Why Professional Sports Drafts Are Evil - Part I

The 2010 NFL draft is mere days away and the entire NFL fan base is atwitter. Everyone loves the drama, the wheeling, dealing and all of the theories from reporters and other talking heads that we can't seem to get enough of. Will the Eagles trade out of the first round again? Which team will make the first reach? Will Mel Kiper's hair move? Face it, we love the NFL and NBA drafts. We love the agonizing hours that lead to our team's picks and all of the emotion that comes with whether we agree or disagree with their selections. But there is another side to professional sports drafts that goes mostly ignored.


American sports leagues have convinced the public that playing for them is a privilege. Listen to talk radio some day and listen to how the average Joe talks about a player who is in the midst of a contentious contract negotiation or who is trying to circumvent the draft system. Public opinion is such that fans feel that athletes should pay to be allowed to play pro sports. The truth is, professional athletes possess a valuable skill set that, if not provided to the sports leagues, would lead to a watered-down product that likely would leave sports fans unimpressed and disengaged.


Imagine you are a young professional coming out of college or grad school. You have a bright future and have a skill set that elevates most job seekers. There is no shortage of suitors that are willing to bid for your services, and your future is as bright as can be. However, instead of being able to choose the best situation for you, a rightful expectation given how hard you have worked, you find out after graduation that you have been drafted to work for ChachieMac, Inc. After doing some research on ChachieMac, you find they are known to be a poorly-run outfit with a long tradition of poor performance. Oh, and they are based in Anchorage, Alaska. You have always dreamed of working for one of America's great companies in one of America's finest cities. Those companies would love to have you come work for them and would be willing to pay you what you are worth. Too bad though, as you have no mechanisms at your disposal to change your fate. THAT is the American professional sports entry draft system.

I used to have a ton of animosity for athletes who bucked the draft system in recent years, namely J.D. Drew and Eli Manning. At the time, I felt that both were arrogant for thinking they were too good for their respective systems. I hated them for what I perceived as their feeling that they were better than everyone else and deserving of special treatment. Looking back, I can totally understand where they were coming from, and to be completely honest, I can now applaud them for standing up for themselves.

American sports leagues are the only industry that I can think of that can get away with this type of system, one that removes most, if not all, control of their new employees' career path. I can hear the arguments now - "but it's a PRIVILEGE to play professional sports!". People have been suckered into believing this ridiculous notion mainly because many of us grew up idolizing players and fantasizing about the lifestyle and money that comes with success as a professional athlete.

So, what is the harm? Who does this system hurt? The answers might surprise you...

Coming Soon: "Why Professional Sports Drafts Are Evil - Part II"