2024-25 NFL Thread

[Not all scoop users are created equal apparently]

https://x.com/sportico/status/1828530776402457048?s=46&t=G2FhP_F2kWewaBOpvRv5lg

Not a fan

[cheebs09]

https://x.com/sportico/status/1828530776402457048?s=46&t=G2FhP_F2kWewaBOpvRv5lg

Not a fan

I hope this doesn't impact me as a Packers shareholder.

[lawdog77]

https://x.com/sportico/status/1828530776402457048?s=46&t=G2FhP_F2kWewaBOpvRv5lg

Not a fan

What are the pros and cons of this?

[The Sultan]

I think the biggest pro from an owners point of view is that it allows them to liquidate 10% of the team for cash without giving up nearly any controlling interest.

[MUBurrow]

And I would imagine the con is that like all other things PE, a PE firm's goal is to pour gas on short term expense reduction and juice their margins to buy in and sell out within 3-7 years, which is a net negative if you are just a fan here for the show. A PE firm is going to subdivide out its interest in a team as part of a separate investment, so the equity holders aren't going to have any of the pride or other nonfinancial connection to the team that direct minority owners (theoretically) have.

I think this would be much more problematic in MLB or the NBA given their nonexistent or loose salary floors/ceilings. If fans see any effect from this, I assume it would be in stadium experience, etc. But I'm just shooting from the hip.

[Pakuni]

I'm not sure it's really a big deal. It's pretty common in the other sports leagues.

https://www.wealthmanagement.com/alternative-investments/getting-game-how-private-equity-funds-have-jumped-professional-sports

[MUBurrow]

I'm not sure it's really a big deal. It's pretty common in the other sports leagues.

https://www.wealthmanagement.com/alternative-investments/getting-game-how-private-equity-funds-have-jumped-professional-sports

Yeah, as long as its limited to a relatively small ownership stake per team its probably not an issue.  If you allowed a much larger stake, especially in a league like MLB with wildly disparate payroll spending it could become an issue. But we see that already without PE heavily involved - e.g. Jeter's underfunded ownership group that bought the Marlins.

[WhiteTrash]

And I would imagine the con is that like all other things PE, a PE firm's goal is to pour gas on short term expense reduction and juice their margins to buy in and sell out within 3-7 years, which is a net negative if you are just a fan here for the show. A PE firm is going to subdivide out its interest in a team as part of a separate investment, so the equity holders aren't going to have any of the pride or other nonfinancial connection to the team that direct minority owners (theoretically) have.

I think this would be much more problematic in MLB or the NBA given their nonexistent or loose salary floors/ceilings. If fans see any effect from this, I assume it would be in stadium experience, etc. But I'm just shooting from the hip.

Not all PE groups, like all team owners, act the same way. There are, shall I say, different actors in the PE world that are patient and reasonable with the end goal of enhancing the long term value of their investments. Heck, some PE groups/funds expect no or little financial returns on their investment goals of issues like the environment, DEI, etc.

But, I know you were providing an answer to the potential down sides of PE ownership, and your scenario could definitely playout. 

[Jockey]

According to Seth Wickersham of ESPN.com, if/when Brady's purchase of a portion of the Raiders is approved, severe restrictions on his access to all NFL teams will be activated. Per Wickersham, "Brady would not be permitted to be in another team's facility, would not be permitted to witness practice and would not be permitted to attend broadcast production meetings, either in-person or virtually."

Those things are the lifeblood of broadcast crews. It gives them inside information regarding the game that will unfold, making it easier to tell fans what happened. Brady would be prohibited from ever doing that, except on the rare occasions that he works a Raiders game.

Brady also would be "prohibited from publicly criticizing game officials and other clubs," which could open the door to a fine if he goes to far in calling a bad call a bad call.



So Fox is giving him $37.5M for what? When they already have a top analyst on the payroll.

[Dish]

According to Seth Wickersham of ESPN.com, if/when Brady's purchase of a portion of the Raiders is approved, severe restrictions on his access to all NFL teams will be activated. Per Wickersham, "Brady would not be permitted to be in another team's facility, would not be permitted to witness practice and would not be permitted to attend broadcast production meetings, either in-person or virtually."

Those things are the lifeblood of broadcast crews. It gives them inside information regarding the game that will unfold, making it easier to tell fans what happened. Brady would be prohibited from ever doing that, except on the rare occasions that he works a Raiders game.

