NFL: Too Much Money, Too Much Talent and The Integrity of Football

The NFL and Division I College football bring in plenty of money over a course of a whole season. 

Through merchandising and advertising worldwide, as well as "at the stadium" sales, it’s safe to say they gross billions of dollars. But why limit this revenue to 32 teams? Why expand to an 18-game season?

If the integrity of football wants to maintain itself in coming years, some questions need to be answered.

“For the first pick in the 2011 NFL draft, the owners select (enter stud or bust)…”

These are the words most of us will hear come late April, but are the players worth the money? Are they worth the risk? There is too much talent in college football these days to be offering the kind of contracts that players get coming out of the NFL draft.

Don’t get me wrong, many players have been worth the amount paid for even before stepping into a Sunday game (enter Peyton Manning). But why pay these players are paid (ranging $five-six million a year) before even seeing their performance on the biggest stage? It is quite ridiculous.

Recently, the NFL has begun its scenario for expansion and the idea is gaining overwhelming support from owners around the league. To many, this concept is outrageous, with the new addition of the tackling rules to ban “egregious and elevated hits;” why encourage player safety then force a two game expansion? 

The reason is that exactly: Encourage player safety today, so when the expansion rolls around the NFL can say “Well we’re doing everything we can…”

Here’s a proposition. Expand the league, and pay more players.

Bowl week is here and for many of the college football players out there, it’s a chance to showcase their talent before the NFL draft arrives. Of course, once you get through the advertising of the Beef O’ Brady’s bowl and the Maaco bowl, you can appreciate the games being played and the player ability.

As of now, 21 out of 50 states currently have an NFL football team (with three states having three teams); notable football states excluded include Alabama, Iowa, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oregon and West Virginia. 

States, in my opinion, love the game of football based solely off of the pride and tradition of their college football programs. The irony of putting a COLLEGE bowl game into Las Vegas, the leader in sports gambling, every year says enough; why not give the state of Nevada an NFL team as well?

Give these states an NFL team, expand the league and expand the playing field for many deserving college football athletes and fans.

In doing this, if the growth of the sport wasn't already big enough, it will increase even more, along with revenue of course. 

It seems as if everybody will be happy.Good work! I b