The NFL is unfair to small market teams. Big market teams get FAs easier and cheaper than small market teams because they know they have a better chance of winning a championship. I believe that the NFL needs to move the free agent signing period until after the draft. This way the weaker teams could see after the draft what exactly their needs were . This would keep the teams who know how to manipulate the salary cap from taking advantage of those who don't. Being able to pay players when they no longer on the team defeats the whole point of the salary cap.

They probably do it on purpose, it's all about making the most money.

The salary cap was intentionally added to help the smaller market teams compete.
There isn't a salary cap for staff, coaches, etc. though, so maybe that's what you mean? Bigger markets can pay for better/bigger staff?

(11-06-2019, 12:29 PM)Catmandude123 Wrote: The NFL is unfair to small market teams. Big market teams get FAs easier and cheaper than small market teams because they know they have a better chance of winning a championship. I believe that the NFL needs to move the free agent signing period until after the draft. This way the weaker teams could see after the draft what exactly their needs were . This would keep the teams who know how to manipulate the salary cap from taking advantage of those who don't. Being able to pay players when they no longer on the team defeats the whole point of the salary cap.

Huh?? The NFL is as fair as it gets to all 32 teams, small market included, with salary cap and revenue sharing. If a team doesn't know how to manipulate the salary cap to their advantage then that's on their front office, not the NFL.

There are plenty of examples of smaller market teams that compete for championships year in and year out. Green Bay and New Orleans are two of the smallest markets in the NFL. Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Indy, Baltimore, Nashville, Jacksonville all in similar markets as the Bengals. Some are slightly bigger, some slightly less.

The NFL is as competitively balanced as it gets.

(11-06-2019, 12:29 PM)Catmandude123 Wrote: The NFL is unfair to small market teams. Big market teams get FAs easier and cheaper than small market teams because they know they have a better chance of winning a championship. I believe that the NFL needs to move the free agent signing period until after the draft. This way the weaker teams could see after the draft what exactly their needs were . This would keep the teams who know how to manipulate the salary cap from taking advantage of those who don't. Being able to pay players when they no longer on the team defeats the whole point of the salary cap.

The NFL is super fair to small market teams.

Protecting people because they are bad at their jobs is unfair to those who are great at their jobs. What line of thinking is this ish? It's competition. If you are better at it, guess what.... you win! Wowzers! Mind blown, huh? That's typically how life works, dude.

The draft is after the FA period so that veteran players have a better chance to sign with a team and for the macimum they can get. Teams invest in the known commodities first, then fill in with the unknown draft..... unless you're the Bengals, of course. They like to flip that around.

NFL is very fair for all the teams from draft order, scheduling, and revenue sharing.

Also I believe the 'small market' thing is overrated anyways in the NFL. The problems with the Bengals arent because they are in a 'small market' which happens to be about 2 million people in the greater Cincy area. They are plagued with Mike Brown's ownership ways.

(11-06-2019, 12:29 PM)Catmandude123 Wrote: The NFL is unfair to small market teams. Big market teams get FAs easier and cheaper than small market teams because they know they have a better chance of winning a championship. I believe that the NFL needs to move the free agent signing period until after the draft. This way the weaker teams could see after the draft what exactly their needs were . This would keep the teams who know how to manipulate the salary cap from taking advantage of those who don't. Being able to pay players when they no longer on the team defeats the whole point of the salary cap.

Small market teams make themselves small market.  The NFL is 100% fair.  Some teams choose to not buy players like others.  

What it all boils down to is that EVERY SINGLE TEAM in the NFL had won a playoff game since we last won one.

Pittsburgh and Green Bay are both small markets...and have both won Super Bowls and numerous playoff games.

(11-06-2019, 01:13 PM)Millhouse Wrote: NFL is very fair for all the teams from draft order, scheduling, and revenue sharing.

Also I believe the 'small market' thing is overrated anyways in the NFL. The problems with the Bengals arent because they are in a 'small market' which happens to be about 2 million people in the greater Cincy area. They are plagued with Mike Brown's ownership ways.

You beat me to it.

The "small market" thing is just a buzz phrase that gets thrown around that in reality has very, very little to do with the truth about why this team can't/doesn't field competitive teams.

The real reason as you say is Mike Brown and his antiquated ways. MB does basically nothing to build the brand ! Won't step into the modern era and build a real indoor practice facility, no ring of honor even though the stadium stays PBS, curious huh ? The Reds are 1,000 more fan friendly. If he'd do 25% of what they do the Bengals fans would fall over.

You could go on with pages and pages of his stupidity but suffice is to say he's awful, horrible, at building a winning culture.

Teams in Texas and Florida have advantages because they don't have state income tax but you don't see those teams "winning" free agency every year. If the Bengals made competitive offers then they could sign some of these players. Our biggest disadvantage is the reputation of the management of the team.

