The expression that I’ve used on the headline for this story, originates with the late coach of the Green Bay Packers, Vince Lombardi, one of the most revered coaches in the history of any sport. It seems to me that the longer you are around, the more this statement rings true. During Lombardi’s days, winning didn’t have the same implications in terms of finances,as it does now. Professional athletes in all sports, earned average incomes in many cases, and you could legitimately say that they played for the love of the game.
Today’s professional athletes are usually well compensated, and in many cases are earning many millions of dollars. When it comes to the North American professional sports leagues, there is no question that the most successful operation is the National Football League. It has also managed to develop a bit of a global following, but for the most part, the sport dominates on a continental basis, with fans in Canada and Mexico, in addition to the league’s massive following in their home base.
Even with all the success of the NFL, their revenues are also affected by winning and losing, although not to the same degree as the NHL for example, because of the enormous television contracts the league has. The National Football League is less dependant on gate receipts than the NHL, or the NBA. Major League Baseball also has superb television earnings, which enables it to fund member franchises that are weak draws at the ticket window, like the Pittsburgh Pirates, Florida Marlins,Tampa Bay Rays, and the Toronto Blue Jays.
The most criticized league by the media and fans in Canada, is the National Hockey League. A lot of the criticism revolves around the selection of franchise locations, in terms of struggling franchises in Atlanta, Phoenix, and Florida. Much of the criticism is misguided, as the teams that have trouble selling tickets are most often those who do not qualify for post-season competition. That is usually a universal law in all professional sports, not just hockey. San Jose has been a tremendous success for hockey, because the ownership and management have almost always provided an entertaining product, to go along with a very competitive team. Ordinarily, you would not think of northern California as a hockey hotbed, but that is the case with the Sharks, and it is because they are a well run organization, not for any reason to do with geography,as some of the less informed continue to profess to – can’t wait to hear it again- Canadians, many of whom need their daily fix of bashing the NHL and it’s market location strategy. Toronto is no different as a baseball franchise. When the team has not qualified for the playoffs, which has been the case since 1995, ( the strike ended the 1994 season prematurely) the home attendance has dropped down, and in the last few seasons, ranks among the worst in the sport. You could easily make the case that Blue Jays should be relocated to an American market, or folded. Canadians don’t like hearing that of course, but they enjoy enormously, hearing that very point about American NHL franchises.
Even the prestigious NFL, has strict rules that it enforces in terms of attendance, which becomes an issue for their weaker teams, who do not draw well because of their poor performance on the field, not the city they are located in. As reported by ESPN.com last Thursday, the San Diego Chargers home opener against Jacksonville last Sunday, was to be blacked out locally, because they fell more than 7000 tickets short of a sellout. The Chargers had a streak of more than 48 straight sellouts, including playoffs.
The Oakland Raiders have had their struggles on and off the field for several seasons. Their Sunday home opener against St.Louis was also blacked out, and they had 8 straight black out since their home opener of last season. As noted in the ESPN story, “ Oakland has had 77 of 121 regular -season home games blacked out since moving back from Los Angeles for the 1995 season……….In 2008,the Lions became the first NFL team to have an 0-16 season. The Lions also had some or their smallest crowds in two decades,announcing some that were just larger than 40,000.”
The last time I checked, their was no lack of interest in the game of football in either Michigan, or California. That’s why the Vince Lombardi quotation is so accurate. Whether it’s the NHL, the NFL, Major League Baseball, or any other sport, “winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.”