Roger Goodell deserves credit for NFL's growth

Roger Goodell

The NFL has grown tremendously under Roger Goodell, who began his ninth year as commissioner on Monday. Revenues, which topped $10 billion USD in 2013, are projected to reach $16.1 billion by 2018 and remain on path to reach Goodell’s goal of $25 billion by 2025. His understanding of the league as a business and brand are keys to its continued growth.

The commissioner has also been tested, though, and how Goodell deals with the arrest of 49ers defensive tackle Ray McDonald on suspicion of felony domestic abuse is a major yardstick on the horizon. McDonald’s arrest comes days after Goodell announced tougher penalties for domestic violence, admitting he made a mistake with Ray Rice's suspension earlier this summer.

"At times, and despite our best efforts, we fall short of our goals. We clearly did so in response to a recent incident of domestic violence. We allowed our standards to fall below where they should be and lost an important opportunity to emphasise our strong stance on a critical issue and the effective programs we have in place. My disciplinary decision led the public to question our sincerity, our commitment, and whether we understood the toll that domestic violence inflicts on so many families. I take responsibility both for the decision and for ensuring that our actions in the future properly reflect our values. I didn’t get it right. Simply put, we have to do better. And we will."

Goodell showed in that statement what businesses hope to find in leaders: The ability to admit a mistake, show no fear in sharing that mistake, and then correcting it. McDonald can expect to pay for his mistake not because of the new penalties, but because Goodell has said time and time again that players and employees must be held to a higher standard.

Noted in Goodell’s NFL bio: In his first eight seasons as commissioner, Goodell has addressed a wide range of issues to improve the NFL, including player health and safety; the medical needs and pensions of retired players; personal conduct; revenue sharing; stadium construction; media innovation; and international development.

It all came close to shutting down in 2011. The league locked out its players from from March to July, but unlike the NBA and NHL's labor disputes, the NFL didn't miss a single game. Goodell’s leadership played a key role in reaching the 10-year, landmark collective bargaining agreement with the NFLPA — the longest ever in professional sports.

The CBA allowed Goodell to negotiate nine-year network broadcast agreements with CBS, Fox and NBC. As a result the league will collect $4.9 billion in broadcast revenues in 2014. More important, the NFL remains the only league that offers all regular season and playoff games on free, over-the-air television in the markets of competing teams.

Sports Business Journal reports that Goodell's salary amounted to $44.2 million for the 12-month period that ended March 31, 2013, making him the highest paid NFL employee (including players).

"Goodell’s compensation reflects our pay-for-performance philosophy and is appropriate given the fact that the NFL under his consistently strong leadership continues to grow," NFL owners Arthur Blank, Robert Kraft and Jerry Richardson wrote in a letter to their fellow owners.

Among the highlights of Goodell’s reign as commissioner:

— Introduction of the NFL’s personal conduct policy in 2007: Goodell established that while the ability to be able to play football will always be a key to an NFL career, it should be regarded as a privilege, not a right to play on "Any Given Sunday." How Goodell handles Colts owner Jim Irsay's guilty plea on impaired driving charges will test the commissioner's ability to enforce the code. Irsay would be the first owner suspended by Goodell.

— NFL referee lockout: Not the finest hour for Goodell or the NFL. The league wasn’t as lucky this time when it came to reaching an agreement with officials in 2012. The referee lockout and subsequent hiring of replacement officials created chaos and confusion.

— Spygate, the Patriots' attempt to video tape the Jets' defensive signals, and Bountygate, the Saints' bounty scandal, are two other notable events to take place under Goodell.

— The most important happening under Goodell is the NFL concussion settlement. It provides long-term medical benefits for retired players suffering from concussion-related claims after careers.

The NFL sets an example of how a professional sports league must manage its day-to-day business affairs. Goodell, the "capitan of the ship," isn’t just a leader in sports. His skills and understanding of the entity he manages stands as a testament to all business leaders.

Howard Bloom is a Sporting News contributor and the long-time publisher of Sports Business News. He can be reached at [email protected]

Author(s)