Where would Steelers be if NFL was run like MLB?

This question came up on local talk show. It was about Eagles but it got me wondering. I have no idea what we'd be like. Would we be the Dodgers and Yankees of the NFL or would we be the Pirates of the NFL?

My guess is Steelers would be a middle of pack team. What say you?

 

That is really hard to fathom. The shared revenue concept in the NFL and the CAP makes the smaller franchises at least viable, for instance GB would not likely even have a structure if it was ML baseball model, the Steelers would fare better, but still struggle if there were No CAP and a different type of revenue sharing. The brand itself would create some financial structure, but corporate backed ownership, or multi business engaged billionaires with deep pockets would be willing to pay far more and to far more players for a small market, family owned team to compete.

 

It all depends on what you mean by this question? Are you asking based on the current Pirates ownership or are you asking based on the MLB not sharing Revenues equally across the league? If we had the Pirates current ownership running the Steelers I don’t think we would be very good at all. I don’t think Nutting would be into signing big time players and being up against the salary cap every year.

If the NFL didn’t have a salary cap and revenue sharing I think we would be a very average team living off of our past nostalgia and history. We would still command a decent revenue share because of our national fan base and following would enable us to have decent revenue sharing but we would never be able to compete with the Cowboys or Giants or Rams in that type of setup. Those teams would always have the best QB’s etc. because they would simply drive up their market price to make them unaffordable to teams like the Steelers.

If the NFL were structured like the MLB you would have the big city teams dominating and teams like us or even smaller market teams being like feeders for the big franchises. If it were setup like that the NFL would not be nearly as popular as it is now. I always felt like Baseball has really hurt its popularity based on how the league is structured. You literally have a few teams that draw a national audience consistently in the MLB as a result because everyone knows the other teams more than likely aren’t going to be competitive by mid year.

 

at home
struck out
balk
dug out
a little outside


Mike Tomlin = Bill Buckner or Bobby Cox

 

Isn't there a LUXURY TAX in baseball to share with other teams

 

I do not know. If their is I highly doubt it makes every teams revenue comparable.

 

Peanuts in the grand scheme

 

popcorn and cracker jacks

 

I believe, without the salary cap and revenue sharing, the Rooney family may have sold long ago. They would not have been willing and able to stay competitive with the larger market teams.
The draft would yield a couple top players each year as they would be drafting relatively high, but their tenure on the team would be short, and they likely would be traded away in order to get assets in return, rather than lose them for nothing. They may make a brief run at competitiveness but then would flounder for numerous years, like their Pirate brethren.

This assumes of course, that the free agency rules would be similar to MLB, and the bargaining unit agreements would be similar. Arbitration, service time, waivers, etc. There would be no development system like in MLB, unless they used the alternate football league as a source of players. Would players in college be so quick to leave school early? Would they see playing for an historical also-ran (regardless of the team) as a better opportunity than staying under the NIL umbrella There is a lot to consider with this question, but in the end, the "large market" teams would still prevail like they do in MLB.

 

How Alternate of reality are you talking about? Has there been a major earthquake on both coasts?

Because are you asking if Pittsburgh, would be the same as New York and Los Angeles?

 

What about physicals?

 

This is from AI. Have to laugh about helping smaller teams compete. Bobby boy is pocketing that money.
AI Overview
MLB revenue sharing is a system where a portion of team revenues, primarily local revenues, is pooled and redistributed equally among all 30 teams. This system, designed to help smaller-market teams compete, is intended to level the playing field by distributing funds from larger-market teams to those with fewer local revenue streams

 

LUXURY TAX

 

One of the best concepts about the NFL salary cap is the 89% floor rules. All teams must spend at least 89% of their salary cap in a 4 year period, or the league will force the team to pay the players the difference. This prevents teams like the Pirates in the NFL, from just scraping by and living off the revenue sharing.

• Minimum Team Spending: Each NFL team must spend a minimum of 89% of the salary cap over a four-year period.
• League-Wide Spending: The NFL as a whole must spend at least 95% of the cap over the same four-year period.
• Consequences of Not Meeting Minimums: If a team fails to reach the 89% threshold, it will be forced to pay the difference to players who were on its roster during those four years.

The major difference between the owners with money, and the owners that are paying their players pay check to paycheck is the Signing Bonus money: That is money the owner has to come up with on the spot when a player signs his contract. Some owners can pay the big signing bonus, and others, like the Steelers, put that amount in the yearly Roster Bonus section, so they can spread the yearly bonus payments out for the life of the contract.

 

There is, the distribution is among different league functions, could not find actual numbers paid to teams, its minimal compared the gigantic revenue teh Dodgers bring in.

Nine Teams Exceeded Luxury Tax Threshold In 2024 - MLB Trade Ru
Major League Baseball luxury tax - Wikipedia

 

That on the spot money is what separates billionaires on paper and those WITH paper, lol. I think the guaranteed money in a contract..or at least a certain % has to be put in escrow as well. When the Browns signed Watson to that totally guaranteed contract, it was reported Jimmy Haslam was trying to find ways to get that cash into escrow. Who knows really, but he is a major owner in TA truck stops and I recall reading he was trying to get loans to get that cash together. Some of these guys have billons in assets, but not necessarily ready cash.

 

I believe it has been reported that Nutting is making a tidy 21 million a year from the luxury tax. He doesn't spend it on players. What are the Pirates
like 30th in the league in payroll. Now compare that to the Brewers/Cincy. Even if he would spend comparable to what these other small market teams spend
the fans may get behind the Pirates, as of now they won't. And people wonder why he won't sale the team.

 

Anyone who reports the 21 number doesn’t know what they are talking about

That is just the difference in revenue sharing and payroll

It does not count from money made from tickets, TV etc or deduct for expenses such as running the team, stadium improvement, farm teams, etc

But yes I believe Nutting is pocketing a lot of money

 

i thought this thread meant our guys could use bats.

 

Without cheerleaders, logos on both sides of helmets and logo at midfield all season long, Steelers would never compete without a cap.

Plus they'd have to have firework shows and bobble head giveaways every week just to get anyone in the stands.