff games there. Deflategate antipathy still runs deep up there, as it always will.
Still, Freeman writes, Goodell has been able to duck and weave his way out of trouble with the guys who pay his wages.
"He did take on one of the most powerful owners in all of sports, Patriots owner Robert Kraft, but all of that has been lost in a haze of money, as one owner put it to me.
"Repeatedly, owners expressed their belief that the NFL has maneuvered its way past three of the biggest land mines it has ever faced: Deflategate, CTE [concussions] and the Rice fiasco.
"Now, owners tell me, the NFL is making more money than it ever has before, and the predictions that the league could possibly suffer a huge blow in popularity haven't materialized."
Keep an eye on popularity
The popularity of the game is something that will bear watching over the next few years. The TV ratings were down last fall, and though some of that may have occurred because of the election, it will be worth watching how it does this year.
When you alienate three cities like the league did in St. Louis, San Diego, and Oakland by moving franchises out of them, you are losing some large swaths of territory.
In addition, many women appear to be losing interest in the game. That could be a result of the concussions problem, which means that many mothers are trying to discourage their sons from playing football at young ages.
According to a Wall Street Journal survey, the number of young boys between the ages of 6 and 18 playing organized football dropped 5.4 percent since 2008. The reason for this is not clear. Perhaps it is fear of concussions, but participation in hockey, which also has high rates of concussions, is growing.
So, if the popularity starts dropping, football could have some problems.
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban predicted last year that oversaturation would kill the NFL. For instance, playing games on Thursday nights.
According to a poll about a year ago by Public Policy Polling, Goddell's job approval rating was just 28 percent. That is in range with some of the most unpopular presidents in history.
As a result, last fall the NFL public relations office made an attempt to improve that rating. It was probably unsuccessful. He is still despised by the fans and particularly by the players. Hated may be a more accurate word for how the players feel about him.
Scandals
Then the scandals of the past few years have really taken a toll on the league. Deflategate and the Ray Rice domestic abuse case have done tremendous amounts of damage to its reputation -- and to his.
Bleacher Report's Mike Freeman explains why that is the case. "Despite some of the mistakes Goodell has made, including Deflategate and the Ray Rice fiasco, his footing has stabilized among ownership, even ones who didn't think he was doing a good job," Freeman wrote.
"Why? It's simple. Goodell is the head of the league at a time when it is making unprecedented levels of money, and owners have put aside their issues with him because their pockets are getting fatter."
So, even the owners do not like him, but they are only concerned about the bottom line.
Goodell knows that he is despised in New England, so he did not even go to any of the playoff games there. Deflategate antipathy still runs deep up there, as it always will.
Still, Freeman writes, Goodell has been able to duck and weave his way out of trouble with the guys who pay his wages.
"He did take on one of the most powerful owners in all of sports, Patriots owner Robert Kraft, but all of that has been lost in a haze of money, as one owner put it to me.
"Repeatedly, owners expressed their belief that the NFL has maneuvered its way past three of the biggest land mines it has ever faced: Deflategate, CTE [concussions] and the Rice fiasco.
"Now, owners tell me, the NFL is making more money than it ever has before, and the predictions that the league could possibly suffer a huge blow in popularity haven't materialized."
Keep an eye on popularity
The popularity of the game is something that will bear watching over the next few years. The TV ratings were down last fall, and though some of that may have occurred because of the election, it will be worth watching how it does this year.
When you alienate three cities like the league did in St. Louis, San Diego, and Oakland by moving franchises out of them, you are losing some large swaths of territory.
In addition, many women appear to be losing interest in the game. That could be a result of the concussions problem, which means that many mothers are trying to discourage their sons from playing football at young ages.
According to a Wall Street Journal survey, the number of young boys between the ages of 6 and 18 playing organized football dropped 5.4 percent since 2008. The reason for this is not clear. Perhaps it is fear of concussions, but participation in hockey, which also has high rates of concussions, is growing.
So, if the popularity starts dropping, football could have some problems.
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban predicted last year that oversaturation would kill the NFL. For instance, playing games on Thursday nights.
Safe for now
However, until that happens, it looks like Goodell's job is safe. His approval rating among fans may not climb out of the 20s, but for now, it does not matter.
The owners decide who runs the league, and all they care about is money. Which could eventually be the downfall of football.
Comments
Post a Comment