So I had conversation with an Nfl official (1 Viewer)

[Super44]

There’s no good argument for officiating to continue to be as bad as it is.

I’m inclined to think the game has become too fast and physical to rely on part time, generally older officials, current crew sizes, and resistance to more thoroughly incorporating technology into the process.

Hiring full time refs with more stringent physical requirements, perhaps adding additional sideline judges, and making use of enhanced camera placement and ever expanding technology could be steps toward improvement. Too much is at stake for the integrity of competition to so frequently and egregiously be compromised.

The better solution is, to have the officials in the booth to stop play and get things correct, when warranted.

 

[Super44]

Incompetence at a high level with some extraordinarily bad luck, yes. Conspiracy by the league--the league--to ensure a Super Bowl win for the Rams (and was the horrible call in the Houston game part of the plan?), no.

The market valuation of the 32 franchises is perhaps 100 billion dollars. Discovery of a conspiracy would reduce that valuation by, say, 70 billion dollars, assuming survival of the league. And it would involve how many people? The risks are exponentially greater than the benefits. It would be one of the biggest scandals in American history. And it could possibly destroy the greatest sports-entertainment industry model ever created. Again, just look at how many people would have to be involved and what the risks are compared to the benefits, and it simply makes no sense for people worth billions to do something so recklessly stupid. This is akin to someone going to the casino and risking his entire fortune to win a tiny fraction of what he is wagering.

The NFL would never be as popular as it is now, without 2 things.

Widespread sports wagering and Fantasy Football. Take those away and the league would pay a huge price. All you need to do, is look at TV ratings. No one cares to watch NFL national games, outside of the two competing teams’ cities. I don’t watch any NFL games outside of Saints games. I don’t give a turd about the NFL. I only care about the Saints and watch what my Fantasy players are doing and I get the Fantasy updates through an online site. I don’t need to watch a game.

 

[Saint Jack]

The NFL would never be as popular as it is now, without 2 things.

Widespread sports wagering and Fantasy Football. Take those away and the league would pay a huge price. All you need to do, is look at TV ratings. No one cares to watch NFL national games, outside of the two competing teams’ cities. I don’t watch any NFL games outside of Saints games. I don’t give a turd about the NFL. I only care about the Saints and watch what my Fantasy players are doing and I get the Fantasy updates through an online site. I don’t need to watch a game.

The national games are the highest rated things on TV. People other than those two teams are watching.

 

[Super44]

The national games are the highest rated things on TV. People other than those two teams are watching.

Let me rephrase my message.

TV ratings are down on the national televised games. There is no where the interest, there once was. And of course there are others in other cities, outside of the two teams playing watching with interest. Just not in the numbers once seen.

 

[Saint Jack]

Let me rephrase my message.

TV ratings are down on the national televised games. There is no where the interest, there once was. And of course there are others in other cities, outside of the two teams playing watching with interest. Just not in the numbers once seen.

The games are still pulling in about 17-20 million on average. 25 if the game turns out competitive.
Compared to everything else on TV, the ratings are fantastic.

 

[mikedre]

I'm really not a conspiracy theorist but it's obvious the Refs and/or Goodell have it our for the Saints.

The sad part is, we will probably get every call we want now since our season is done.

Doubt it! They are doing it with impunity and only the fans say anything about it. Maybe I'm wrong, but I didn't hear any announcers outside of the game even mention it

 

[Spylake]

step one of twelve
Hello, my name is ____Fill in the blank____ and I am an NFL Ref who makes bad calls....

It won't get better if they won't admit there is a problem.

 

[Scott B]

53 Super Bowls, and not one of them have had the host team appear. Pure coincidence

 

[FLSaintzFan]

Technology left the game way behind, other than "improved" helmets, "skycam", and tablet computers for bench study.

During the Clemson game last night, a player ran down the sideline and stepped where the paint should've been on the grass but wasn't. Camera view showed the ostensible OB, but shoe never touched white paint. Absurd.

Lasers on sidelines and goal lines eliminates the issue. The real problem is NFL trying to be anachronistic in Y100. Chain gang. Pylon cam. SMH

Tech has been left behind in the NFL. We're talking about a game, including college and high school, that still uses a chain and two sticks to measure for a first down, or the lack of one.

 

[Pensacola]

The NFL lost the Los Angeles market once before, and they are fully committed at all costs to ensure that never happens again. Have you seen the 5 BILLION dollar stadium under construction! The Rams MUST be successful at all costs! The NFL knows the Angeleno Flakes aren't coming to games unless their teams a winner. NFL loves its big market teams, and their refs are quick to oblige!

Shameful ...

 

[Surviving Saint]

The league has some real problems and human frailty can invite bad stuff to happen, but these unfounded, unrealistic conspiracies about deep league plots to manipulate games, teams, and entire seasons are absurd.

But it's not absurd. It's the truth and some fans don't want to believe it because they are too invested in the home teams. It's not a real football game. Money determines the outcomes. Always has since the inception of the league. Just watch the officials. It's right there for the world to see.

I barely watch the games and I used to watch them all day but not anymore. I have better stuff to do. The league is a sham. I thought about taking my kids to a game for the experience but it's not worth it. It would cost over $1000 and the Saints aren't worth that. I would rather just give my kids 1000 dollars and let them blow it.

