What happens if a sports team dies in a plane crash?

Started by Loyalty, May 21, 2016, in Sports Add to Reading List

  1. Loyalty
    Posts: 5,281
    Likes: 22,209
    Joined: Dec 1, 2014
    Location: PHX

    Loyalty we go hard on earth

    May 21, 2016
    Pretty interesting read.

    Source

    Once upon a time (almost 25 years ago), George Costanza had a chance to ask Keith Hernandez of the New York Mets one question. And he went with...



    As comically inappropriate as it was, George isn't the only one who's thought about that morbid scenario.

    All four sports leagues have specific guidelines about what they would do if a serious tragedy struck an entire team (or a significant part of one). And while they really don't like to talk about those plans (and, thankfully, they've never had to implement them), over the years the details have leaked into various articles and books.

    [​IMG]

    I compiled the "disaster draft" contingency plans for all four leagues, and judged just how generous they are to the team that just suffered the loss.

    NFL

    Threshold for disaster: Two definitions: A "near disaster" is fewer than 15 players (but, I assume, more than, like, two) becoming disabled or killed; a "disaster" is 15 or more.

    Options: For a "near disaster," the affected team just gets preferred waiver rights for the rest of the season. Ouch. But if they lose a quarterback, they can draft two from other teams -- with each team making one available. And after the season, those two quarterbacks go back to their original teams.

    For a "disaster," either those same "near disaster" rules will apply, or the team's season will be canceled. In the case of a cancelation, the team will automatically get the top pick in the next NFL draft and get to draft players from other teams after the season (see rules below).

    Draft rules: Every team can protect 32 players. I couldn't find any policy on whether a team can lose more than one.

    Rank: Least generous. Basically you're rooting for your season to be canceled because you get the top pick and better scraps than if your season continues. (Side note from a Browns fan: If they could rebuild their roster right now using the "season canceled/top pick and poaching other teams' players" option, they would be significantly better off.)

    MLB

    Threshold for disaster: "Death, dismemberment, or permanent disability" of at least five players during the season or playoffs, or six during the offseason.

    Options: Cancel the team's season or hold a draft from the other teams.

    Draft rules: Every other team makes five players from their major league roster available: 1 pitcher, 1 catcher, 1 outfielder, 1 infielder and 1 other. Each team can lose a maximum of one player.

    Rank: Second-least generous. An affected team will wind up with a lot of other teams' number five starters, utility infielders, 0.1 WAR outfielders and Uptons. And almost certainly Torii Hunter.

    NHL

    Threshold for disaster: Five or more players "are killed or disabled."

    Options: Draft from other teams; no cancelations.

    Draft rules: The other teams can offer up players for sale, which the drafting team can buy using money from a special insurance fund. Once they have a goalie and 14 other players, teams that weren't affected can protect one goalie and 10 other players while the drafting team fills out its roster. Rookies and players under 20 are exempt.

    Rank: Second-most generous. There's a lot of ambiguity about which players could be poached in the initial restocking phase, which opens the door up to faster rebuilding than in MLB or the NFL.

    NBA

    Threshold for disaster: Five or more players "die or are dismembered."

    Options: Draft from other teams. Cancelation is apparently not on the table.

    Draft rules: Every team can only protect five players. No team can lose more than one player.

    Rank: Most generous. And also guaranteed to hurt a lot of players' feelings -- narrowing down each roster to the five players to protect is a tough exercise. But maybe that's good; in trying to heal from an epic tragedy, it would be a nice, comedic break to see Dion Waiters and Joakim Noah react to being unprotected. Oh, and all those Golden State Warriors fans apoplectically wondering how you choose when you've got a roster of 15 sure-to-be Hall of Famers. ("They didn't protect Bogut!? But he's the best center since Kareem! And Shaun Livingston would've been a starter on any other team in NBA history, especially those crappy '90s Bulls teams!")
     
