Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones took to the airwaves this weekend
defending his sponsorship deals and disputing the NFL's assertion
that Deion Sanders' contract violates the salary cap. On "Fox
NFL Sunday," Jones said the league's position against him "speaks
of arrogance." Jones: "It takes a league that is arrogant enough
to think they could intimidate, by filing huge lawsuits and
basically frustrating the operations of a club, to basically
accomplish what in their mind is the right thing to do. Other
owners in the NFL should take note of this, because if it can
happen to me, it can happen to you. It's not going to intimidate
the Dallas Cowboys" (Fox, 10/15). Jones, on the NFL's challenge
to the Cowboys' Sanders contract: "Just give me the rules and
we'll work the problems. But don't sit here in mid-stream, after
we already set sail going one way, and change the rules. There's
no question that this is trying to undermine the Dallas Cowboys
from a competitive standpoint, this is an attempt to hurt this
football team" ("NFL GameDay," ESPN, 10/15).
ONE SCARED COWBOY? Jones said the league has the power to
damage his franchise: "If you looked in the future there will
probably be some things that come up to intimidate the Cowboys.
... That can come anywhere from things such as re-alignment,
Thanksgiving Day ball games, positions on players, you name it,
and so if we're going to get into that kind of ballgame, to me,
that is very disturbing. And to me, today, that is the biggest
concern I have." But Jones later said he would not be
intimidated: "They're not going to bully the Dallas Cowboys"
("Fox NFL Sunday," 10/15).
SO VERY JERRY: Jones said he supports NFL Commissioner Paul
Tagliabue, but that the league is wrong in filing the lawsuit
against the Cowboys: "Just because, and he is one of the
smartest men I have ever been around, that doesn't make him
right." On the Sanders' deal, Jones said there is no compromise:
"There's no question that if the league prevails here, there will
be less money for the players. A lot of clubs have set sail on
this course. A lot of clubs are planning to pay bonuses and
rework contracts. They're not going to be able to do it if the
league prevails. We'll fight this one tooth and toe nail." Jones
added he would only be willing to head NFL Properties if
individual clubs held the final decisions on merchandising: "The
clubs basically dictate where the marks and logos go. NFL
Properties should be involved in the promoting of the Super Bowl.
It should be involved in the promoting of an NFL logo, but not
selling the Dallas Cowboys. I can do a better job of that" ("Fox
NFL Sunday," Fox, 10/15).
LEGALESE: Meanwhile, legal specialists say both Jones and
the league would have solid arguments if the Properties case
should make it to court. While Jones can maintain he has not
used the Cowboys symbols in his deals with Pepsi and Nike, others
point out that Jones may be confusing public perception. Tulane
Law Professor Gary Roberts says the case "could raise fundamental
issues about the way the league operates." Roberts questions
whether the NFL could be violating federal antitrust laws by
"assigning all trademark rights to NFL Properties then barring
individual clubs from competing against the central organization"
(Linda Campbell, FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 10/15).
