For nearly 150 days this spring and summer, America’s most popular sport and a defining element within American culture was no more.
For nearly 150 days this spring and summer, superstars across the country from San Diego’s Philip Rivers to New England’s Tom Brady were among the nation’s unemployed, their athleticism and skill left without the device created for its exhibition.
For nearly 150 days this spring and summer, fans from Minnesota to Tampa Bay worried and wondered if their fall and winter Sundays would consist of more chores and less scores.
Day after day, as the lockout lumbered on, as analyst after analyst cast gloomy outlooks, and as new obstacles to an agreement seemed to arise daily, professional football, the “macho men” sport, looked as vulnerable as ever. Then, as quick as a Chris Johnson 40 yard dash, players and owners found a common ground, and all was well again in football land.
Now, as the preseason begins, as players dust off their helmets, shake out the cobwebs, and step onto the gridiron they call their office, fans across the country are back to normalcy, the lockout a distant memory, a nightmare yes, but only temporary. Devoid of any lockout negotiations or updates on ESPN these days, it is easy for most people to forget this episode, to forgive and forget the greed inherent in the disagreement, and to move on and answer Hank Williams Jr. weekly question “Are You Ready for Some Football?!?” with a resounding “YES!!” It’s easy, for most people.
Timothy Rodriguez, Mike Arduini, and David Quadrini aren’t most people. Rodriguez, a manager for Sutter’s Mill & Mining Co., Arduini, the owner of the Across the Street Pub, and Quadrini, the owner and manager of the Days Inn, all located a mere “Hail Mary” heave from the UAlbany campus, haven’t forgotten about the lockout as quickly as most.
Every summer for the past 15 years, the UAlbany campus has been the home for the New York Giants training camp. For three weeks, roughly 50,000 fans from across the state and country come to Albany to witness their favorite player’s practice, an experience much more intimate than merely attending a game. Players sign autographs, joke and mingle with fans, go out to local restaurants, bars, events, etc. and bring national attention to an area unfamiliar to most.
During this time, local businesses thrive from the increased tourism and activity. From late July to mid August, places like the Across the Street Pub and Sutter’s Mill & Mining Co. are constantly busy.
As Rodriguez of Sutter’s explains, “When there’s activities on the campus, there’s activities in the restaurant.”
But, with the lockout extending into late July, some teams including the New York Jets, Baltimore Ravens, and the New York Giants decided against traveling away from their home facilities for the summer, citing uncertainty and logistics, including moving all the equipment and personnel, as the main reasons. As a result, areas like Albany and the businesses within were forced to pick up the pieces.
While most people saw the lockout as an annoyance and the eventual agreement as a sign that all was well, Arduini isn’t so sure.
“It trickles down so far,” Arduini told the New York Post back on June 19. “I don’t think people realize how far it trickles down.”
Trying to quantify the affect his business will feel, Arduini gave his best estimate to the Post.
“I guarantee you it would be a 10 to 15 percent decline we would have this year because of them not being here, and that’s a significant amount of money,” Arduini said. “It affects not just me as an owner. It affects my waitresses here who depend on the tips and even my vendors here who I buy things from. I won’t be buying things if I don’t need the stuff.”
David Quadrini, in discussions with the Post, approximated the impact of the Giants training camp, or lack thereof, on his Days Inn across the street from campus.
“Instead of being 75-percent occupied, we’re 100-percent occupied,” explained Quadrini. “I bet we get 15 rooms a night [because of Giants camp]. That’s going to be a big loss because you can’t make that up.”
Assessing the situation aside from mere business perspectives, Rodriguez and Arduini shared like-minded conclusions.
“I wish they’d start thinking a little more outside the little circle of theirs, start thinking about the people that actually pay for those things, the fans,” Arduini commented, speaking about the people involved in the NFL lockout dispute.
Rodriguez too, empathized with the fans, saying “It’s just unfortunate that in these cases, it is the fans that suffer the most.”
It may be cliché but it bears repeating; sports are a business. In America, the NFL just happens to be the pick of the litter. Fans spend countless amounts of money on tickets and merchandise, they watch football games on television in hordes, and in the end, put billion’s into the pockets of the NFL.
When the NFL falters, even for just a moment, because it must decide how to divide the fat piece of pie the fans have given them, the fans, not the pie, are the ones being bit.
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