NFL Expecting Gate Revenue To Decline Slightly This Season

Figures sent in briefing books to NFL teams last week in preparation for this week's league meeting in Boston indicated that gate revenue at NFL games is "projected to fall by a low-single-digit percent this season" from the '08 campaign, according to sources cited by Daniel Kaplan of SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL. The books also show that national league revenue, "which includes TV and sponsorships, will be up 6[%] in 2009 over 2008." Kaplan notes of the league's "approximately $8[B] in revenue, about $4.7[B] is national, with the rest coming locally," and if gate revenue is "down, local revenue, which also includes team sponsorship, a hard-hit category, will likely be down this year, as well." Meanwhile, sources said that in addition to the budget updates, teams at the meeting will "get a stadium security presentation," as well as a briefing on "where the league's collective-bargaining talks stand." Several limited partnerships in teams also "will be voted on, including for the Miami Dolphins, who have been adding a slew of celebrity minority investors" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 10/12 issue). 

HEALTH CARE REFORM: In an op-ed piece for the N.Y. TIMES, author Stefan Fatsis lists six changes the NFLPA "should insist on in the next contract." These changes includes that team doctors and trainers "should no longer be employed by" individual teams, doctors "should inform players about injuries before they tell any club officials" and players "should be able to view their medical records whenever they want." Teams also should be "required to report every injury," grievance procedures "should be reformed" and payments to injured players "should be excluded from payrolls" (N.Y. TIMES, 10/12).