How the film "Concussion" Skirts the NFL’s Trademarks

[chris98251]

Guess operating costs didn't figure in to that or Player Salaries. Allen didn't buy the team to make MONEY, he bought it to keep the team in Seattle.

He had to be lobbied to do it, so the greed aspect of Allen can be thrown out the window, in fact he was pretty disassociated with the NFL and missed a lot of meetings or would send representatives for many years, the league use to really frown on this about him.

 

[rideaducati]

Guess operating costs didn't figure in to that or Player Salaries. Allen didn't buy the team to make MONEY, he bought it to keep the team in Seattle.

He had to be lobbied to do it, so the greed aspect of Allen can be thrown out the window, in fact he was pretty disassociated with the NFL and missed a lot of meetings or would send representatives for many years, the league use to really frown on this about him.

The salary cap is just about equal to what each owner gets and that does NOT include concessions and parking and stadium naming rights.

Teams are being bought for a BILLION dollars nowadays. Businessmen don't buy businesses unless there is money to be made. If you think someone is going to spend a BILLION dollars on a business that won't pay for itself within ten years, then you're mistaken.

The Packers organization showed a $29 million dollar profit last year and that was AFTER they deducted the almost $100 million in upgrades they made to their stadium. They don't sell naming rights either. They also don't charge the outrageous amounts for parking and concessions as most teams.

 

[hawknation2015]

I'm watching it now. It's very well done.

 

[chris98251]

Guess operating costs didn't figure in to that or Player Salaries. Allen didn't buy the team to make MONEY, he bought it to keep the team in Seattle.

He had to be lobbied to do it, so the greed aspect of Allen can be thrown out the window, in fact he was pretty disassociated with the NFL and missed a lot of meetings or would send representatives for many years, the league use to really frown on this about him.

The salary cap is just about equal to what each owner gets and that does NOT include concessions and parking and stadium naming rights.

Teams are being bought for a BILLION dollars nowadays. Businessmen don't buy businesses unless there is money to be made. If you think someone is going to spend a BILLION dollars on a business that won't pay for itself within ten years, then you're mistaken.

The Packers organization showed a $29 million dollar profit last year and that was AFTER they deducted the almost $100 million in upgrades they made to their stadium. They don't sell naming rights either. They also don't charge the outrageous amounts for parking and concessions as most teams.

Allen didn't spend a Billion dollars to buy the Seahawks.

In 1996, Behring and Hoffman transferred the team's operations to Anaheim, California, a widely criticized move, although the team continued to play in Seattle. The team almost relocated, and was in bankruptcy for a short period. They sold the team to Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen in 1997, for $200 million

Allen was worth about 16 Billion or so around then if memory serves, 200 Million was a favor to Seattle.

 

[hawknation2015]

Wow! Really? I guess personal responsibility is dead.

Don't kid yourself. It's not taking personal responsibility when the NFL is denying and blocking research into the longterm effects of concussions.

And the NFL was certainly not allowing the players to take personal responsibility when they were depriving them of the information they needed to make an informed decision.

Now that this information is finally coming to light, the game is changing for the better by taking contact to the head out of it.

 

[Rob12]

Honestly, every football fan should boycott this movie. Football will evolve into two hand touch the way this is going. ..

Football players are well compensated to play a sport they all know can be hazardous to their health. That's always been the case. So why should we (the fans) care about this movie? I have no idea.

This is such BS.

As a Seahawks fan, I don't want to see Russell Wilson losing his mind at 55. I don't want to read any stories about Bobby Wagner forgetting how to get back to his house when he leaves for the grocery store. I don't want to read these stories. Do you? If we're real 12's, we actually have emotional investments into the players that make up the SEATTLE SEAHAWKS... If we don't, we're no different than those ancient spectators in Rome who cheered when the gladiators killed off their opponent. We just want blood, and victory, and we don't give a damn about the people that bring that entertainment to us.

Look dude, we all love this game. We all love this team. That's why we're here, right? But the league needs to continue to make the game more safe for the players. To not do so with the evidence that is there is reckless. I actually thought Ricardo Lockette died on the field in that Dallas game. No movement, and players were shedding tears. What you're saying is that you want to take the humanity out of this game, and you simply cannot do that. Yes, they make millions, but in any endeavor in life you want to make sure that you go home intact at the end of the day. I work in a prison, and I make a fourth of what Kam Chancellor forfeited during the first two games of this season, but if my employer didn't continually look for ways to increase the odds that I go home intact to my wife and three boys after each day, they're doing me and mine a giant disservice. Not sure if you agree or not, but whatever.

