NFL Off Topic

[mestevo]

Re: NFL Off Topic

Rams and NFL settle with St. Louis for $790m.

The fact that only one day of mediation resulted in a lump-sum settlement between St. Louis and the NFL means that an expansion team won’t be part of the negotiated package. Instead, the St. Louis entities get a lump-sum payment.

So will the conclusion of the courtroom hostilities in a mutually-acceptable manner lay the foundation for the NFL returning to St. Louis if/when (when) the league inevitably expands? At one source with knowledge of the dynamics predicted on Wednesday, the “bad blood” arising from the months of litigation that eventually forced the league to fork over nearly $800 million means that the NFL’s business in St. Louis has been concluded for a very long time, if not for good.

Some will say that the NFL will eventually need St. Louis if, as we recently explained, the league could begin a push toward 40 teams. Even if two teams land in London, that’s six domestic locations that will be needed, in time.

But here’s the reality. The future growth of the league will be driven not by dropping teams in specific cities but by broadcasting games to all of them, specifically to the ones in which sports betting is legal. Smaller markets with smaller stadium can support teams moving forward, because the “where” doesn’t matter. The revenue from the game location doesn’t matter. The TV and gambling money from each game will become the key.

What matters is more. More teams. More games. And the push by St. Louis for more from the league after the Rams left could mean that any eventual expansion plans will pass St. Louis by.

Thus, all that St. Louis will possibly ever get from the NFL, ever again, is the current $790 million settlement.

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: NFL Off Topic

Wonder why they settled as opposed to taking it straight to trial?

[Master Live 013]

Re: NFL Off Topic

Couldn't happen to a nicer group of guys.

[mestevo]

Re: NFL Off Topic

Looks like Amazon could become not just the exclusive home of Sunday Ticket but also a minority owner of NFL Media (Network. Red Zone, etc).

https://frontofficesports.com/amazon-takes-lead-in-talks-for-nfl-media-stake/

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[mestevo]

Re: NFL Off Topic

Couldn't happen to a nicer group of guys.

It's an early Christmas for the NFL. Seems it's the last thing people in St. Louis wanted. Literally 1 day into mediation and they settle.

[Jr.]

Re: NFL Off Topic

Looks like Amazon could become not just the exclusive home of Sunday Ticket but also a minority owner of NFL Media (Network. Red Zone, etc).

https://frontofficesports.com/amazon-takes-lead-in-talks-for-nfl-media-stake/

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This is interesting because Jeff Bezos keeps coming up as a name in the eventual Broncos sale.

Would this potentially block him from being able to purchase the Broncos?

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[ggsimmonds]

Re: NFL Off Topic

Is anyone else unsure of how they feel with DPI penalties on underthrown balls where there is contact because the receiver suddenly stops and comes back to the ball? Saw it in the OT of the Raiders-Cowboys game to set up the GW FG. Just seems like a very difficult position for a defender to be in

[Jr.]

Re: NFL Off Topic

Is anyone else unsure of how they feel with DPI penalties on underthrown balls where there is contact because the receiver suddenly stops and comes back to the ball? Saw it in the OT of the Raiders-Cowboys game to set up the GW FG. Just seems like a very difficult position for a defender to be in

I've never liked it myself. It's rewarding the offense for a bad throw

[p_rushing]

Re: NFL Off Topic

Wonder why they settled as opposed to taking it straight to trial?

It's an early Christmas for the NFL. Seems it's the last thing people in St. Louis wanted. Literally 1 day into mediation and they settle.

NFL wanted nothing to do with discovery, they will do whatever they need to so they stay out of court. They got more money and less costs because if you can get a threat of discovery, the NFL folds.

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[mestevo]

Re: NFL Off Topic

NFL wanted nothing to do with discovery, they will do whatever they need to so they stay out of court. They got more money and less costs because if you can get a threat of discovery, the NFL folds.

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And that's the thing, some were saying the NFL's liability could be in the billions if St. Louis went through with a trial. It's why a significant penalty in addition to getting an expansion franchise was being talked about. Relative to that, less than $800m is getting off really light.

St. Louis has asked to be awarded the $550 million that the Rams paid the NFL as a relocation fee, as well as the increase in the franchise value since the move.

Forbes estimated the Rams’ franchise value at $1.45 billion in 2016, just before the Rams moved, and at $4.8 billion in 2021.

Throw in the tax revenue St. Louis lost when the Rams moved, and damages could top $4 billion, independent of any punitive damages.

There is no guarantee that even a hometown jury would award anywhere near that much money, but the risk could compel a settlement of at least $2 billion, said Patrick Rishe, who teaches sports business at Washington University in St. Louis.

https://www.latimes.com/sports/rams/story/2021-11-23/rams-nfl-st-louis-lawsuit

Punitive damages could have been even more astronomical as depending on the circumstances they could multiply.

Remains to be seen if there's any infighting over how that's being paid with Kroenke recently balking about the legal coverage he'd promised previously, but outside of that this was absolutely Christmas in November for the NFL as they wrapped up 4+ years of litigation with a single day of mediation.

[slickdtc]

Re: NFL Off Topic

Is anyone else unsure of how they feel with DPI penalties on underthrown balls where there is contact because the receiver suddenly stops and comes back to the ball? Saw it in the OT of the Raiders-Cowboys game to set up the GW FG. Just seems like a very difficult position for a defender to be in

Hate it because it’s being exploited now. There are QB’s who are using it as a strategy, it should be addressed.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Re: NFL Off Topic

Hate it because it’s being exploited now. There are QB’s who are using it as a strategy, it should be addressed.

Brady and Manning have been doing this since the mid 2000s. Getting free yards by working the refs like this is part of what makes a QB jump from good to elite.

[slickdtc]

Re: NFL Off Topic

Hated them too

[mestevo]

Re: NFL Off Topic

The Raiders-Cowboys’ Thanksgiving game is projected to be the most-watched NFL regular-season game on any network since 1990, per @CBSSports.

The game delivered an estimated average of 38.531 million viewers.

It was also the most-streamed Paramount+ game ever.

https://twitter.com/FOS/status/1464325700069076995

Some context via PFT.

Nothing on American television, other than NFL postseason games, draws anything close to that number. This year’s most-watched World Series game drew 14 million viewers. This year’s most-watched NBA Finals game drew 12.5 million viewers. This year’s Academy Awards drew 9.9 million viewers.

The most-watched NBA game ever, Michael Jordan‘s last game with the Chicago Bulls in the 1998 NBA Finals, drew 35.9 million viewers.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2021/11/26/raiders-cowboys-draws-stunning-38-5-million-viewers/

[steelerfan]

Re: NFL Off Topic

Hmm. Maybe the NFL knows what they're doing with their Thanksgiving Day lineup after all.

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