Global Crisis and Sports: What Happens When The Fountain Stops?

The global crisis is here, there is no denial of that. And it's not the ordinary people who are losing their money, the billionaires are feeling it too. Chelsea's owner Abramovich has lost an estimated £3 bio, but do not think that NFL or NBA owners have not lost their money.

They might not sell their franchises, but that is not the main problem. The problem is that some owners will have to cut their generous financial aids in this time of crisis. What will happen to the big contracts?

Teams are living beyond their capacities. That is the problem. There are only three teams that can escape this future: Manchester United, the Dallas Cowboys, and the Washington Redskins. These are the three franchises that may escape the crisis, if it hits as bad as some think that it will.

The major leagues are sponsored by big companies that are experiencing some difficulties right now. The problem is this: if you were a manager would you cut 1,000 workers or take some money from your NFL sponsorship deal? An honest person would consider the first option.

ManU's sponsor AIG had to be bailed out, what about Ford and all the others that supported sports franchises?

The problem is larger for smaller teams.

What will happen to teams in smaller markets? Minnesota Vikings, Tampa Bay Rays, N.Y. Islanders? These are just examples of teams experiencing some difficulties in maintaining their finances balanced.

We'll probably see a lot of relocations during the next few years. Forbes experts pointed out possible candidates for a relocation. The three teams that I already mentioned above and some others: the Hornets, the Arizona Coyotes, the Charlotte Bobcats and the Marlins, just to name a few.

With salaries going down and ticket prices rising, who is willing to abdicate of (at least) $300 to go to a NFL game?

However, the Yankees have their new stadium and the Cowboys are already going through the last tweaks of their high-tech, state-of-the-art arena.

The problem is that these are some elite franchises, that can resist to anything. You'll find a Yankees cap anywhere on this planet. The Cowboys are "America's team" and ManU are the world's most well known team of the most popular sport on the globe.

Nevertheless, if the crisis does attack the sports scene, who will be able to pay the millionaire deals? The stadiums?

What will happen to the underdogs, the teams that do not present profits each year? Forget about public funding, people need jobs, not Monday Night Football.

Some may argue that teams with small budgets, like the Rays, that made a huge campaign this season, can reach the top. Forget it! That was one of those things...

We'll just have to wait and hope, hope for the best.