Brady also would be "prohibited from publicly criticizing game officials and other clubs," which could open the door to a fine if he goes to far in calling a bad call a bad call.



So Fox is giving him $37.5M for what? When they already have a top analyst on the payroll.

Story has been updated in that Brady right now has all of those restrictions in place.

[WhiteTrash]

Story has been updated in that Brady right now has all of those restrictions in place.

But he's still allowed to deflate balls, correct?

[tower912]

I had an old girlfriend like that.

[Pakuni]

According to Seth Wickersham of ESPN.com, if/when Brady's purchase of a portion of the Raiders is approved, severe restrictions on his access to all NFL teams will be activated. Per Wickersham, "Brady would not be permitted to be in another team's facility, would not be permitted to witness practice and would not be permitted to attend broadcast production meetings, either in-person or virtually."

Those things are the lifeblood of broadcast crews. It gives them inside information regarding the game that will unfold, making it easier to tell fans what happened. Brady would be prohibited from ever doing that, except on the rare occasions that he works a Raiders game.

Brady also would be "prohibited from publicly criticizing game officials and other clubs," which could open the door to a fine if he goes to far in calling a bad call a bad call.



So Fox is giving him $37.5M for what? When they already have a top analyst on the payroll.

Tom Brady doesn't need to attend production meetings to analyze football games. He can pick up a phone. He can have a production assistant take notes. He'll be fine.
His success/failure as a broadcaster isn't at all reliant on the the things he might not be able to do.

[JWags85]

Tom Brady doesn't need to attend production meetings to analyze football games. He can pick up a phone. He can have a production assistant take notes. He'll be fine.
His success/failure as a broadcaster isn't at all reliant on the the things he might not be able to do.

So is it your stance that Brady doesn't need to do any of the on site mid week prep stuff that makes announcers great cause he was really good at football? There have been plenty of great football players who have been terrible color analysts.  I would agree if he was a studio guy, but as a marquee broadcast guy, he's gonna be lacking, for lack of a better term, color leading up to Sunday.

Reading notes from someone else or calling a few players seems like half assign a lot of the prep work.  It's not like he's doing a Manning Cast

[The Sultan]

Being "prohibited from publicly criticizing game officials and other clubs" is a very vague standard and could definitely impact his quality as a broadcaster.

[cheebs09]

I saw on the Receiver show Romo in the production meeting asking detailed questions. I feel a lot of talking points come from that. Especially as a new broadcaster, it feels like that would be important.

[Hards Alumni]

I had an old girlfriend like that.

She drained em so much they deflated?

[tower912]

Nope.  Her attitude toward me.   To be fair, it was at least partially my fault.

[Pakuni]

So is it your stance that Brady doesn't need to do any of the on site mid week prep stuff that makes announcers great cause he was really good at football? There have been plenty of great football players who have been terrible color analysts.  I would agree if he was a studio guy, but as a marquee broadcast guy, he's gonna be lacking, for lack of a better term, color leading up to Sunday.

Reading notes from someone else or calling a few players seems like half assign a lot of the prep work.  It's not like he's doing a Manning Cast

I think you're assuming facts not in evidence ... namely that attending "on site mid week prep stuff" is a necessity for making an announcer great. Or that attending those meetings in person is the only way to obtain information. Honestly, do you think Tom Brady can't reach Sean McVay or Dan Campbell or Kyle Shanahan by phone? That players won't take his calls? That Brady can't read notes or recordings made by PAs? I'm just not buying the notion that attending those meetings is the one and only way to acquire information. Or that he's somehow going to obtain better info in a production meeting than by calling a coach for a one-on-one (why????). Do you believe a coach is going to give more or less information in a production meeting attended by a dozen people than in a personal chat on background with Brady?

What about Tom Brady's career to date suggests that he's not going to put in the work?

And there are and have been plenty of former players who studiously attend(ed) every midweek production meeting and are still became lousy commentators. Which seems to belie the arhument that these meetings are make-or-break events for broadcasters.
Brady may very well end up a lousy commentator. But it won't be because he can't attend production meetings.

