The NFL ends deal with Riddell Helmets (1 Viewer)

[Jeff Pasquino]

Finally, after I wrote about this back in 2009, the NFL is "getting its head straight" and ending the deal with Riddell.

It's about time.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nfl-ending-deal-riddell-160955782--nfl.html

 

[mad sweeney]

$350 is significantly more than the current helmets?! Thre fifty seems extremely cheap for the most important protection on your body.

 

[RIM]

 

[Warrior]

$350 is significantly more than the current helmets?! Thre fifty seems extremely cheap for the most important protection on your body.

Toilet paper is very useful, but that doesn't mean it costs a lot to make.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

Great for the NFL but seems like the players can choose different helmets now and opt not to. It's not like the NFL is now going to sell this right to Rawlings or something. They just don't want to be held liable so really this is more about protecting the shield than players IMO. Badell protecting owners as usual.

 

[ConnSKINS26]

Great for the NFL but seems like the players can choose different helmets now and opt not to. It's not like the NFL is now going to sell this right to Rawlings or something. They just don't want to be held liable so really this is more about protecting the shield than players IMO. Badell protecting owners as usual.

That's his job. He works for the owners. There's a reason he's not also in charge of the NFLPA.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

Great for the NFL but seems like the players can choose different helmets now and opt not to. It's not like the NFL is now going to sell this right to Rawlings or something. They just don't want to be held liable so really this is more about protecting the shield than players IMO. Badell protecting owners as usual.

That's his job. He works for the owners. There's a reason he's not also in charge of the NFLPA.

You get it but I'm not sure all fans understand that, especially those that get off when he suspends players, coaches, and the like. Players and coaching suspensions were almost unheard of when Paul Tagliabue and Pete Rozell were in charge. In fact when Goodell handed a few matters over to Tags because of conflict of interest, seems like Tagliabue ruled against him, I might not have that right but I think that's right.

My open hatred for the man runs deep, I have a whole thread dedicated to him so I don't need to hijack this one.

 

[GroveDiesel]

Great for the NFL but seems like the players can choose different helmets now and opt not to. It's not like the NFL is now going to sell this right to Rawlings or something. They just don't want to be held liable so really this is more about protecting the shield than players IMO. Badell protecting owners as usual.

This literally makes no sense. The NFL had to actually pay to get out of their contract with Ridell. The owners are going to lose money not only because they won't have a helmet company paying them licensing fees anymore, but also in buying out the contract.

And pretending that the players had a real choice is silliness. Riddell was he default helmet. Players could choose other helmets, but it was essentially an opt out decision. The vast majority of players are simply going to wear what the team hands them. The numbers seem to back that up as 75% of players wear the Riddell helmets even though their technology lags far behind the other manufacturers.

There are lots of other factors too. Other companies were at a huge disadvantage and had less incentive to market to NFL players because only Riddell was allowed to have their branding on the helmets. This created a trickle down effect to the lower levels of football where college, high school and pee wee players often take their cues from the pros. They assume that if 75% of pros wear a certain helmet that it must be the beat option. And since the only brand name they see on TV is Riddell, that's who they're going to favor. So this could ultimately have a significant safety impact on every level of football.

Your hatred of Goodell sure seems misplaced on this one. It would have been far more egregious to continue with their Riddell licensing than to do what they did.

 

[mad sweeney]

$350 is significantly more than the current helmets?! Thre fifty seems extremely cheap for the most important protection on your body.

Toilet paper is very useful, but that doesn't mean it costs a lot to make.

Congrats, you've made the dumbest comparison of the week.

 

[Soulfly3]

$350 is significantly more than the current helmets?! Thre fifty seems extremely cheap for the most important protection on your body.

Toilet paper is very useful, but that doesn't mean it costs a lot to make.

Congrats, you've made the dumbest comparison of the week.

unless he finds it extremely important to keep his ### clean for that "special someone"

 

[ahartig]

If any of you have netflix streaming and want to watch a very good flick about concussions in the nfl and sports in general watch this flick:

http://headgamesthefilm.com/

Watched it randomly one night and though it was very well made and informative.

After watching the movie, I strongly feel the NFL should mandate every team provide the absolute safest helmet for every player, an open market for helmet manufacturers ensures that a healthy competition will ensue to research new and better helmet safety technology.

 

[Soulfly3]

more steroids is always the correct answer.

 

[beef]

$350 is significantly more than the current helmets?! Thre fifty seems extremely cheap for the most important protection on your body.

Toilet paper is very useful, but that doesn't mean it costs a lot to make.

Congrats, you've made the dumbest comparison of the week.

You continue to prove you have no clue.

 

[Sarnoff]

NFL News: Speaking of Riddell, everyone’s making a big fuss over this story about Riddell no longer being the NFL’s official helmet after this season. But that’s not news — it’s been known for about two years that the NFL was planning to let that deal expire, because they didn’t want to give the impression that they were implying that one helmet brand was safer than another.

 

[infantsam]

So the NFL is protecting it's ### - as it should.

The helmet companies need to step up and do the research to earn the sales.

 

[Bri]

The concussion stuff the last ten(?) years has really strained this relationship between Riddell and the NFL. Who is to blame? Who should spend $ on research? etc.

No other company has spent as much money and time researching head impacts than Riddell.

Giving the players a choice is great, but I doubt they go away from Riddell.

I would guess this is more legal maneuvering like they chose the helmet, it's their fault.

Like everything, there are cheap manufacturers in China and some fancy new technology types rising up....still I doubt Riddell isn't the majority helmet manufacturer in the NFL and the US in general next year.