Bribery sounds so dirty, so underhanded.
On the surface, what the likes of labor dispute headliners Drew Brees, Tom Brady and Jim Irsay have been doling out to NFL fans seems simply like tokens of gratitude for their affection.
Brees and the Saints players are selling raffle tickets online with benefits going to respective charities for the chance to train for a day on Tulane's practice fields during their players-led workout sessions. The players have already awarded a handful of fans that opportunity last week and will draw tickets once more during one of their final training sessions in two weeks.
Players like Cam Newton are trying to stay connected to fans by participating in events like this flag football game. (AP) Brady is using a similar concept as fans can throw up $2 to jump in a raffle for the right to play on Brady's flag football team at Harvard on Friday night.
Meanwhile Irsay, the Colts owner, showered his Twitter followers with gifts last weekend surrounding the Indianapolis 500. He gave away spots in his suite for the race. He gave away Colts hats, NFL footballs, bottles of Cristal champagne and Gentleman Jack whiskey, a bottle of Excedrin to combat the hangover and even just straight-up cash.
Peel back a layer, or two, or three, though, and what you'll see are examples of players and owners playing tug of war with the emotions of you, the NFL enthusiast.
Don't tease fans with half-speed workouts. Don't draw them in with glorified touch football considering it's the only variation of the sport any NFL player can risk to play at this point. Don't shower lucky Twitter followers with elaborate gifts and prizes while dressed like Willy Wonka in a guitar factory.
NFL fans shouldn't fall for it. From either side of the debate. Actual football is the only caveat fans thirst for from the players and owners. No pomp or circumstance necessary. Because at this point, the fans couldn't care less which side prevails.
It's almost like both sides are trying to buy your affection in a divorce while the fans simply want both sides back together at all costs. In theory, everything is on the level. The experiences Brees and Brady are offering would make any fan run to the computer and register.
"I think fans miss that, especially with all the uncertainty," Brees said. "They want that connection, just like we do. Otherwise we'd be at minicamp right now and the fans would be there watching us, and it's a weird situation right now. ... You provide fans with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity continue that connection with them, raise money for charity. ... It's a win for everybody."
Brees and Co. will do this again June 15 and the experience should be a memorable one for those select fans. But the rhetoric and posturing comes with it. Brees will make sure to tell you why fans are able to participate in their mock OTAs. It's those greedy owners who are making us train where high school freshmen practice running the Wing-T. They locked us out. They made us turn to litigation.
Brees invited national media to the latest practice raffle fan workout. And it was after that mock OTA session where he said the owners waited to take advantage of us after the death of former union head Gene Upshaw to pounce, as Brees told SI.com even though Upshaw died after the owners opted out of the last collective bargaining agreement in 2008.
The owners are talking from both sides of their mouths as well in hopes of fan support.
Irsay has pleased fans with his wacky giveaways on Twitter along with his suggestion for he and Colts center Jeff Saturday to figure out a solution to this seemingly never-ending problem on a bar room napkin. But Irsay won't break rank when push comes to shove and Commissioner Roger Goodell is left answering for the owners contingency.
Here's what Goodell told Titans fans in a conference call last week about fans blaming the league and not the players: "I understand the frustration and anger of fans. I understand what you are saying about directing it at the NFL. All of us will bear the responsibility if we are not able to come to solutions. I disagree that the players' only response was to litigate. The best and fastest solution to the differences is to negotiate.
"Let's get together and let's solve those problems in negotiations and with a collective bargaining agreement. We are taking the initiative to make sure that we do everything possible to create that environment and to have those meetings but frankly, litigation creates delays and creates, unfortunately, an environment where a discussion can only happen in certain forums. I think that is a shame. We need to sit down and figure it out."
A fan asked later in the conference call about the NFL not being a success without fan support.
"I couldn't agree with you more," Goodell said. "I think that's the risk that all of us have as clubs, as players, as a league. We have to recognize that fans love the NFL for the quality, for the value, and the fact that it's great entertainment. It allows them to get away from their everyday troubles. That's what we should continue to focus on and allow fans to enjoy. Unfortunately when you have labor disputes like you have now, fans don't want to hear it. They don't want to know about this side's issue, or that side's issue. I don't think there is sympathy for either side. I think they just want to see more football.
"That's our job. I think all of us, I know the 32 clubs are aware of it and I believe the players are aware of it, that this hurts the game. And if this hurts the game, ultimately it could hurt fan support, which is going to obviously be negative for everybody. The 32 clubs over the years have managed this business I think in a responsible way, and they are fully aware of the risk involved and will want to avoid that and get an agreement that works for everybody."
And while Goodell preaches understanding and appreciation, the fans aren't buying what anyone is selling anymore. Goodell has admitted as much as fans displayed their distrust with everything in NFL draft ratings and NFL.com traffic. Teams are taking money away from Average Joe team employee with pay cuts and furloughs. And despite Tuesday's report from the Sports Business Journal that ticket sales are ahead of the 2010 pace, it's the owners forcing the hands of the consumers to pay the balance of their season tickets.
So it's not simple as blaming one side or the other for the fans. Both are vying for your affection.
Browns linebacker and former NFLPA board of directors member Scott Fujita has been highly critical of Goodell and the owners throughout the labor tussle. But he shed some sort of hope in an interview with CBSSports.com last week.
"The trust [between players and owners] has been broken," Fujita said. "There has been a fracturing, but I also think it's not something that can't be mended."
That's all the fans are asking for, without the rhetoric and the lavish gifts.
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