Has the NFL Really Taken Care of Its Own?

For all the lucrative things to say about the NFL, there are some who are the least bit pleased. They are the retired NFL players who left the game prior to early 1990s, when free agency became the boon to the league's increased visibility and wealth. The are several factions of retired players who have been quite vocal in their complaint about the league's pension plan and the lack of benefits offered to them. They feel like the NFL and the current player's association have not only forgotten about them, but could care less. There has been a growing rift between the current players and the players that played prior to the early 1990s. Many are aware that the NFL is a multi-billion dollar enterprise and the most popular of all major sports in the U.S. In 2008, the average player's salary in 2008 was $720,000; the average NFL franchise's value was $1.04 billion. according to Forbes magazine. The average ticket cost to an NFL game is $72, according to marketing firm Team Marketing Report. Schedule guests: Former NFL players Bob Grant and Marvin Cobb. The Maverick will be reaching back into his old sports reporter bag of tricks on this segment.