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Now don’t get me wrong; $765 million is not chump change. In fact, The Wife said she would be willing to have that as her shoe and purse budget for the next decade or two. But that sum that the NFL has agreed to pay players who brought a concussion lawsuit against the league is a pittance. And that’s a pity.
The NFL regular season — concussions and all — starts Sept. 5 with Baltimore at Denver. Which explains this photo of a Broncos cheerleader. Credit: Denver Broncos
That’s also business. Big business. And that most certainly what the NFL is, generating $9 billion in revenues with that number expected to almost triple in the next dozen years.
The agreement saves the NFL from going to court and also lets the league say the settlement does not mean the NFL is admitting to any liability or culpability regarding the concussion issue.
The mathematical calculation department at elliottharris.com worked late into the night to figure that each of the NFL’s 32 teams will have to pay about $23.9 million. Again, not chump change. And again The Wife said she would be willing to have that as her jewelry budget for the next decade or two. By the time legal fees are tallied (not included in the settlement sum), there will be a few mere millions more to add. But the league and its teams end up with a smaller bill than anticipated if the case had gone to trial and they had lost.
Of course, even if the players had won, they would have lost time. And time is a precious commodity for someone in need of serious medical help for Alzheimer’s, dementia and the like.
The teams have to come up with half the money within three years and then have 17 years to pay the rest. Meaning most teams’ petty cash coffers might be a little strapped for a day or two, but franchises’ finances will be just fine as long as there are television contracts to pay the freight.
Sympathy is not universal for the players. Some folks think the players knew the risks involved in playing football. Which isn’t precisely the point of the lawsuit. Sending players back on the field before they are recovered from concussions, misleading medical advice and failing to look out for the best interests of the players are hardly insignificant issues.
Maybe the players will accept the settlement. Maybe some will try to take advantage of the money available. Maybe someday the issue will resurface again.
One thing is certain: The settlement — and the events that led to it — have been unsettling for the league, the owners and the players.
The fans? For the most part, they merely want to the regular season to start.
Let the concussions resume. Full speed ahead.
Some photos need no captions. These pictures, for example.
As promised, Playboy Playmate Bryiana Noelle (Miss September 2013) was a guest on the Aug. 29 “Sports & Torts” show with co-hosts David Spada and Elliott Harris on Talkzone.com. As expected, she was a delight. The only down side was that she was in Californa rather than in the Talkzone studios in suburban Chicago.
Also appearing on the program was Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Hugh McElhenny.
For those who were unable to tune in for the live broadcast (and/or for those who would like an encore performance), you can access the show by clicking here.
We don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves, but if things go according to plan (which they occasionally do on this site and with “Sports & Torts”), there will be another Playboy presence on the Sept. 5, 2013, edition of the show. Stay tuned. Especially fantast football fans.
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Here is where to go for a daily dose of non-gratuitous video (compliments of — and to — the editorial and video departments at elliottharris.com and their delightful definition of “gratuitous). And in keepimg with a musical theme that we have had around here this week, some more videos featuring some timeless tunes. And, of course, some females in bikinis (although not necessarily in the musical videos, but we are searching for such visuals and hope to have some next week):
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