Drydenwasthebest
Registered User
- Jun 16, 2009
- 5,227
- 0
I'm not denying the fact that these are luxuries, but I kind of see flying first class, and having expensive rooms as giving the players the best chance at being well rested from the exhaustion of travelling. It's not like the players won't perform if they fly coach, but if the teams that pay for those luxury do it to give their team an advantage, I think you can categorize it as an expense to give your team an edge to win. I haven't done any studies on the matter but I know that flying coach for a 5hr flight (Vancouver to Montreal) is not comfortable and somewhat cramping. But alright for other shorter flights maybe it's not as big of an effect, however I just see those expenses as giving your franchise the best chance to arrive to the game in the most restful way possible.
Also lets just throw some numbers out there as rough: say it's $3000 per ticket for first class, and lets say 32 players travel, if we then consider 41 games on the road that is ~4mil in travel expenses a season.
Lets say hotels cost $500 a night, 2 players per room, for 2 nights on average per away game so that's 16 rooms for 41 games that's ~$0.6mil
So on the points you're contending it is not inconceivable that it's costing $5mil per team in travel and accommodation expenses, so that's $150mil for the whole league.
So of $1.65billion that's ~ 10% of the owners share put into the players to try and give them the best chance at competing for away games. From a team by team basis, is it not worth it to try and give your team the best chance of winning?
I mean, I think you could try and leave it up to the players to get their own way to the game, but as I mentioned in a previous post I think that would lead to more chaos then solve anything.
Please remember that the 10% related to flights and sleeping arrangements is only one of the costs given over to benefit the players. 10% for that, 10% for trainers, 10% for doctors, 10% etc, etc, etc... See where I am going? I agree that it is a good idea for the owners to pay for first class and good hotels and better quality food, and the best equipment, etc... to increase their team's chance of success, but it is also beneficial for the players as well. It is a benefit for them, not a requirement or necessity. It is also a cost, an expense, that the OWNERS pay exclusively. That is what I was trying to point out.