The duality of the NFL business model

[MightyGiants]

This week's Hard Knocks drove home the dual nature of the NFL business (from the perspective of the owner).   During the discussion about Barkley, John Mara spoke about Barkley's popularity among fans.   That drove home to me that owners have concerns beyond winning.  Namely, owners have to care about selling tickets, luxury suites, and sponsorships.  So, while a GM is not likely to care about how popular or unpopular a player is among fans, the owner is going to care about those things.   I also appreciate that one could argue winning solves everything, but winning is far from certain for any given season.  So owners really can't ignore the fans and other non-competitive issues.

[kartanoman]

It's about profit and loss (P&L).

Look at how Mara and Tisch have built their business model to achieve P&L, taking into account the higher taxes and overall cost of living in the NY Metropolitan area, and compare/contrast it to the business models of some other big name teams (e.g. New England, Dallas). If you laid out those three organizations' business models, how would they be similar? How would they be different? If "cost of living factor" could be neutralized, which of them has the best model, not only in terms of P&L but on-field results and why?

Now, with having a little more insight into a "day in the life" of John Mara, if I wanted to become the richest NFL franchise, how do I go about doing it, apart from the obvious "Just win, baby!"

Peace!

[MightyGiants]

It's about profit and loss (P&L).

Look at how Mara and Tisch have built their business model to achieve P&L, taking into account the higher taxes and overall cost of living in the NY Metropolitan area, and compare/contrast it to the business models of some other big name teams (e.g. New England, Dallas). If you laid out those three organizations' business models, how would they be similar? How would they be different? If "cost of living factor" could be neutralized, which of them has the best model, not only in terms of P&L but on-field results and why?

Now, with having a little more insight into a "day in the life" of John Mara, if I wanted to become the richest NFL franchise, how do I go about doing it, apart from the obvious "Just win, baby!"

Peace!

Chris,

I think there are three usually transitory modes fans can be in:

1)  They are rooting for a winning team that is regularly in the playoffs and often competing for a Super Bowl

2)  There is a mixture of good and bad

3)  The team is in the middle of long stretch of futility


I think that, as an owner, the goal is to be in stage one.  If you are in stage 3, I think it impacts your profit.  I think if you are in stage 3 (like the Giants), then the owner is more focused on anything and everything (like not losing popular players) to try and keep the fans engaged.

[BluesCruz]

Chris,

I think there are three usually transitory modes fans can be in:

1)  They are rooting for a winning team that is regularly in the playoffs and often competing for a Super Bowl

2)  There is a mixture of good and bad

3)  The team is in the middle of long stretch of futility


I think that, as an owner, the goal is to be in stage one.  If you are in stage 3, I think it impacts your profit.  I think if you are in stage 3 (like the Giants), then the owner is more focused on anything and everything (like not losing popular players) to try and keep the fans engaged.

I agree 1000% but what about the GM (and HC).  He needs to WIN.  Keeping the fans happy for him means WINNING.  Id say most of us like Schoens style and personna all the fbombs aside (that shocked me) but if the losing continues Schoen will soon join our long line of management shown the door.