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New NFL Commissioner Elected

There’s a new sheriff in town. No, his name is not Reggie Hammond. But ya’ll can still be cool. Right on.

His name is Roger Goodell, and he was the heir-apparent to succeed Paul Tagliabue as the Commissioner of the National Football League (NFL). Yesterday it became official as the NFL Owners unanimously picked Goodell as their new leader. It was a logical choice, as Goodell has worked for Tagliabue and before that Pete Rozelle, considered two of the best commissioners in all of sports.

Goodell is only 47, which may lead to believe that if he does a good enough job, he will be around for quite some time. Personally I think that’s a good thing for the NFL. Stability at the top usually makes it better all around. And his most recent position? Since December of 2001 he has been the Chief Operating Officer of the NFL. Among his duties was serving as president of NFL Ventures, Inc. (which oversees the NFL's business units, including media properties, marketing and sales, consumer products, international, stadium development, special events, and strategic planning). He also ran the league's football operations and officiating departments (exact job description taken from espn.com). He’s got some big shoes to fill in Tagliabue and especially Rozelle. Luckily he’s been in the NFL offices for more than 20 years so at least he has a handle on what’s going on over there.

Okay, enough about him. Let’s talk about us. How will this affect us as fans? Hopefully, it will be a seamless transition. The biggest issue could be with the collective bargaining agreement (CBA). In 2008, both sides (players and league) have the option to opt out of their current contract. There’s been talk already from owners and the players that they won’t hesitate to take this option to garner a new deal. That could be ugly.

Also on the plate is Los Angeles. The City of Angels have been a city without an NFL team since both the Raiders and the Rams bolted out of town back in 1994-1995. Obviously that is a huge market which anyone would love to tap into. The issue is now, like buying a house out there, it’s just crazy money. Figures have been estimated between $1.5 and $2 billion just to get a team off the ground. Yes, billion. Not saying it can’t be done, but that’s a lot of risk to be taking.

I wish you good luck Mr. Goodell. I hope you succeed and keep the league going strong for the next 20 years. Football is a passion for many, and you will be judged daily. With your experience, I think you will do just fine. Just don’t screw with it too much, okay? I kinda like how it is now.