Leigh Steinberg, sports agent and author of “The Agent: My 40 Year Career Making Deals and Changing the Game,” says the current battle between the NFL top brass and the NFL Players Association over public protests is not killing the enthusiasm Americans have for the game.
“Here you have a sport that dominates American culture, you have a sport that dominates the nighttime Nielsen television ratings. Nothing else is close. It’s the most popular form of entertainment.”
But the battle over whether players who want to take a knee during the playing of the national anthem should have to do so in the locker room, as the NFL Commissioner wants them to do, is a tough one.
“How much power does the commissioner have to make rules? This was not a rule that was agreed to. But he does have tremendous power under the conduct detrimental concept. In other words, his job is to keep the brand of the league as strong as possible … the players argument would be that with something this broad they should have player input.”
The issue will be heard by an arbitrator.
Leigh was a guest on McIntyre in the Morning.
By Sandy Wells
KABC News