Companies across the country have been laying employees off and cutting salaries in an attempt to recover from America’s economy. Now, the National Football League is following suit.
The NFL said its staff removed 169 jobs through buyouts, layoffs or other methods, which equals 15 percent of the league’s work force of 1,100.
Additionally, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell volunteered a pay cut between 20 and 25 percent from the $11 million dollar salary and bonuses he received in the 2008 fiscal year.
Employees’ salaries for 2009, have been frozen while expenses for the year have been reduced by 20 percent, said the league.
Taking a pay cut is a noble move by Goodell as it saves the league $2.75 million dollars annually. More may have been saved after all of the ridiculous player suspensions during the 2008 season.
With that in mind, Goodell may be percieved as a savior of rather than a stingy commissioner.
Bud Selig, the Major League Baseball commissioner, pulls down an unheard of $18.35 million for showing up to all-star games and letting Congress punish steroid users.
Commissioner David Stern of the National Basketball Association will become the second highest-paid commissioner, a man who lets the players play until someone jumps into the stands throwing haymakers or if Zach Randolph “shoves” somebody.
During the past few months, the NFL estimated that between 10 and 12 teams have laid off 200 people combined, and those only include the ones that have been publicly announced.
The economy will most likely affect free agents’ salaries as well. Big names such as Albert Haynesworth, T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Ray Lewis are probably expecting the big bucks, but they shouldn’t get their hopes up.
My advice to them: Play for the love of the game for a year, maybe two, and then start demanding the Benjamins.