JAG
06-26-2003, 07:58 AM
The 'worst sports tragedy' thread reminded me of an interesting article I saved about what happens to a team after a disaster.
'God forbid it should ever be needed'
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Wayne Drehs
ESPN.com
It's a question that many have thought about, but few
have actually asked. It's one of those thoughts that
bounces around in your head, yet common sense and
decency prevents from becoming audible.
It is this: In the event of an air disaster, or some
other catastrophic event involving a professional
sports team, what would happen? How would a team
rebuild? Could it rebuild?
“ There are always these drafts, these mechanisms by
which teams can protect a certain number of players
and yet the other team can rebuild itself. But it's
sort of an uncomfortable topic. ”
— NHL spokesman Frank Brown on the league's disaster
plan
Understandably, it's a sensitive topic that the major
four professional sports leagues don't like to talk
about. But the question remains. Especially in the
aftermath of the air tragedy that rocked the Oklahoma
State campus last January and a handful of in-flight
scares involving professional teams.
"It certainly isn't one of our favorite topics," said
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello.
"There are definitely some other things we'd rather be
talking about," said Frank Brown of the NHL.
Luckily, no professional sports team has ever suffered
a catastrophic plane crash. There have been close
calls, such as in 1960, when a plane carrying the
Minneapolis Lakers made an emergency landing in an
Iowa cornfield. But nothing catastrophic has ever
happened.
In the event that a team disaster ever did occur, each
of the four major professional sports leagues has a
contingency plan, built around some sort of "disaster
draft" designed to restock the team in the event of a
tragedy.
Some, like Major League Baseball, remain tight-lipped
about its plan, tabbing it "confidential."
"All I can say is that, yes, we have a plan," MLB
spokesman Richard Levin said. "But God forbid it
should ever be needed."
Others, like the NBA and NFL are more open about their
disaster plan. In fact, the NFL will go as far as to
provide a faxed copy upon request. Headed under
"Administrative/Business Operations," the NFL policy
has extensive nuts-and-bolts instructions for
replenishing a team in the event of a "disaster" or
"near-disaster."
The NFL plan refers to a near disaster as a common
accident in which a team loses fewer than 15 players.
A disaster occurs when more than 15 players are lost.
In the NBA, a disaster occurs in which five or more
players die or are dismembered. Similar to the NFL,
the NBA plan calls for a disaster draft, in which each
team would protect five players and the disaster team
then would build a team from the remaining pool of
talent.
"It enables the effected franchise to rehab itself to
whatever extent is possible under such difficult
circumstances," said Mike Broeker, a spokesman for the
NBA.
In the NFL, teams suffering a near disaster would be
required to play out the season, though they would
have priority on all waiver claims. If the team lost a
quarterback, it would be permitted to draft a
quarterback from a team that has a third quarterback.
In a disaster (15 or more lost players), the NFL's
commissioner would decide whether or not to continue
the team's season. If it were to continue, the
near-disaster plan would go into effect. If not, a
restocking draft would take place in the offseason. In
addition, the team would get the No. 1 pick in the
upcoming draft.
"There are always these drafts, these mechanisms by
which teams can protect a certain number of players
and yet the other team can rebuild itself," Brown
said. "But it's sort of an uncomfortable topic."
Somehow, professional sports teams have managed to
avoid the air tragedies that have hit collegiate
sports.
The worst incident happened in 1970, when 37 members
of the Marshall football team were killed in a crash.
A month earlier, the Wichita State football team lost
14 players in a crash.
In 1977, the University of Evansville lost 14 players
on its basketball team. That was the last significant
air crash involving a U.S. collegiate sports team
until the Oklahoma State crash this past January.
The lack of an incident involving a pro sports team
doesn't mean professionals have flown worry-free. Just
last February, a tire on the San Jose Shark's charter
flight, leaving Dallas for St. Louis, exploded on
takeoff, severing the plane's hydraulic systems.
The pilot was forced to manually turn around, lower
the landing gear, and brake without power assistance.
"That wasn't funny," Sharks coach Darryl Sutter told
the San Jose Mercury News. "We were just thankful for
having an experienced pilot."
In 1995, the president of Front Page Tours, a company
that leases charters to 15-20 professional sports
teams, flew on a flight from Washington to Chicago to
ease the concerns of several Chicago Bulls following a
pair of turbulent flights.
