(原文摘錄於ESPN)
NFL球員工會跟聯盟在2011年達成的CBA即將要到期. 有鑑於十年前談判破裂後聯盟封館,
讓沒有理財準備的球員們很快的坐吃山空投降,簽下了對資方一面倒的CBA先例. 這一回
NFLPA早早的對旗下球員們進行理財宣導.
費城老鷹隊的工會代表Malcolm Jenkins認為這次談判的重點應該在於如何讓球隊跟球員
間的關係從勞資雙方轉換成合作夥伴:
Really this negotiation is about, 'How do we move from the position of
ownership and players to partners in the business of football? That's how
we see it. We play; they provide the field. Within the business of football,
we should be partners.
公會理事DeMaurice Smith在今年花了六個禮拜到每一個球隊開說明會,主要的訴求是要
球員們重視理財的重要性. 他的幻燈片強調"WORK STOPPAGE IS COMING. #STAYREADY."
Smith建議球員們至少存下薪水的50%以備不時之需. NFL球員的平均年薪是2.1M,在球季中
分17次發餉. 估計扣稅後每人會拿到九十到一百萬不等. 如果存一半的話代表每個球員
將會有五十萬美金的生活費來支持一年的生計.
ESPN對NFL球員做的調查顯示,現在的球員們的理財觀相較起十年前大有改善,但是還是有
很多改進的空間. 前Denver Broncos球員Ryan Harris表示2011年時球員們根本不把破產
當一回事. 甚至有人在錢花光後找Harris一開口就是借錢七萬五千塊
"There were some big-time guys. It was not like guys were asking for 500
bucks. Teammates were asking me for $75,000. I'm like, 'Dude, what are you
doing this month that you have a $75,000 need?'"
老鷹球員Brandon Graham當年還是菜鳥,但是他說也有隊友跟他一借就是六位數. 到了
2011年七月,聯盟估計四分之一的球員陷入財務困難. 有球員開始向經紀人動腦筋,開口
說如果不借錢給我我就跳槽到某某經紀公司.
有這些前車之鑑,NFLPA在還沒有開始談判CPA之前就開始教育球員們開源節流. 在2017
年通過把所有電玩肖像權的收益全部留下當作預防停工長期抗戰的本錢. 很多球員表示
ESPN的紀錄片30 for 30單元Broke是很棒的教材.
但是要讓球員們齊心一力的為了停工做準備並不是這麼簡單. NFL球員薪資分布不均,
像是Chiefs的Travis Kelce一年拿10M,而他的菜鳥隊友同是tight end的David Wells
只拿到最低薪資49萬5千. 而且一般非明星球員隨時都有可能被裁,馬上面臨失業風險.
要大家都一起存錢不是喊喊口號就辦得到.
很多新人剛進聯盟覺得成為職業球員就是發財了,談什麼理財很難聽得進去. 在Broncos
贏了Super Bowl以後,進攻線球員們到Las Vegas慶功. 兩個菜鳥上了Ryan Harris的車
手上提著五萬塊現金,Harris問他們拿這麼多錢做什麼,他們說要去買珠寶. Harris
這時指著坐在前座的一名明星球員說"你覺得他有多少珠寶或名錶? 一個也沒有." 然後
他從手機上找出Bill Gates的照片說"你覺得他有多少條金鏈子?" 兩名菜鳥啞口無言.
但是當Harris被問到說這幾年來情況有沒有好轉,Harris直接瞭當的說"沒有". 很多
球隊的工會代表對聯盟球員的財務狀況表示同樣的憂心. 剛人中鋒 Maurkice Pouncey
表示
"You can't tell a guy what to do, but you can always have eyes on them and
be like, 'You don't really need that,' you know what I mean? I think we just
do a good job overall as a team, as an organization, trying to reflect that
into the guys and tell them to do that. Hopefully every other team's like
that, because it's going to get real. I know football season is taking away
some of the views on that type of story, but as soon as the season ends, it's
going to be the only thing people are going to be talking about."