The NFL, socialist?

[Bergie Bergeron]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-w5CckZtcNU&feature=player_embedded

From the comments..


Neither I nor Maher are arguing that the NFL is entirely socialist or that U.S. should be. The NFL is also very much capitalist, as is and should remain the U.S. The point, once again, is that by utilizing some socialist ideas, in this case revenue sharing, they all do better in the long run. That is, once again, socialist ideas can be part of a good business strategy. The NFL proves this.

[__27__]

The commentor fails to recognize that the NFL was veiled from competition from it's very infancy. The NFL is a state sponsored monopoly, and saying that it benefits from 'a slightly socialistic' business model is wholly irrelevant to the debate of economics. It is the very fact that the NFL has been removed from the competitive market and is centrally controlled that it NEEDS revenue sharing to exist.

[Fox McCloud]

The commentor fails to recognize that the NFL was veiled from competition from it's very infancy. The NFL is a state sponsored monopoly, and saying that it benefits from 'a slightly socialistic' business model is wholly irrelevant to the debate of economics. It is the very fact that the NFL has been removed from the competitive market and is centrally controlled that it NEEDS revenue sharing to exist.

given that I'm not a fan of sports, I don't know much about their structures....how is the NFL a state sponsored monopoly?

[jkr]

fascism


very much so

[AGRP]

Ironic how former NFL players are refused medical care. Was Limbaugh refused the sale of the Rams? It seems they're an odd combination of many things.

http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/sports/2008/November/Retired-NFL-Players-Win-Lawsuit-Against-Union.html

[mczerone]

1) Voluntary associations can require profit sharing/risk pooling. That's not "socialist wealth redistribution". It could be called communistic, tribalistic, or, what's that word... charitable. Socialist would be requiring all the taxpayers to pitch in on a new stadium owned by the city, sponsored by a state engorged company, and ran at a loss. Oh wait, the NFL already does that too.

2) Detroit. They've gotten how many "special treatment" first draft picks, first free agent picks, etc, in addition to the profit sharing, but they still suck. Could it possibly be related to a poor team work ethic that always thinks that the next special favor will be just what the team needs to succeed - typically a symptom of socialism? If they're gonna say that the socialist policies are essential (or at least not detrimental to) to the success of the NFL, they have to include all the evidence.

3) The NFL is one of the most government entangled businesses in the country - benefiting from the seen effects of policy while the host cities and possible competitors to their product suffer due to lost opportunity.

4) Economic Theory - 0%, Superficial Emotionalism - 100% Maher assumes, but does not prove, that the NFL is successful because of these socialist measures, not in spite of them. He even assumes the NFL is successful - but to what is he comparing? No, he just thinks that "its not fair that rich people have nice things and opportunities", and presumably that "the same guys always win". The solution isn't forcing people to share their money - the solution is competing with a better social product that people voluntarily wish to join more than other products. That may include sharing nice things or letting the disadvantaged take the first turn at an "auction". That's how the NFL beat out the other football products. They didn't go in to other leagues and tell them they had to engage with profit sharing, alone or including the NFL.

If Maher thinks that society should be structured so that wealth should be redistributed, he should be the change he wishes to see in the world. He should refuse transactions with people who don't share whatever portion Maher thinks they should share. He should refuse transactions with people who don't want to tell him what portion of their wealth they are sharing. He should, most importantly, let one poor person decide how much of Maher's own wealth he must give to other poor people. And finally he should only invite guests on his show that (a) have never been on a talk show, or (b) totally failed in their last appearance so that now they need "the first pick in the draft" to get their image back.

I'm about ready to decide that letting Bill Maher remain a free man poses an incredible risk of imminent harm on all of society.

[Ekrub]

given that I'm not a fan of sports, I don't know much about their structures....how is the NFL a state sponsored monopoly?

He's probably referring to the fact that stadiums are generally built on the taxpayers back.

[heavenlyboy34]

I'm about ready to decide that letting Bill Maher remain a free man poses an incredible risk of imminent harm on all of society.

Nah. Maher's always had a rather niche audience, and it seems to be moreso as time goes on. His routines have also been getting progressively less funny for a good while. Besides, in the free market of ideas/opinions, Maher's work won't be any significant threat to society. ;)

[dannno]

In a true free market, media and otherwise, if you had two football leagues and one the teams shared profit and the other they didn't, then the one that didn't share profits would have the most profitable teams at the top and would be able to attract the best players. People would watch that league, players would want to compete in that league, and eventually they would have all the best players.

The other problem with profit sharing is that in smaller towns that don't have a ton of fans get to keep a team where otherwise there might be another bigger city that could support such a team without the help of other teams sharing their profits.

Of course earlier posters got it right, the teams are voluntarily playing in that league and agreed to the profit sharing so it isn't socialism. Technically they should be able to start their own league to compete, but due to media conglomerates that are held up by the FCC it would be nearly impossible to do.

[ClayTrainor]

His routines have also been getting progressively less funny for a good while.

That's a pretty genius play on words, lol. :D

[BamaAla]

He's probably referring to the fact that stadiums are generally built on the taxpayers back.

This, salary caps, strong union, lack of competition, etc.