If the NFL owners would only recognize it, there are plenty of qualified, experienced collegiate officials, who have never worked an Arena Football League game, that would relish the opportunity to work NFL games. And they would work for a lot less money than they are paying the existing NFL officials right now. These are people who are driven by their love of the game--for players, for the coaches, and for those whose livelihood depends on it--not for the money.
Now, don't get me wrong: a bump in yearly revenue would be great but not at the rate that the NFL officials think they deserve. The NFL officials did not make the game what it is. In fact, on several occasions, they have actually ruined games (see Lions vs. Saints 2012, Chargers vs. Broncos 2008, and Super Bowl XL). Mistakes will be made but when bad calls change the game and the officials have no lasting consequence, it diminishes the sport.
Instead of continuing to pay the NFL officials an exorbitant salary, the league could hire the perfectly qualified Division 1 collegiate officials at a lower rate. Savings on $9.7 million per season could be reaped by paying a crew of seven officials a flat rate of $60,000, which would total $420,000 per crew per season. Comparing that figure to the current average crew salary would save $9.7 million that could go to the former NFL players association. The former players deserve that money. They made the game what it is today. They need the money. They earned it.
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