6B SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 10,2008
NFL
Even the football league is feeling the pinch of the sinking economy
BY DAVE GOLDBERG ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK — The NFL pays its players billions of dollars a year, and fans pack its stadiums every week. But even the deep-pocketed league is shedding jobs.
Commissioner Roger Goodell said Tuesday that the league is cutting more than 10 percent of its staff in response to the downturn in the nation's economy that could put a dent in ticket sales for next season.
Goodell announced the cuts in a memo to league employees. The NFL is eliminating about 150 of its staff of 1,100 in New York, NFL Films in New Jersey and television and Internet production facilities in Los Angeles.
"These are difficult and painful steps," he wrote in the memo. "But they are necessary in the current economic environment. I would like to be able to report that we are immune to the troubles around us, but we are not. Properly managed, I am confident the NFL will emerge stronger, more efficient and poised to pursue long-term growth opportunities."
The NFL long has been regarded as one of the most wealthiest pro sports leagues on the planet. In September, Forbes called the NFL "the richest game" and the "the strongest sport in the world." The league has revenues of approximately $6.5 billion of which an estimated $4.5 billion
goes to players.
But now it joins the NBA, NASCAR teams and the company that runs Major League Baseball's Internet division in announcing layoffs. The NHL hasn't laid off workers, though it is in a hiring freeze, a spokesman said Tuesday.
So far, NFL fans haven't noticed the cutbacks, which also include reduction in travel by some league staff, and such secondary costs as printing and minor events.
The NFL announced last month that it was reducing the cost of playoff tickets by about 10 percent from last season.
"We're looking at everything
the game has long been known. However, local organizers say the companies that regularly host their own parties are watching expenses, scaling back plans and inviting fewer guests.
"These are difficult and painful steps. But they are necessary in the current economic environment."
Goodell said last month in an interview with The Associated Press that the league and its teams could feel the economic slump in sponsorship and marketing.
The layoffs are separate from the cuts in front-office and other personnel being made by the 32 individual teams.
Ticket sales for this season have been strong and stadiums have
with an eye to how we can be more efficient and reduce costs," league spokesman Greg Aiello said.
The cuts will take place over the next 60 days, running past the Super Bowl, which will be played Feb. 1 in Tampa. Employees who volunteer to leave will be offered what was termed "a voluntary separation program."
ROGER GOODELL NFL commissioner
been largely sold out. But NFL officials, including Goodell, believe that is because season tickets for this year's games were sold in the spring and summer. The commissioner
feared the league and its teams would take a bigger hit when season tickets go on sale next spring for the 2009 season.
"There's no secret on sponsorship, advertising, licensing those numbers are going to be impacted by the current climate. We're aware of that," Goodell said in the interview.
"We're still, unfortunately, in the beginning stages of this. And most of our tickets are sold in the spring. And so '09 is going to be more of a barometer of how impactful the economic environment's going to be on the NFL."
BIG 12 FOOTBALL Bill Snyder finalizes his defensive coaching staff
MANHATTAN — Kansas State football coach Bill Snyder says Mo Latimore will continue his tenure with the Wildcats.
Snyder announced Tuesday he would keep Latimore with the
team as the interior line coach.
team as the interior line coach. It will be Latimore's 25th season as an assistant coach in the Big 12, the longest tenure in the conference.
The former K-State player has spent 15 seasons in Manhattan. He has also coached at University of Texas-El Paso and Missouri.
With Latimore's assignment.
Snyder's defensive coaching staff is complete. Joe Bob Clements will oversee the defensive ends, Chris Cosh will oversee the linebackers and Vic Koenning will take the secondary. Cosh and Koenning will also share duties as defensive coordinator.
Associated Press
FANTASY FOOTBALL
Carolina Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams runs at Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Cato Jude defends during the first quarter on Monday. Williams has refreshed the Panthers offense, and the effective running game should continue for the rest of the season.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
What to give your fantasy team this holiday season
Keeping track of who to keep and who to lose
The last days of the semester are upon us. This being my last fantasy football story before the holiday season, I thought I would try to spread the Christmas cheer — football style.
12 DAYS OF DOZING
Minnesota held off Detroit to keep a slim lead in the NFC North division.
The victory didn't come without a price, though. Minnesota's quarterback Gus Frerotte left the game with an injury, leaving the signal-calling in the hands of Tarvaris "Don't call it a comeback" Jackson.
Frerotte's status is unclear for next week, but if Jackson does start because of a Frerotte injury, expect a strong dose of running back Adrian Peterson in the next couple of games for the Vikings.
Peterson already carries the load for Minnesota, but he could shoulder even more if Frerotte is out.
The Vikings play Arizona and Atlanta the next two weeks, and both defenses have the potential to yield a big day to Peterson.
THREE TIED TEAMS
Should old acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind? Wait, that's too far into the holiday season. Jets fans are probably second-guessing their push to get rid of former quarterback and old acquaintance Chad Pennington right now. After the Jets' choke job in San Francisco this week-end, Pennington's Dolphins are now tied with New York and New England for the division lead.
If not for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter from New England running back Sammy Morris, Miami would be in a mere two-way tie with the Jets for first in the division. Miami controls its own destiny with a showdown against New York in the last game of the season.
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that needs to be sorted out in the last three weeks of the season.
TWO STELLAR BACKS
With the NFC South division lead on the line, the Carolina Panthers came up big. On the shoulders of their two running backs, DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, the Panthers beat Tampa Bay 38-23 on Monday night. Tampa Bay allowed one rushing touchdown on the season entering the game, but the Carolina tandem scored four rushing touchdowns on the night.
Williams and Stewart have both been refreshing successes in the Panthers' offense, and Stewart could be a savior for your fantasy playoff hopes. The Panthers have games remaining against Denver and New Orleans, so the effective running game should continue.
AND A QUARTERBACK BACK FROM INJURY
The Houston Texans could not have been happier to see quarterback Matt Schaub back on the field on Sunday, Schaub missed four games with an injury but came back strong on Sunday. He threw for 414 yards and two touchdowns in an upset victory against the Green Bay Packers.
Rookie running back Steve Slaton also played well with 120 rushing yards. The Texans are even hanging on to slim playoff hopes. If the Texans write to Santa, it's a long shot, but maybe they can get a playoff berth for Christmas.
Edited by Lauren Keith
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