The NFL is NO WHERE NEAR "touch football." What you're doing is taking an extreme stance on a highly volatile and serious issue, and you make little sense. To say that football fans should boycott evidence is reckless and irrational, and emotionless as well. If I'm in a dangerous occupation that I love, I still would expect those in power to protect me when given the opportunity to do so.

Can't wait to see (and support) this move, all while still loving my Seahawks and the game of football.

 

[Rob12]

Wow! Really? I guess personal responsibility is dead.

Don't kid yourself. It's not taking personal responsibility when the NFL is denying and blocking research into the longterm effects of concussions.

And the NFL was certainly not allowing the players to take personal responsibility when they were depriving them of the information they needed to make an informed decision.

Now that this information is finally coming to light, the game is changing for the better by taking contact to the head out of it.

+1

No place for head to head contact in this league. None. That's why I hope we get to the point where players like Odell Beckham miss out on a quarter of a season's worth of checks to think about that.

 

[Rob12]

Guess operating costs didn't figure in to that or Player Salaries. Allen didn't buy the team to make MONEY, he bought it to keep the team in Seattle.

He had to be lobbied to do it, so the greed aspect of Allen can be thrown out the window, in fact he was pretty disassociated with the NFL and missed a lot of meetings or would send representatives for many years, the league use to really frown on this about him.

Of course Allen wanted to keep the team in Seattle, but you don't think a savvy businessman didn't see dollar signs there? I mean the man has been successful at nearly every stop in his life - you don't think he didn't see a profit there? If I'm Paul Allen, and I'm a billionaire, and have been successful most of my life, I'm not making an investment like that unless I believe that there is money to be made there.

After all, the Sonics are gone. Obviously, no local buyers thought they were worth the risk. Clay Bennett did.

I don't think Allen was greedy with the purchase of the Hawks in the least, but I do think that he felt over time it would be a great financial investment for him. To think otherwise kind of flies in the face of guys like him who consistently find themselves on the Forbes list, no?

 

[Rob12]

Tell you what, let's fix the VA first. In a country where we have vets with missing limbs and other post combat injuries that are swept under the rug of public concern, you're going to have a really hard time getting me to weep for millionaire former football players.

Despite my other posts, this is fair. Really, really fair.

 

[hawknation2015]

Tell you what, let's fix the VA first. In a country where we have vets with missing limbs and other post combat injuries that are swept under the rug of public concern, you're going to have a really hard time getting me to weep for millionaire former football players.

Why can't we seek to do both?

 

[rideaducati]

Guess operating costs didn't figure in to that or Player Salaries. Allen didn't buy the team to make MONEY, he bought it to keep the team in Seattle.

He had to be lobbied to do it, so the greed aspect of Allen can be thrown out the window, in fact he was pretty disassociated with the NFL and missed a lot of meetings or would send representatives for many years, the league use to really frown on this about him.

The salary cap is just about equal to what each owner gets and that does NOT include concessions and parking and stadium naming rights.

Teams are being bought for a BILLION dollars nowadays. Businessmen don't buy businesses unless there is money to be made. If you think someone is going to spend a BILLION dollars on a business that won't pay for itself within ten years, then you're mistaken.

The Packers organization showed a $29 million dollar profit last year and that was AFTER they deducted the almost $100 million in upgrades they made to their stadium. They don't sell naming rights either. They also don't charge the outrageous amounts for parking and concessions as most teams.

Allen didn't spend a Billion dollars to buy the Seahawks.

In 1996, Behring and Hoffman transferred the team's operations to Anaheim, California, a widely criticized move, although the team continued to play in Seattle. The team almost relocated, and was in bankruptcy for a short period. They sold the team to Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen in 1997, for $200 million

Allen was worth about 16 Billion or so around then if memory serves, 200 Million was a favor to Seattle.

I know what Paul Allen paid for the Seahawks. I know what the Seahawks are worth now. I am not including those figures in the billion that I believe he has made from his ownership of the Seahawks. We will never know for sure what the NFL owners make because they REFUSE to open their books when the players do their collective bargaining.

I stated that teams are being bought for a billion dollars. The Buffalo Bills were just sold for OVER a billion dollars. That team has the worst stadium in the league and is located in a very small market. The people that bought the team aren't even football fans, they are in it for the money.

$9 BILLION. The NFL made $9 BILLION last year. That is roughly $281 Million per team. Subtract the salary cap of $143 million and you have $138 million going to each owner. These figures don't include any of the concessions, parking, or naming rights that the owners get either. Sure, owners have differing expenditures, but even with expenditures these owners are cashing in pretty well.

