Abolish the draft?

[Northern Star]

The more I think about it, the more I think drafts are unfair labor practices. I assume they must pass a legal test as there's been no significant challenge to them that I've heard of.

 

I saw someone argue for giving each team a set amount of money for the whole draft and they negotiate freely with all eligible players. I like this idea, except it would seem to invite the likelihood of hidden money under the table as ways of going over the limit and signing more top players.

 

http://time.com/money/3838694/nfl-draft-unfair-unamerican-labor-market/

[mvp 78]

I'm not sure it's an unfair labor practice. The employer is basically MLB, not the individual teams. The only unfair thing about it is the limitation on how much you can spend.

[notin]

I'm not sure it's an unfair labor practice. The employer is basically MLB, not the individual teams. The only unfair thing about it is the limitation on how much you can spend.

 

 

True.

 

These players are free to pursue opportunities in Japan or Mexico if they like. MLB is just their desired employer...

[dgalehouse]

I am surprised that no one has challenged the draft on constitutional grounds . You could argue that the employer is MLB or NFL or NBA , but that can certainly be debated . Each team is an independently owned franchise . And some of them are much more desirable places to work than others . We now have free agency . There is no more reserve clause . So you can't force these guys to work for one team until that team gets rid of them . But you can still do that for a few years at first ? Telling them they can go to Japan if they don't like it doesn't sound too good . I don't know if a legal challenge would be successful , but it would be interesting .