(11-06-2019, 12:29 PM)Catmandude123 Wrote: The NFL is unfair to small market teams. Big market teams get FAs easier and cheaper than small market teams because they know they have a better chance of winning a championship. I believe that the NFL needs to move the free agent signing period until after the draft. This way the weaker teams could see after the draft what exactly their needs were . This would keep the teams who know how to manipulate the salary cap from taking advantage of those who don't. Being able to pay players when they no longer on the team defeats the whole point of the salary cap.

Evidently you don’t follow the Reds or MLB.

(11-06-2019, 02:13 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: You beat me to it.

The "small market" thing is just a buzz phrase that gets thrown around that in reality has very, very little to do with the truth about why this team can't/doesn't field competitive teams.

The real reason as you say is Mike Brown and his antiquated ways. MB does basically nothing to build the brand ! Won't step into the modern era and build a real indoor practice facility, no ring of honor even though the stadium stays PBS, curious huh ? The Reds are 1,000 more fan friendly. If he'd do 25% of what they do the Bengals fans would fall over.

You could go on with pages and pages of his stupidity but suffice is to say he's awful, horrible, at building a winning culture.

I don't know if I've ever seen a less motivational person than Mike Brown.

(11-06-2019, 02:13 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: You beat me to it.

The "small market" thing is just a buzz phrase that gets thrown around that in reality has very, very little to do with the truth about why this team can't/doesn't field competitive teams.

The real reason as you say is Mike Brown and his antiquated ways. MB does basically nothing to build the brand ! Won't step into the modern era and build a real indoor practice facility, no ring of honor even though the stadium stays PBS, curious huh ? The Reds are 1,000 more fan friendly. If he'd do 25% of what they do the Bengals fans would fall over.

You could go on with pages and pages of his stupidity but suffice is to say he's awful, horrible, at building a winning culture.

The market does hurt.  Let's be real, if you're a single multimillionaire in your mid 20's, where do you want to live?  New York?  LA?  Miami?  New Orleans?  How about Cincinnati?  Yeah, thought not.

You can still be competitive in the Cinci market, but you are not going to be able to use FA to rebuild unless you massively overpay.  Then you run the risk of having to blow it all up before you become truly competitive due to cap issues.  Let's face it, if Miami is offering you $15'mil a year to play there, you aren't coming to Cinci for $16 mil.  You're probably looking at $18-20 mil to land that player.  

(11-06-2019, 02:15 PM)pally Wrote: Teams in Texas and Florida have advantages because they don't have state income tax but you don't see those teams "winning" free agency every year.  If the Bengals made competitive offers then they could sign some of these players.  Our biggest disadvantage is the reputation of the management of the team.

Ultimately, it comes down to winning.
For things outside of winning, how nice are the facilities? What's the atmosphere of the city? What's the weather like? What's the cost of living? 

Market is determined by wins, championships and social interest, which are correlated. Patriots were nobody until the alliance of Brady and BB. Now they are iconic. Cowboys are said to be American's team but not really. Browns, as bad as they are for years have a big following because Brown fans are delusional and somewhat of a cult mentality. Some would consider Browns as mid-large following.

(11-06-2019, 03:27 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Ultimately, it comes down to winning.
For things outside of winning, how nice are the facilities? What's the atmosphere of the city? What's the weather like? What's the cost of living? 

also compete against some states with no income tax.

(11-06-2019, 03:41 PM)XenoMorph Wrote: also compete against some states with no income tax.

I considered that part of Cost of Living.

(11-06-2019, 03:27 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Ultimately, it comes down to winning.
For things outside of winning, how nice are the facilities? What's the atmosphere of the city? What's the weather like? What's the cost of living? 

Jersey Sales are a big part of it too.

(11-06-2019, 03:32 PM)psychdoctor Wrote: Market is determined by wins, championships and social interest, which are correlated.  Patriots were nobody until the alliance of Brady and BB.  Now they are iconic.  Cowboys are said to be American's team but not really.  Browns, as bad as they are for years have a big following because Brown fans are delusional and somewhat of a cult mentality.  Some would consider Browns as mid-large following.

Browns have the fan base because of all the championships before the Super Bowl era.
And even though their basketball and baseball teams are (far) better than their football team, Cleveland has always been predominantly a football town.
Last, there are a decent number of fans in Ohio who root for the Browns but live closer to Cincinnati because Cincinnati didn't have a team when they (or their family) got into football.

(11-06-2019, 03:46 PM)Synric Wrote: Jersey Sales are a big part of it too.

Really? I never would have thought someone would go to a team because they cared about how many jerseys they would sell. Learn something new every day I guess.