In one case, the Bulls' cabin de-pressurized due to
rapid descent, requiring the players to use oxygen
masks. In another, a sharp banking turn was required
upon takeoff, rattling several players.
And in 1998, the St. Louis Blues had a close call when
their TWA charter plane needed several attempts to
land at Detroit Metropolitan Airport because of strong
crosswinds.
"That was the toughest landing I've ever seen as far
as rocking and rolling," Blues general manager Larry
Pleau said at the time. "I was in the front of the
plane and the pilot's door was open. I could see the
lights of the runway, and then the runway would
disappear. We were going from side to side."
It was yet another case of a pro sports team relying
on good luck in a terrifying situation. Luckily, the
plane landed safely like every other one ever has.
But if it ever doesn't, each of the four pro sports
leagues is quietly ready.
IF THE WORST HAPPENED ...
National Basketball Association
If a disaster occurs in which five or more players die
or are dismembered, the league will hold a Disaster
Draft to replace the individuals who were lost. Teams
unaffected by the disaster each would be allowed to
protect five players.
National Football League
In a "near disaster," in which fewer than 15 players
are killed or lost for the season, teams would be
required to play out the season but would receive
priority on all waiver claims.
In a "disaster," in which 15 or more players are
killed or lost for the season, the commissioner
decides whether the team will continue its season. If
it does, the "near disaster" plan would kick in. If
not, a restocking draft would take place in the
offseason and the team would get the No. 1 pick in
that year's NFL draft.
National Hockey League
If an accident occurs resulting in the death or
disability of five or more active players, the club
would be allowed to restock its roster by buying
players from other teams using money from an indemnity
insurance policy.
Once the disabled club returns to a playing strength
of one goalkeeper and 14 players (NHL rosters
regularly have 20 active players), the Emergency
Rehabilitation Draft can be enacted to finish the
re-stocking process. Each club will be able to protect
one goalkeeper and 10 position players and the
disabled club will draft from the remaining pool of
talent.
Teams that lost a player in the first phase of the ERP
are exempt from losing a player in the draft.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball declined to release information
regarding its contingency plan.
Wayne Drehs is a staff writer at ESPN.com. He can be
reached at [email protected].
'God forbid it should ever be needed'
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Wayne Drehs
ESPN.com
It's a question that many have thought about, but few
have actually asked. It's one of those thoughts that
bounces around in your head, yet common sense and
decency prevents from becoming audible.
It is this: In the event of an air disaster, or some
other catastrophic event involving a professional
sports team, what would happen? How would a team
rebuild? Could it rebuild?
“ There are always these drafts, these mechanisms by
which teams can protect a certain number of players
and yet the other team can rebuild itself. But it's
sort of an uncomfortable topic. ”
— NHL spokesman Frank Brown on the league's disaster
plan
Understandably, it's a sensitive topic that the major
four professional sports leagues don't like to talk
about. But the question remains. Especially in the
aftermath of the air tragedy that rocked the Oklahoma
State campus last January and a handful of in-flight
scares involving professional teams.
"It certainly isn't one of our favorite topics," said
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello.
"There are definitely some other things we'd rather be
talking about," said Frank Brown of the NHL.
Luckily, no professional sports team has ever suffered
a catastrophic plane crash. There have been close
calls, such as in 1960, when a plane carrying the
Minneapolis Lakers made an emergency landing in an
Iowa cornfield. But nothing catastrophic has ever
happened.
In the event that a team disaster ever did occur, each
of the four major professional sports leagues has a
contingency plan, built around some sort of "disaster
draft" designed to restock the team in the event of a
tragedy.
Some, like Major League Baseball, remain tight-lipped
about its plan, tabbing it "confidential."
"All I can say is that, yes, we have a plan," MLB
spokesman Richard Levin said. "But God forbid it
should ever be needed."
Others, like the NBA and NFL are more open about their
disaster plan. In fact, the NFL will go as far as to
provide a faxed copy upon request. Headed under
"Administrative/Business Operations," the NFL policy
has extensive nuts-and-bolts instructions for
replenishing a team in the event of a "disaster" or
"near-disaster."
The NFL plan refers to a near disaster as a common
accident in which a team loses fewer than 15 players.
A disaster occurs when more than 15 players are lost.
