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NFL Teams Reportedly Equally Divided Over $6 Billion in Revenue Last Season
July 10, 2014
The Green Bay Packers received $187.7 million in national revenue from the NFL this last season. All 31 other teams reportedly were rewarded the same amount as part of an evenly split, $6 billion pool of profit.
Darren Rovell of ESPN.com reported the news on Thursday, citing the Packers' financials as the source. He then added more specificity regarding where the massive amount of money came from, along with how new TV deals will only boost revenue moving forward:
Since the Packers are the only publicly owned team, release of their financials is mandated, and it was revealed that their share of $187.7 million was just 3.1 percent of that revenue source. The numbers fit perfectly for the rest to be divided among the other franchises in an egalitarian manner.
Andrew Brandt of ESPN provided more context for the eye-popping resources afforded to every organization:
Rovell claimed that revenue sharing between all teams has risen by 56 percent since 2006, even accounting for inflation.
Despite an increase in national, local and total revenue in 2014, Green Bay didn't thrive nearly as much as the previous year. Its net income plummeted from $43.1 million to $25.3 million, according to Daniel Kaplan of SportsBusinessDaily.com.
That can be attributed to general manager Ted Thompson being aggressive in free agency and proactive in retaining his current cornerstones. Such a strategy required spending more money on players.
Chiefly, the Packers had to retain franchise quarterback Aaron Rodgers, which cost a considerable amount of cash. Rodgers' five-year, $110 million extension was finalized in April 2013.
Packers.com's Mike Spofford also reported on the matter, quoting what team president Mark Murphy had to say regarding Green Bay's outlook:
Our performance remains very strong. We’re positioned really well for the future. [...] We will continue to invest in our facility and our team. One of the biggest investments we could make for the organization and the community in the next 10 years could be "Titletown." We’re excited about its potential.
All of these lucrative numbers league-wide speak to the booming popularity the NFL is experiencing. Pro football's growth will continue to be fed, especially if this escalation of funding persists.
Fan demand has never been higher. With the hype surrounding the draft, the engagement created by fantasy football and the sheer entertainment of the sport, the NFL's brand isn't liable to diminish anytime soon.
Following a deep 2014 NFL draft, just about every fanbase has to be feeling optimistic entering the upcoming campaign. Combine that with the ever-improving NFL viewing experience, and the league figures to ascend to new heights in the coming years.