 

[Hawk-Lock]

Honestly, every football fan should boycott this movie. Football will evolve into two hand touch the way this is going. ..

Football players are well compensated to play a sport they all know can be hazardous to their health. That's always been the case. So why should we (the fans) care about this movie? I have no idea.

This is such BS.

As a Seahawks fan, I don't want to see Russell Wilson losing his mind at 55. I don't want to read any stories about Bobby Wagner forgetting how to get back to his house when he leaves for the grocery store. I don't want to read these stories. Do you? If we're real 12's, we actually have emotional investments into the players that make up the SEATTLE SEAHAWKS... If we don't, we're no different than those ancient spectators in Rome who cheered when the gladiators killed off their opponent. We just want blood, and victory, and we don't give a damn about the people that bring that entertainment to us.

Look dude, we all love this game. We all love this team. That's why we're here, right? But the league needs to continue to make the game more safe for the players. To not do so with the evidence that is there is reckless. I actually thought Ricardo Lockette died on the field in that Dallas game. No movement, and players were shedding tears. What you're saying is that you want to take the humanity out of this game, and you simply cannot do that. Yes, they make millions, but in any endeavor in life you want to make sure that you go home intact at the end of the day. I work in a prison, and I make a fourth of what Kam Chancellor forfeited during the first two games of this season, but if my employer didn't continually look for ways to increase the odds that I go home intact to my wife and three boys after each day, they're doing me and mine a giant disservice. Not sure if you agree or not, but whatever.

The NFL is NO WHERE NEAR "touch football." What you're doing is taking an extreme stance on a highly volatile and serious issue, and you make little sense. To say that football fans should boycott evidence is reckless and irrational, and emotionless as well. If I'm in a dangerous occupation that I love, I still would expect those in power to protect me when given the opportunity to do so.

Can't wait to see (and support) this move, all while still loving my Seahawks and the game of football.

Great post. 100% agree with what you said. Life is bigger than the NFL. We need to make sure our Seahawks and other players have a safe and good life after football. There are ways to keep the game competitive and exciting while making it safer at the same time.

How'd you like the movie (saw your post that you watched it)? I thought it was one of the better movies I've seen this year. And I like how they didn't make it into a "football" movie so everyone can watch it.

 

[joeseahawks]

The real impact of this film will be on the parents. Knowing what you know (from the movie), would you let your children play football? Kurt Warner once said, he wouldn't let his kids play.
Once we learned that tobacco caused cancer, we banned it for children under 18.

Just imagine we told kids they couldn't play football until the age of 18. Which has been suggested by the doctor in an Oped in the Wall Street Journal.

The very sad part about this discussion is the constant claims that "Players get compensated very well". Which is a massive lie. Less than 1% of those who play actually get any money from this. How about those who play in high school? College (and never get drafted, or don't even have a scholarship)? This is not only about the NFL, this is about the whole football infrastructure, starting in High School. The NFL is just the tip of this iceberg. Players at lower levels are not less impacted than those who made a fortune. Furthermore, the guys who really get paid are the QBs, who don't want to get hit anyway ...

The San Diego Chargers franchise will double in value, once they move from San Diego to L.A. Same for the RAMs Franchise. When people tell you that owners don't make money in this ... another massive lie.
Donald Sterling bought the L.A. Clippers for $12millions and sold it for $2 billions. Some people will still tell us that, the owners didn't make money on it, because he had to pay taxes. Unbelievable.

 

[rideaducati]

I just watched the movie...not too impressed and it was rather boring. Football has changed and the coaching has changed because of this guy and players now are more aware of what the repercussions of head injuries later in life so now they'll take more care when they actually DO have their bells rung, which is a good thing.

I still think the NFL owners should do more to help the past players that didn't make the millions that today's players are making. Without the former players doing what they did, these owners don't have nearly what they have now.

 

[Keyhawk]

Saw it today. Pretty powerful movie that could influence parents' decisions on letting their children play football.

 

[Rob12]

I have three boys - ages 5, 3, and 2. If they're anything like me growing up, they will be jocks and love the big three (football, baseball, basketball). They could suffer significant injuries in all three of those sports. Obviously, the odds with football raises those odds quite a bit.

The thought of them playing football is a troubling one for me. But then again, so is them getting their driver's license at age 16. There are so many risks in this world, and you simply can't shelter them from most of those risks. I have to let my boys live, and make choices for themselves. To not let them live would really be a reflection on myself as a dad, because my job is to prepare them for life's risks.