 

[DavidM]

Calling it absurd was the wrong word choice. That was more emphatic and confrontational than it needed to be.

I understand the capacity for corruption to occur. Extreme wealth and power can drive people to act unethically and break the law. We hear about it often.

Could the NFL be acting in a way to rig outcomes? Sure. And I’ve never said that’s impossible. But I don’t think that’s what is going on - at least where I’m most interested; the idea that the league is targeting the Saints. I think it satisfies some people to believe that and that’s their choice.

What I see is a broken system of officiating that is regularly bad, affecting games around the league. True, none worse than the non-call that cost the Saints a trip to the Super Bowl. But the reality of the problem is we are hardly the only team on the receiving end of bad officiating.

I do understand and agree that the league has a strong interest in their relationship and investment in LA, but that doesn’t create a straight line to allegations of engaging in fraud and conspiracy.

I think there is a lot wrong with the NFL and its direction under Roger Goodell. I’m not defending the league or ignoring issues that I believe to exist, but there is no credible evidence that the games are being rigged at a systemic level and at the direction of the commissioner. In the absence of evidence to consider, beyond what we want to see, it does exist as a conspiracy theory.

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

Calling it absurd was the wrong word choice. That was more emphatic and confrontational than it needed to be.

I have a healthy distrust of big business. Extreme wealth and power drive people to act unethically and break the law. We hear about it often.

Could the NFL be acting in a way to rig outcomes? Sure. And I’ve never said that’s impossible. But I don’t think that’s what is going on - at least where I’m most interested; the idea that the league is targeting the Saints. I think it satisfies some people to believe that and that’s their choice.

What I see is a broken system of officiating that is regularly bad, affecting games around the league. True, none worse than the non-call that cost the Saints a trip to the Super Bowl. But the reality of the problem is we are hardly the only team on the receiving end of bad officiating.

I do understand and agree that the league has a strong interest in their relationship and investment in LA, but that doesn’t create a straight line to allegations of engaging in fraud and conspiracy.

I think there is a lot wrong with the NFL and its direction under Roger Goodell. I’m not defending the league or ignoring issues that I believe to exist, but there is no credible evidence that the games are being rigged at a systemic level and at the direction of the commissioner. In the absence of evidence to consider, beyond what we want to see, it does exist as a conspiracy theory.

consider
Since there is no professionalism to reffing (literally and metaphorically), then it’s not too much of a stretch to say there is scant professional ethics involved— like there seems to be no “get it right at all costs” code of conduct or the like —
So what, then, would be the driving principle for refs?
‘Back the brand’ would seem the next obvious ethos, no?

Now whereas refs probably don’t get calls from RG or Jerry Jones about what team to favor, they must know what teams the league prefers - and if there is no professional integrity standing in the way, pleasing the people who sign your checks seems almost guaranteed

Yes that argument is highly speculative and rhetorically contorted- but I’m finding it harder and harder to doubt there is not a thumb on the scales

 

[DavidM]

consider
Since there is no professionalism to reffing (literally and metaphorically), then it’s not too much of a stretch to say there is scant professional ethics involved— like there seems to be no “get it right at all costs” code of conduct or the like —
So what, then, would be the driving principle for refs?
‘Back the brand’ would seem the next obvious ethos, no?

Now whereas refs probably don’t get calls from RG or Jerry Jones about what team to favor, they must know what teams the league prefers - and if there is no professional integrity standing in the way, pleasing the people who sign your checks seems almost guaranteed

Yes that argument is highly speculative and rhetorically contorted- but I’m finding it harder and harder to doubt there is not a thumb on the scales

“The league” is thirty-two owners. Which team do you think Mrs Benson “favors” if not the Saints? Now work down the list of owners.

Which are the favored teams? Why? Is it based on market at any given time?

The Patriots are dominant. Am I missing the reason why some collection of owners are working together to tip the scales in that team’s favor year after year after year?

The vaunted Cowboys haven’t been terribly relevant in a couple of decades. Playing in the largest market, the Jets are a perennial afterthought. Any league pressure going on to make sure things work out for the Chargers?

 

[blackadder]

The games are still pulling in about 17-20 million on average. 25 if the game turns out competitive.
Compared to everything else on TV, the ratings are fantastic.

This.

The ratings and attendance might have had a negative blip last couple of seasons with the anthem protests and what not but the money is still rolling in. Last season was record revenue I think.

I could foresee a futuristic outcome where no one goes to the games and everyone is on some kind of pay per view. Low probability but my point is I don't think the NFL would care if they were making money from advertising, subscriptions, merchandise etc.

Right now they are making money. Many people are disillusioned and see the decline in quality of the product but it is so ingrained and there are few alternatives for sport and spectacle that we remain in the co-dependent relationship. I believe the NFL is 100% confident of this.

The only wildcard is over the longer term is soccer eclipses NFL. In the long term picture of shifting demographics I wouldn't rule that out but I don't see college football going away and college feeds the pros. And a ot of the people I see that have become MLS fans and are more or less indifferent about the NFL still play fantasy football.

The NFL still holds the cards.