The NFL has leaders who wear shoulder pads and helmets, and the NFL has leaders who wear suits and ties. Fans know that NFL players reap the financial rewards of the league's mass appeal, but what about the guys who sign their checks? This is public information due to the fact that the NFL is viewed by the government as a nonprofit organization. All tax-exempt nonprofit enterprises must make the salaries of their highest-ranking officers public.

This is why teams can find ways to secure public funds for the building of stadiums and receive property tax breaks on the land on which they are built. It's why you won't go one Sunday in September without seeing a few Play 60 commercials sponsored by the league. In late April, Oklahoma senator Tom Coburn R introduced an amendment to the U.

Marketplace Fairness Act which would make IRS code " exclude major professional sports from qualifying as tax-exempt organizations. Let's get one thing straight: NFL owners didn't get to be NFL owners by being dummies in business. The number of potential write-offs and "creative accounting" smudges on the general ledger grow immeasurably with this designation.

Philadelphia Eagles

It is a designation some call "a glorified tax shelter," via The Star Ledger's Dave D'Alessandro. NFL teams as single entities do not fall under this category, though, and are most certainly not exempt from taxation. While the commissioner does technically report to the league's 32 team owners who elect him and pay his salary, he is paid under the umbrella of the National Football League.

And the NFL considers itself a trade association made up of the 32 teams which bankroll it.

While outsiders may not know the salaries of team execs down to the final digits on the pay stub, we can estimate the neighborhood in which they are operating pretty well. At the time former Chargers GM A.

Roger Goodell's salary might look insane to everyone but NFL owners | NFL | Sporting News

Smith's five-year deal was "believed to be the third-richest and the longest pact among the league's general managers," according to Acee. Eagles GM Howie Roseman received a contract for four to five years, according to Jeff McLane of the The Philadelphia Inquirer. The general manager is usually the club's highest-paid front-office employee.

They have direct reports in scouting, personnel and football operations.

They also have administrative oversight of groups such as marketing, business development and facilities. At this level of seniority, the business operates just like most other businesses.

How do football team owners make money on their teams? : nfl

The VPs over the divisions or service lines that generate revenue are paid more than those who oversee support services. VPs over departments such as ticket sales, marketing, business development and corporate partnerships make more money than VPs who oversee groups like maintenance, environmental services, facilities or equipment.

Highly sought-after VPs in scouting are generally paid the most. VP of player personnel, or a similar title, is the most common stepping stone to a general manager appointment. Most GM titles actually come with an "executive VP" classification.

There are two sides to the scouting department for NFL teams: The director of college scouting has direct reports from all of the regional and area scouts who travel to evaluate collegiate players. The pro scouting director has oversight of the pro scouting department, which scouts upcoming opponents, free agents and players currently under contract with the team.

Also included here is the salary for the scouting assistants who report to the directors; they're down at the low end of this spectrum.

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People can make a whole lot of money selling tickets for an NFL franchise. Those are monster commissions. The producers on the low end of this spectrum are those who cannot sell or those who are afraid of hearing "no" from big clients—probably both. Either way, Jerry Jones doesn't want that type of person around the building.

They don't wear suits, but they have their own suit.

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