In the NBA, a disaster occurs in which five or more
players die or are dismembered. Similar to the NFL,
the NBA plan calls for a disaster draft, in which each
team would protect five players and the disaster team
then would build a team from the remaining pool of
talent.
"It enables the effected franchise to rehab itself to
whatever extent is possible under such difficult
circumstances," said Mike Broeker, a spokesman for the
NBA.
In the NFL, teams suffering a near disaster would be
required to play out the season, though they would
have priority on all waiver claims. If the team lost a
quarterback, it would be permitted to draft a
quarterback from a team that has a third quarterback.
In a disaster (15 or more lost players), the NFL's
commissioner would decide whether or not to continue
the team's season. If it were to continue, the
near-disaster plan would go into effect. If not, a
restocking draft would take place in the offseason. In
addition, the team would get the No. 1 pick in the
upcoming draft.
"There are always these drafts, these mechanisms by
which teams can protect a certain number of players
and yet the other team can rebuild itself," Brown
said. "But it's sort of an uncomfortable topic."
Somehow, professional sports teams have managed to
avoid the air tragedies that have hit collegiate
sports.
The worst incident happened in 1970, when 37 members
of the Marshall football team were killed in a crash.
A month earlier, the Wichita State football team lost
14 players in a crash.
In 1977, the University of Evansville lost 14 players
on its basketball team. That was the last significant
air crash involving a U.S. collegiate sports team
until the Oklahoma State crash this past January.
The lack of an incident involving a pro sports team
doesn't mean professionals have flown worry-free. Just
last February, a tire on the San Jose Shark's charter
flight, leaving Dallas for St. Louis, exploded on
takeoff, severing the plane's hydraulic systems.
The pilot was forced to manually turn around, lower
the landing gear, and brake without power assistance.
"That wasn't funny," Sharks coach Darryl Sutter told
the San Jose Mercury News. "We were just thankful for
having an experienced pilot."
In 1995, the president of Front Page Tours, a company
that leases charters to 15-20 professional sports
teams, flew on a flight from Washington to Chicago to
ease the concerns of several Chicago Bulls following a
pair of turbulent flights.
In one case, the Bulls' cabin de-pressurized due to
rapid descent, requiring the players to use oxygen
masks. In another, a sharp banking turn was required
upon takeoff, rattling several players.
And in 1998, the St. Louis Blues had a close call when
their TWA charter plane needed several attempts to
land at Detroit Metropolitan Airport because of strong
crosswinds.
"That was the toughest landing I've ever seen as far
as rocking and rolling," Blues general manager Larry
Pleau said at the time. "I was in the front of the
plane and the pilot's door was open. I could see the
lights of the runway, and then the runway would
disappear. We were going from side to side."
It was yet another case of a pro sports team relying
on good luck in a terrifying situation. Luckily, the
plane landed safely like every other one ever has.
But if it ever doesn't, each of the four pro sports
leagues is quietly ready.
IF THE WORST HAPPENED ...
National Basketball Association
If a disaster occurs in which five or more players die
or are dismembered, the league will hold a Disaster
Draft to replace the individuals who were lost. Teams
unaffected by the disaster each would be allowed to
protect five players.
National Football League
In a "near disaster," in which fewer than 15 players
are killed or lost for the season, teams would be
required to play out the season but would receive
priority on all waiver claims.
In a "disaster," in which 15 or more players are
killed or lost for the season, the commissioner
decides whether the team will continue its season. If
it does, the "near disaster" plan would kick in. If
not, a restocking draft would take place in the
offseason and the team would get the No. 1 pick in
that year's NFL draft.
National Hockey League
If an accident occurs resulting in the death or
disability of five or more active players, the club
would be allowed to restock its roster by buying
players from other teams using money from an indemnity
insurance policy.
Once the disabled club returns to a playing strength
of one goalkeeper and 14 players (NHL rosters
regularly have 20 active players), the Emergency
Rehabilitation Draft can be enacted to finish the
re-stocking process. Each club will be able to protect
one goalkeeper and 10 position players and the
disabled club will draft from the remaining pool of
talent.
Teams that lost a player in the first phase of the ERP
are exempt from losing a player in the draft.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball declined to release information
regarding its contingency plan.
Wayne Drehs is a staff writer at ESPN.com. He can be
reached at [email protected].