NightLink: ’09 Owner Rankings, Bears 30th!
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Sep 2, 2009 5:00 PM CDT
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Is it really a surprise to any Bear fan that the ownership, Virginia McCaskey (Michael McCaskey & Ted Phillips), ranked 30th among the 32 NFL teams according to a recent article by Michael Silver of Yahoo Sports? In 2006 the Bears ranked 29th, in 2007 they were 26th, and last year (thankfully) there was no list. His criteria is simple:
...this list is subjective. With input from people in high-level league and ownership circles, I attempt to answer a basic question: If you were a fan of this team, how would you feel about having this person in charge of the franchise?
I'm also influenced by the impact these respective owners have upon the NFL as an entity, and I give high marks to those who get the most out of their brand and spend a significant share of the revenues they accrue attempting to enhance the product.
Here's what he had to say about our beloved Bears:
From a business perspective, no franchise in sports underachieves like this one. The Bears have a storied history, the NFL's second-largest market all to themselves and, for the first time in forever, a saleable franchise quarterback in Jay Cutler. The brand should be booming; sponsorship revenues should be raining down upon Halas Hall like M.J.'s fadeway jumpers in the mid-'90s. "They could take that thing and run it to the moon," one owner says. "But they get less for what they've got than any team in our league." The Bears also react cautiously to league-level proposals for increasing revenue. On a positive note, Michael McCaskey, as chair of the NFL's Super Bowl committee, does a thorough and comprehensive job of reciting the rules before bids are considered. I can't imagine where his peers would be without him.
Someone slip this guy some of the Kool-Aid please...
Here's a link to the 1st half of the piece, teams 17-32. He'll drop the top half tomorrow.
Take solace Bears fans it could be worse...
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Hmm
I don’t know. There have been times in the bad years that I’ve felt the way he does, but really, I like that the Bears haven’t really changed hands since Papa Bear.
We know Soldier Field could be twice as big and it would still sell out. We know they could double the ticket price and people would pay. Maybe it’s good for us, the fans, that the Bears org isn’t about just pumping revenue.
I mean look at the Cowboys. They make a TON of money, and spend it too, but how many Super Bowls have they seen lately?
Double the ticket price? Yikes.
The tickets are pretty much out of my range already, except for the cheapest ones.
That ball hit deep! Way back! You can put it on the boooaaaard...YES!
Long drive into deep right center field! This ball is OUTTA HEEERRRREE!
R.I.P. Harry Kalas 4-13-09
revenues should be raining down upon Halas Hall
Pacman Jones liked making it rain, look where that got him.
I stand by my statement in todays Bear’s Den about this article:
Riding the Bears for not sucking up every promotional offer that comes their way.. But no mention of how little the Bears organization might see of the actual money due to the League’s revenue sharing. Wasnt there a story about this during or immediately after the last Super Bowl appearance about the Bears turning down several promotional offers due to the fact that it wouldn’t benefit them much? The Bears are a for-profit business, why bust your butt so Jacksonville (or worse, a division rival) can reap the rewards?
Does anyone have a clearer understanding of how the League Revenue sharing program works and could you enlighten me with its intricacies?
"We're here! We're queer! We don't want anymore bears!" by Manimal on Aug 20, 2009 12:05 PM EDT @ Daily Norseman after acquiring a geriatric QB
You obviously arent familiar with my sense of humor
"We're here! We're queer! We don't want anymore bears!" by Manimal on Aug 20, 2009 12:05 PM EDT @ Daily Norseman after acquiring a geriatric QB
Who Cares What Michael Silver Thinks?
I don’t. Just an opinion from some clown on Yahoo. I would not put them in the top ten. But the bottom of the league? come on ……………………………
It's not just Michael Silver
This comes from other owners
by Loathie Smith on Sep 3, 2009 7:22 AM CDT up reply actions
Al Davis...
…looks like South Park‘s Stan Marsh’s grandpa in that photo. Was he in a wheelchair?
"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt." - Bertrand Russell
"F*** everybody outside of Halas Hall. BEARDOWN" - WavyGravy
The Rooneys will likely be #1
No surprise there.
Who cares
In recent years the McCaskets have finally been smart enough to allow real football people run the operation. And most importantly they have put their wallet where their mouth is and have spent the money it takes.
"Cubs will win 79 to 83 games." BLou (7/21/09)
by BLou on Sep 2, 2009 6:45 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
Here's a little more food for thought
The Chicago Bears Rank 9th in overall value of NFL Franchises…The Team is worth $1.1Billion according to Forbes.
"We're here! We're queer! We don't want anymore bears!" by Manimal on Aug 20, 2009 12:05 PM EDT @ Daily Norseman after acquiring a geriatric QB
Sorry here's the most recent Forbes valuation
"We're here! We're queer! We don't want anymore bears!" by Manimal on Aug 20, 2009 12:05 PM EDT @ Daily Norseman after acquiring a geriatric QB
I don't know about the business perspective.
But as a fan, I think the Bears should have acheived more success on the field.
Really?
Because I live in Michigan around all the drunken Lions fans. Do you know what the rate of alcoholism is for a Detroit Lions Fan? It could be oh so much worse. Appreciate what you have dude.
Good point.
