The NFL and Systems of Government?

By jawarrener | Thursday, July 15, 2010 | ( 3 )

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Yes. Let’s begin this journey with a question. What is your favorite system of government? Now, you have to choose from the big three: capitalism, socialism, mixed.
Before you decide think long and hard about how you really feel and don’t let anything interfere with your coming up with an honest answer. Bear in mind also, that we live in a mixed economy in America. Most would argue that it is predominantly capitalist and to some extent it still is. However, capitalism, true capitalism, laizez faire capitalism does not allow for any regulation of business. Ok, enough with the lesson. And obviously socialism is just the opposite; complete regulation. Got it? Ok, here we go.
First, pick your favorite system of government. Ok, then, a second question. What is your favorite sport? Now, I mean one of the big three: football, baseball, basketball. Got that, good. Ok, now let’s see if your beliefs line up with your passions.
Did you answer capitalism? Well, then, you my friend, love baseball above all others. Why? Here it is. Baseball is run exactly the same way as a laizez faire capitalist economy. There is no salary cap for teams. If the owner wants to spend a billion dollars on player salary, they can. The Yankees payroll is currently hovering just below two hundred million. That’s almost forty million more than the second most expensive team. That’s more than twice the Dodgers payroll and better than six times that of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates have not won a championship since ’79. Since then the Yankees have hoisted the trophy five times, including four in five years from ’96 to ’00. In the last fourteen years they have at least appeared in the World Series seven times. In baseball as in capitalism, money is power. You can almost literally, buy your way into a championship. The rich get richer, the poor get poor-er. The Yankees at toward the top of their division and in the playoffs virtually every year. This is the same thing that happens in economics. The larger companies squeeze out or assimilate the smaller ones. The companies get perks from the government, special contracts with publicity and media. They sell all kinds of merchandise, tickets, events and simply dominate the smaller franchises. It’s survival of the fittest in Major League Baseball. And they complement each other. Baseball and capitalism are very American. Even though baseball is kind of an off-shoot of cricket. Americans have taken it and formed it into its own pure thing. And this is great as long as you’re the Yankees…or the Phillies…Cardinals, Red Sox. But it kind of sucks when you’re the Orioles or the Royals.
Did you answer socialism? Ok, then, you are a football extremist. NFL football is run much the same way a socialist government would run its economy. Every team only gets to spend so much money on their players/employees. The salary cap in football says once you get to this amount, that’s it. Now, teams will find ways to skirt around that by weighting signing bonuses and such but would businesses under such strict regulation, try to do the same thing. Football is a great representation of socialism and how it can work, and sometimes…not work. There is revenue sharing between the owners and employees/players. The players have formed a union which they use to reach labor agreements with the owners. And the bottom line is you only get this much. It has made for great parity in the NFL. Truly, you never know who is going to win the Super Bowl. Just as there is great parity in socialist economy; competition is good. Sure the NFL has had dynasties. But those are thanks in most to a particular player or particular group of players that spent key parts of their careers on the same team. Even so the Steelers have only won six, Cowboys and 49ers five. Half the teams in the NFL have won a championship. Football parrels nicely, it’s all about the team. In no other sport is the team more exhalted over the player.
If you picked a mixed economy, you like the way things are. You are a basketball fan above all else. Basketball, plays out just like a mixed economy would. Sure there is a salary cap, a socialist measure, but there is also the luxury tax. This says you can spend over the salary cap you just have to pay a tax proportionate to the amount you go over the cap, a capitalist measure. But then the league takes that money and re-distributes it amongst the other teams, socialism anyone? The results are mixed in basketball. Sure lots of teams have won championships: Pacers, Rockets, Heat. But there are bonafide dynasties in the NBA. The Lakers and Celtics combine for thirty-three championships.
Now, let me ask again. What is your favorite sport?

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Comments: 3 | Sign Up View all comments


	No.1 jneezy	02:03 PM 07/16/2010

	Good points... I wonder with "the boss" being gone, if the owners of baseball will try to wrangle in their spending... Then maybe...


	No.2 Amir FaSaad	11:06 AM 07/20/2010

	. . .how could you not mention the TAX the Yankees (or any team) has to give back to Baseball !?! Kinda sorta screws up your...


	No.3 Todd L. Frank	12:47 PM 07/22/2010

	doesn't baseball also have revenue sharing? and when did the Pacers win the championship? anyway, interesting stuff. thanks.