NFL Lockout: Will the NFL Get Away with Fan Neglect?

As the ongoing battle between billionaires and millionaires continues, the biggest concern shouldn’t be whether or not an 18 game schedule is realistic.  The biggest concern shouldn’t be whether or not there should be a Rookie Salary Cap. 

The biggest concern should be whether or not the fans come back.

Last week, Mike Greenberg of ESPN commented that the fan takes abuse that no other customer or client of any other service endures. 

Mike Greenberg is right.

After all, sports fans are the customers and financial backbone of NFL.  Without the fans, there would be no revenue sharing.  If the fan doesn’t watch the game on TV, companies will not advertise.   If the fan doesn’t show up to the game, the teams cannot charge ridiculous ticket prices or even more ridiculous PSL fees. 

The fan is the backbone of all leagues.  There is a saying in customer service, “The Customer is always right.”  Some products don’t need customer service; is the NFL one of them? 

On August 12, 1994, America’s Pastime went on strike and did not hold a World Series.  It took Cal Ripken breaking Lou Gehrig’s record, Mark McGwire breaking Babe Ruth’s record, Barry Bonds breaking McGwire’s and Hank Aaron’s record, the reemergence of the New York Yankees and even a Boston Red Sox World Series victory to bring baseball back. 

Yet, has baseball fully recovered?  Baseball is no longer America’s No. 1 game.  The NFL is now America’s No. 1. 

The NHL locked out its players during the 2004-2005 season.  The NHL reemerged attempting to be different. 

Gone were the two line passes and there were no more ties in hockey.  Shootouts were supposed to make the NHL more exciting.  The NHL lost out on a large number of fans it did have, not that it was close to baseball’s popularity. 

The loss of ESPN didn’t help either, but Gary Bettman’s mistakes leading to the ruin of the NHL can be saved for another article. 

In 1999, the NBA locked out its players.  The impact of that lockout will always be hard to determine because the NBA lost the best thing that ever happened to it, Michael Jordan. 

Sorry Kobe and Lebron, you are no Jordan.  Michael Jordan never had Internet and extensive sports coverage of today.  Imagine today’s media coverage with Jordan’s NBA. 

I know the NFL has had a shortened season before and this isn’t the first labor struggle for the league.  But back then, the NFL didn’t have the popularity and market it has now. 

Is the NFL’s product superior to America’s former pastime, NBA or NHL?  Maybe Roger Goodell and the owners think the NFL product is better than the other counterparts and the fans don’t deserve the customer service other products require. 

The answer to that question should be answered in the next few days.