Grass is always greener. The 90’s were abysmal for the Bears though, and you gotta place a lot of the blame on the ownership who demolished the team piece by piece shortly after Papa Bear passed, and then insisted on fielding mediocre team after mediocre team.
Telling a Bear fan who survived the 90’s “At least you’re not a Lions fan” is like telling a Somalian “At least you’re not a German Jew in the 1940’s”. Someone always has it worse, but it doesn’t mean you haven’t had a rough ride.
Really?
How many times we win the division and go to the playoffs in the 90’s compared to the Lions?
As Ed McMahon would say
you are correct, sir! Times the Lions and Bears won the division in the ’90s.
Lions- 2 (‘91 & 93)
Bears- 1 (’90)
Bears hold a 3-0 lead in the 2000s.
"A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject." -Sir Winston Churchill
Playoffs
In the 90’s the Bears made the playoffs 5 times the Lions made in seven times. In the history of each team the Bears made the playoffs 33 time, the Lions, 17. I’m not going to sit here and break down their playoff history’s. If as a Bears fan you want to sit here and brag about the Lions storied playoff history including the 90’s go ahead. I think I will stick with the Bears organization. I find your argument pretty absurd all together being told. The Lions won nothing even when they were good.
It's not his fault
living in Michigan has slightly distorted his reality, i can’t believe i hadn’t figured that out earlier
"I'm sorry Josh, I'm with Chicago now, you need to stop calling me" -JerBear50 as Jay Cutler
by BearNecessities on Sep 3, 2009 6:55 AM CDT up reply actions
The Only Thing Distorted JerBear50
Is the surprising indication that you side with the notion the Lions were at any time a better franchise then the Bears. I’m embarrassed for you.
JerBear50 hasn't posted on this thread at all
at some point in time (i.e any season they had more wins than us) one could argue they were better than us… it’s facts, get your head out of your @$$, be embarrassed for yourself
Just because the Lions are awful right now… on any given sunday, they can go out and beat the other team, to include us.
"I'm sorry Josh, I'm with Chicago now, you need to stop calling me" -JerBear50 as Jay Cutler
by BearNecessities on Sep 4, 2009 6:43 AM CDT up reply actions
Also, consider that...
the Bears didn’t just “phone it in” during those dismal times. Remember these names; Cade McNown, Rashaan Salaam, Curtis Enis. They tried to make Spellman a corner piece. It’s easy to look back and say they did a horrible job,but many of the players they drafted were highly thought of throughout the league but turned out to be flat busts. You can’t Virginia for that.
Getcha Beernuts Ready!
I don't know about rankings
….but it’s not great ownership. Remember the circus that led up to the Jauron hiring?
It’s gotten better — they’ve backed off and let the football people have more say — but it’s nothing special.
And the prevailing wind happens to be blowing from Vichy.
40 wins in 4 years
At least Phillips, Angelo, and Smith have brought back Bear pride. They haven’t had this kind of consistent success since the last days of Ditka’s regime. Now, with Sizzle in the fold, I believe they’ll continue that positive trend.
"A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject." -Sir Winston Churchill
Cutler's contract is going to make things VERY interesting
Given how other teams are pouring big money on their QBs, even one that hasn’t been to a Super Bowl, and the Bears reputation for being cheap, I’m very curious as to what they plan to do for Jay. I can also imagine that Phillips and Angelo (and Mrs. McCaskey) are relatively pleased with the fact that they didn’t have to pay big money for a 1st rounder this year. Hopefully the new CPA will included a much lower rookie pay scale and allow the Bears to get more daring with 1st round picks. I should point out that this is assuming that contracts and a conservative mindset in the organization played a part in Jerry’s sh!tty 1st round picks.
by Loathie Smith on Sep 3, 2009 7:34 AM CDT up reply actions
I think McCaskey is FAR from being a great owner but...
Ranking her below William Clay Ford is pretty absurd.
by Poloplaya14 on Sep 2, 2009 10:15 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
Here in Denver...
I think they’d put their ownership behind the McCaskeys. At least today, they would. :)
Getcha Beernuts Ready!
I recently participated in a survey conducted by the Bears...
And, along with a number of “ranking” questions based on a scale, I also got to write mini-essays in response to certain questions.
The main essay I wrote had to do with the direction of the organization. Was very glad I got the invitation to particpate in this survey.
"You win because of the quarterback. We have to get that position stabilized. We're fixated on that." -- Jerry Angelo (12.30.2008)
Jerry Angelo trades for Jay Cutler! (4.2.2009)
.
Um... and?
So tell us what you wrote about the direction of the organization! Man, what a tease.
by Loathie Smith on Sep 3, 2009 7:25 AM CDT up reply actions
What's important?
As far as I can tell, the ownership doesn’t get involved with on the field stuff. And they have a brand that is doing well, and one of the top 10 valued NFL franchises according to Forbes. Seems fine to me.
Right tacologic
So by somebody else’s standard they are poor owners. My standard as a fan is what kind of product do they put on the field? And in my mind it’s a damn good one. So if there are other owners that dislike who they partner up with as business partners and who they don’t partner up with………….who cares?
You're right, it could be worse...
At least Skeletor, a.k.a. Al Davis, isn’t running our show. Then He-Man would constantly thwart us, and we don’t need superhuman opposition.
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