With that said, I'll discourage them from playing football. If they love it, and if me not letting them play will significantly impact them, I'll let them make their own decision. I'll be very involved, and would possibly get into coaching football if they were playing. We live in a small town, which I love, because though sports are important, they're not life and death. They're not going to be throwing the pads on until they're at least teenagers.

It's a tough decision as a dad. But I'm not going to make it a black and white one.

 

[chris98251]

It's about coaching, I taught my kids technique and how to protect themselves, I also had a good med kit always on the sidelines. I won't say my kids didn't get hurt, but I will say the most serious injuries were due to other teams cheap hits and spearing, a couple broken arms ala Rams cheap hits. Taught never lead with your head use shoulders and wrap up, when carrying the ball and stood up and not gaining yards better to go down and not take additional hits. Also when on the defensive line keep your arms 3/4 extended and on the lineman and ride them down and don't let them get to your knees till you get past them to the runner.

None of it's full proof, but they at least knew how to react and protect themselves from players that didn't play clean or know good technique.

Most my kids went on to play High School football, I made the playoffs every year, didn't win a championship mostly because I played everyone equally, I figured that the junior level was about teaching them to learn the game and enjoy it, not taking a handful of studs and letting them dominate.

Funny thing is, a lot of those studs had reached their pinnacle at that age, the other kids matured and kept growing and became the better High School player and I think kept playing because they were given the chance early on.

 

[kf3339]

To me here is the thing about football and those who play the game at the high school, college and professional level.

THEY ALL know the "RISK" of playing the game. Don't let this sorry excuse for a movie let you think anything different. The players who make it to college and the NFL have other priorities, be they scholarships or the chance to make it in the NFL. For those who do make it to the professional level they can make FAR more money than most other professions. Especially at that age.

So while I feel for those who are impacted by concussions and truly hope they are able to recover, I also believe they knew the risks and chose to ignore it and play the game. This is even true if you go back to players 40-50 years ago.

It is important to put this subject in context. Professional fighters know the risk of being hit in the head can over time make you punch drunk from repeated head concussions. I have heard that term used for 50+ years. And yet no football player has heard that term and equated it to the chance that the same thing could happen to them with repeated hits to the head, even wearing a helmet? I just don't believe it and this film will not change my mind.

Last, the comment earlier about lets fix the VA where I have real sympathy for those who risked their lives for this country should be the priority. Yet here they are asking us to watch a movie about NFL players who were paid to play a game they wanted to participate? No one drafted them. No one put a gun to their head to sign a contract. If they understood the risks and still played it's on them. If they didn't understand the risks then they are just stupid.

So I have sympathy but that is about it for me. For those of you who don't agree, fine. I really could care less. Everyone can have their own opinion which is fine with me.

 

[OahuHawkFan]

To me here is the thing about football and those who play the game at the high school, college and professional level.

THEY ALL know the "RISK" of playing the game. Don't let this sorry excuse for a movie let you think anything different. The players who make it to college and the NFL have other priorities, be they scholarships or the chance to make it in the NFL. For those who do make it to the professional level they can make FAR more money than most other professions. Especially at that age.

So while I feel for those who are impacted by concussions and truly hope they are able to recover, I also believe they knew the risks and chose to ignore it and play the game. This is even true if you go back to players 40-50 years ago.

It is important to put this subject in context. Professional fighters know the risk of being hit in the head can over time make you punch drunk from repeated head concussions. I have heard that term used for 50+ years. And yet no football player has heard that term and equated it to the chance that the same thing could happen to them with repeated hits to the head, even wearing a helmet? I just don't believe it and this film will not change my mind.

Last, the comment earlier about lets fix the VA where I have real sympathy for those who risked their lives for this country should be the priority. Yet here they are asking us to watch a movie about NFL players who were paid to play a game they wanted to participate? No one drafted them. No one put a gun to their head to sign a contract. If they understood the risks and still played it's on them. If they didn't understand the risks then they are just stupid.

So I have sympathy but that is about it for me. For those of you who don't agree, fine. I really could care less. Everyone can have their own opinion which is fine with me.

Well said sir!

For a while there, I thought I might be going insane thinking I was the only football "fan" who saw right through the blatant (basically) extortion this film represents.

If you want to kill the sport of football, feel free to market the heck out of this. Personally, I happen to know the world is not a safe place, and there are a lot of dangerous trades that don't receive near the pay of most football players. Most posters on this board would love to have that talent, and would gladly and knowingly take those risks for that paycheck.

Here I am getting called out as heartless for my view on this.... Wow! Quite a world we live in. I think some people might learn more from the movie "Idiocracy". Apparently, that's the world we're trying to create.

 

[ivotuk]

This post has gotten wayyy off topic.