Although the NFL has been the least affected by the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic among the major American sports, the league, however, has not been immune to the realities of the virus.
Which means the NFL, like virtually all other sports around the globe, are looking at financial shortcomings that simply could not have been predicted.
In a move to help ease those pains, commissioner Roger Goodell has reportedly forfeited his salary for the upcoming season.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell volunteered to reduce his salary last month to $0, per a league spokesman; it began earlier this month.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 29, 2020
Goodell’s salary is based on league revenue and television deals and so forth, so it can fluctuate from year to year, but most estimates put his yearly income in the neighborhood of $30 million or more.
It may be a case of semantics, Goodell obviously will stay on as commissioner, so he has to be listed somewhere on the league payroll, but for all intents and purposes, he his not taking any money from the league. But technically speaking, he’s adjusting his salary to $0.
Around the NFL, others are also facing the reality of pay cuts and furloughs.
In a memo sent around the league, the NFL is implementing salary reductions of five percent for management-level workers, seven percent for directors, 10 percent for vice presidents, 12 percent for senior VP’s, and 15 percent for those at the executive president level.
The league is also steadfast in releasing its regular-season schedule in early May, which will be an important indicator in seeing if, or to what extent, the coronavirus will influence how the league navigates the future.
