Keeping the customers rather the owners satisfied.
The Big Four North American sports circuit’s owners, Major League Baseball, the National Football League, the National Hockey League and the National Basketball Association, don’t fire commissioners unless there is a problem like not bringing in enough revenue or if a commissioner assumes too much power. In fact, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell replaced the retiring Paul Taglibue in 2006. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver took over from the retiring David Stern after Stern ended his 30 year run in 2014. Gary Bettman became the first Commissioner of the NHL in 1993 after NHL owners wanted more than a President and were looking for someone to grow the industry’s revenues. Rob Manfred has been the Major League Baseball Commissioner since 2015 and he replaced Bud Selig who decided to retire. Manfred will be around for a while longer, the owners like him despite falling attendance and TV ratings, Manfred and his team have struck deals that have increased Major League Baseball’s revenues.
Fans seem to think the Commissioner of any sport should listen to their concerns. It doesn’t work that way. Commissioners serve at the pleasure of the owners. Commissioners are not working for the players either. That is why there are players associations and why people like Don Fehr, DeMaurice Smith, Tony Clark and Michele Roberts have jobs. They look after the players’ best interest. The commissioner works for the owners, not the fans or players and his or her main job is to maximize owners’ revenue streams. Manfred, along with Goodell, Silver and Bettman have done just that. Manfred can go to the Minor League Baseball hosted winter meeting with a new contract and work on Major League Baseball’s issues, the issues that concern the owners which include lobbying politicians for new stadiums in Phoenix, Tampa, Oakland and Anaheim and keep money following into the industry.
