NFL Dominance | Do We Really Want to Take Down Goliath?

Whether or not you consider yourself a football fan, chances are you’ve heard of the National Football League and their dominance in the market.

Question: Ever heard of Sunday Night, Monday Night, or Thursday Night football?

Probably yes.

Also question: Ever heard of the United States Football League?

Probably not.

The concept of sports monopolies has been controversial since the birth of sports leagues. For example, seeing as the MLB, NFL, and NBA are sole providers of their respective sports, wouldn’t they be considered monopolies? How is this legal if there isn’t room for other, newer leagues to enter the market?

These questions came to light in the United States Football League (USFL) vs. NFL, a case that has arguably set the precedent for defining league monopolies. The court determined that leagues are safe as long as they gain market dominance through pure economic competition. But what if this wasn’t the ruling?

In the mid 1980’s, the USFL planned to bring a twist to professional football - spring scheduling. With the NFL, college football, and high school football out of season, this seemed like the perfect opportunity to gain some market share. Reasonably so, ABC and ESPN agreed with this strategy and secured contracts with the league.

But things didn’t go as planned.

The USFL lost roughly $200 million in its first two years, so the league office decided to switch up the business plan - compete with the NFL. This was an inevitable failure, and the USFL went on to sue the NFL for monopolization. The jury sided with the plaintiff but, surprisingly, not to the extent the USFL hoped for - the USFL received just $1 in nominal damages. Why was that?

The important issue in the case dealt with the contracts between the NFL and NBC, CBS, and ABC. Although broadcasting NFL games was by far the better financial decision, these contracts weren’t exclusive, meaning the USFL technically had the opportunity to secure similar deals. But because the USFL just wasn’t a good enough product, it failed to attract big networks, inevitably leading to the USFL’s demise.

But what if the NFL was punished more severely?

A different ruling could have very well been the genesis of a professional football conference system akin to the NCAA with a multitude of teams competing for top league prestige. Additionally, if the USFL had been able to recoup their $200 million in losses from the first two seasons, the league would have had a fresh start; they would have been able to lure top players from the NFL. Top talent would inevitably bring fans and television contract opportunities - not to mention all of the possibilities for sponsorships and partnerships. This effect could also, hypothetically, trickle down to collegiate sports, doubling the amount of collegiate players who play professionally. This, of course, would result in a drastic decline in league talent (Johnny Manziel, League MVP? ...Pretty interesting...)

Of course, we can play the “what if” game all we want. Sports fans do it all the time. With games, innings, championships, whatever.

But what if the court ruled differently and the NFL really split in two?

We’ll never have the answer, but it’s pretty fun to theorize.

Ponch Chantha, Deshun Gilchrist, Justin Rypel, and Lucas White