Roger Goodell says NFL faces economic challenges

[Obamarulz11]

SAN ANTONIO - The NFL faces challenges in weathering the economic downturn despite the game's popularity, commissioner Roger Goodell said on Wednesday.

Responding to questions during a business leaders luncheon, Goodell said the NFL is not recession proof, citing stadium financing and struggles by the league's sponsors as specific problems.

Borrowing money has become difficult and expensive as credit has tightened, potentially hampering stadium projects, and many companies that the league relies on for sponsorships have had to cut back.

Fans, worried about their household finances, are feeling the effects also, he said.

We're all feeling the pinch right now, some more than others, and it's something we want to remain sensitive to," Goodell said, speaking at the University of the Incarnate Word. The school next fall will field the city's first college football team since the 1970s.

San Antonio, a fast-growing city on the southern end of a football-crazy state, wants an NFL franchise, but Goodell said expanding the number of teams in the league isn't being seriously considered.

The only expansion being analyzed is the length of the regular season. He's said several times he'd like to move two of the four preseason games into the regular season, taking the regular season up to 18 games.

"I don't believe the quality of our preseason game is up to NFL standards," he said, though he noted no decision has been made on whether to pursue the expansion.

Such a move would require agreement from the players' union and changes to television contracts.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081008/ap_on_sp_fo_ne/fbn_goodell_economy;_ylt=A0wNcwnWJu1IWncABw2s0NUE

[JohnMcCant2008]

1. Bail 'em out. Why the fuck not? Everyone else is getting some. Or maybe we'll nationalize sports

teams now too.

[hatrack]

2. Well, let's see . . . parking for NFL games went from $25 to $30 here last year . . .

The cheapest nosebleed single tickets cost $41 a pop, add in $6 warm beer, $7 nachos and $8 hot dogs, and toss in the pleasures of standing in puddles of piss in the men's room, avoiding drunk drivers and watching fights break out after losing games.

Gosh, before you know it, you've pretty much defined "family fun" from here till the end of time, huh?

And these guys are wondering why sales are off? :eyes:

[Blue_Tires]

3. well the TV contract money is still coming in, so

the stadiums don't need to sell a single GA ticket for the league to make money...

and despite the logistical and scheduling headaches, i'm suprised the league isn't seriously entertaining setting up a franchise in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, or San Antonio...The franchise fee the NFL could charge one of those cities would last a LONG time (the league is still spending cash from the Houston Texans franchise fee, which was like 700 million, iirc...)

fwiw Curly Lambeau's franchise fee for the Packers was $25(!)

[ShortnFiery]

4. Comcast lost my season contract when they are dubbing Palin "The Quintessential Hockey Mom"

:grr:

http://www.comcast.net/articles/sports-nhl/20081008/Flyers-Palin/

Palin set to drop puck at Philadelphia NHL game (Saturday Flyers vs. Rangers)

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Sarah Palin's next faceoff will come at center ice at an NHL arena, not at a debate.

The GOP vice presidential nominee will drop the ceremonial first puck when the Philadelphia Flyers open the regular season against the New York Rangers on Saturday. Palin, the Alaska governor and self-described ``hockey mom,'' will join the winner of a team promotion for the ``Ultimate Hockey Mom'' to drop the puck. Last month, Palin visited a Philadelphia bar with Flyers owner Ed Snider, who has donated money to Republican presidential nominee John McCain's campaign.

``Because of the tremendous amount of publicity she has brought to our sport, we invited the most popular hockey mom in North America to our home opener to help us get our season started,'' Snider said in a team statement Wednesday. ``We are very excited she has accepted our offer and we are very proud of the publicity she is generating for hockey moms and the sport of hockey.''

The team will award all hockey moms entered into the contest with a free ``puck-er peach'' lipstick and four tickets to a hockey game of the Flyers' minor league affiliate, the Philadelphia Phantoms. The winner will appear on the ice with Palin for opening faceoff.

[ShortnFiery]

5. Instead of buying the season of NHL through Comcast - I'll flip the bucks for the Capitols Games and

see them live. Up close and personal. :P

Palin is an insult to HONEST hard working women not to mention democratic "hockey moms."

[sharp_stick]

6. Geez Rog.

All I can say is awww shucks. Nobody can afford to go to one of your little stadiums anymore because of scams like seat leases and outrageous ticket/parking/beer/food prices. I hope and hope and hope that this little recession hurts you more than me.