[The Sultan]

I think you're assuming facts not in evidence ... namely that attending "on site mid week prep stuff" is a necessity for making an announcer great. Or that attending those meetings in person is the only way to obtain information. Honestly, do you think Tom Brady can't reach Sean McVay or Dan Campbell or Kyle Shanahan by phone? That players won't take his calls? That Brady can't read notes or recordings made by PAs? I'm just not buying the notion that attending those meetings is the one and only way to acquire information. Or that he's somehow going to obtain better info in a production meeting than by calling a coach for a one-on-one (why????). Do you believe a coach is going to give more or less information in a production meeting attended by a dozen people than in a personal chat on background with Brady?

What about Tom Brady's career to date suggests that he's not going to put in the work?

And there are and have been plenty of former players who studiously attend(ed) every midweek production meeting and are still became lousy commentators. Which seems to belie the arhument that these meetings are make-or-break events for broadcasters.
Brady may very well end up a lousy commentator. But it won't be because he can't attend production meetings.

These restrictions make it harder to do a job that he's never done before. And may make him less interesting as a commentator. No one said it would mean he would fail.

[Jockey]

Pakuni, do you think McVeigh or any other coach will give inside info to an opposing team owner?

Seems quite far fetched to me.

[Pakuni]

Pakuni, do you think McVeigh or any other coach will give inside info to an opposing team owner?

Seems quite far fetched to me.

Do you think they're giving inside info to Greg Olson and Tony Romo?

[Lennys Tap]

And I would imagine the con is that like all other things PE, a PE firm's goal is to pour gas on short term expense reduction and juice their margins to buy in and sell out within 3-7 years, which is a net negative if you are just a fan here for the show. A PE firm is going to subdivide out its interest in a team as part of a separate investment, so the equity holders aren't going to have any of the pride or other nonfinancial connection to the team that direct minority owners (theoretically) have.

I think this would be much more problematic in MLB or the NBA given their nonexistent or loose salary floors/ceilings. If fans see any effect from this, I assume it would be in stadium experience, etc. But I'm just shooting from the hip.

As a White Sox fan I'm trying to imagine a private equity group who would have less pride of ownership than our current managing general partner and his minions.

I can't.

[JWags85]

I think you're assuming facts not in evidence ... namely that attending "on site mid week prep stuff" is a necessity for making an announcer great. Or that attending those meetings in person is the only way to obtain information. Honestly, do you think Tom Brady can't reach Sean McVay or Dan Campbell or Kyle Shanahan by phone? That players won't take his calls? That Brady can't read notes or recordings made by PAs? I'm just not buying the notion that attending those meetings is the one and only way to acquire information. Or that he's somehow going to obtain better info in a production meeting than by calling a coach for a one-on-one (why????). Do you believe a coach is going to give more or less information in a production meeting attended by a dozen people than in a personal chat on background with Brady?

A big part of commentary is chemistry and being in sync with your partner/production team.  I think not being present in the interviews on site with his partner/producers could be harmful.  Think of how many conversations revolve around the commentators chatting about discussions they had with the coach/notable players.  Now instead of that common point that every team has, it's Brady sharing what he got from his call vs whatever production experienced.  Or he necessitates his PBP partner do 3 way calls instead of whatnot.   Either way, it's make a difficult job even harder for someone with a zero experience.

What about Tom Brady's career to date suggests that he's not going to put in the work?

And there are and have been plenty of former players who studiously attend(ed) every midweek production meeting and are still became lousy commentators. Which seems to belie the arhument that these meetings are make-or-break events for broadcasters.
Brady may very well end up a lousy commentator. But it won't be because he can't attend production meetings.

Nobody is saying Brady won't work hard.  And when I said half-assing it, I wasn't speaking to his effort as much as what the structure necessitates.

But as you said, plenty of people have done all the work entailed and still became bad commentators.  It just seems like an added difficulty for an absurdly paid novice.  And I'm gonna be honest, Brady was an incredible player, leader, and competitor...but anyone who thinks he was a natural and gregarious communicator is either a Pats die hard or a liar. He's always been kind of clunky and an odd duck. It's not like we're talking Peyton Manning or Travis Kelce or numerous other players you knew would have a job in media after their career for personality/communication skill reasons. So you have that factor in addition to the added difficult, IMO, we're talking about and it just seems questionable for a big financial gamble.  But YMMV

[The Sultan]

Yeah, I never understood why Fox went this big for Brady. I think they didn't want to miss out on the "next Romo," and meanwhile Greg Olson has developed into a more than capable #1 guy, AND Romo has fallen off.