    Mar 28, 2024
  2. Flacko
    Posts: 21,150
    Likes: 34,825
    Joined: Dec 1, 2014
    Location: LDN

    Flacko Too Blessed To Be Humble

    May 21, 2016
     
    #2
    4
    Oldboy, Meero, 83837477 and 1 other person like this.
    4
    Oldboy, Meero, 83837477 and 1 other person like this.
    Mar 28, 2024
  3. reservoirGod
    Posts: 11,623
    Likes: 17,971
    Joined: Mar 7, 2011
    Location: Alaska

    reservoirGod reckless adventurer.

    May 21, 2016
    2 Russian pro hockey teams have been killed in airplane crashes... one five years ago.
     
    #3
    2
    83837477 and Loyalty like this.
    2
    83837477 and Loyalty like this.
    Mar 28, 2024
  4. SWERVO
    Posts: 29,046
    Likes: 55,347
    Joined: Mar 26, 2011

    SWERVO big cuntry's alias

    May 21, 2016


    Based on a true story
     
    Mar 28, 2024
  5. Jaya
    Posts: 1,814
    Likes: 4,600
    Joined: May 26, 2015

    May 21, 2016
    ive wondered this before when NFL teams play overseas. now i know.
     
    #5
    1
    Loyalty likes this.
    1
    Loyalty likes this.
    Mar 28, 2024
  6. Fitzy
    Posts: 4,686
    Likes: 7,004
    Joined: Sep 8, 2015

    Fitzy BeliGOAT

    May 22, 2016
    I don't wish for the players to die, but I wish the New York Jets would vanish from f---ing existence.
     
    #6
    1
    Loyalty likes this.
    1
    Loyalty likes this.
    Mar 28, 2024
  7. Dread or Alive
    Posts: 5,172
    Likes: 3,825
    Joined: May 8, 2016

    Dread or Alive Kamikaze should've been released 3 years ago

    May 22, 2016
    The entire English football (soccer) team died from a plane crash in the 70's. It was arguably the best England team ever and the only one that ever stood any chance of winning a WC. All of the players and officials either died or had career ending injuries (i think they all died).
    England has been plagued with s-----y teams since
     
    #7
    0 0
    Mar 28, 2024
  8. 83837477
    Posts: 23,084
    Likes: 48,321
    Joined: May 14, 2016

    83837477 Test Account

    May 22, 2016
    Always wondered this low key
     
    Mar 28, 2024
  9. Flacko
    Posts: 21,150
    Likes: 34,825
    Joined: Dec 1, 2014
    Location: LDN

    Flacko Too Blessed To Be Humble

    May 22, 2016
    Wait what? You got a link?
     
    #9
    0 0
    Mar 28, 2024
  10. Dread or Alive
    Posts: 5,172
    Likes: 3,825
    Joined: May 8, 2016

    Dread or Alive Kamikaze should've been released 3 years ago

    May 22, 2016
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munich_air_disaster
    not all of them died and it was 1958
     
    #10
    0 0
    Mar 28, 2024
  11. Flacko
    Posts: 21,150
    Likes: 34,825
    Joined: Dec 1, 2014
    Location: LDN

    Flacko Too Blessed To Be Humble

    May 22, 2016
    Yeah thought so. You over exaggerated it af.

    And England ended up winng the world cup only a few years later in 66.
     
    #11
    0 0
    Mar 28, 2024
  12. Dread or Alive
    Posts: 5,172
    Likes: 3,825
    Joined: May 8, 2016

    Dread or Alive Kamikaze should've been released 3 years ago

    May 22, 2016
    it was off the top of my head mate, i dont give much s----s about england anyways
    Copa final today btw
     
    #12
    0 0
    Mar 28, 2024
  13. Dread or Alive
    Posts: 5,172
    Likes: 3,825
    Joined: May 8, 2016

    Dread or Alive Kamikaze should've been released 3 years ago

    May 22, 2016
    Heard that sevilla stomped liverpool
    Not sure how Liverpool they got past Dortmund or Villarreal though
     
    #13
    0 0
    Mar 28, 2024
  14. mow
    Posts: 9,163
    Likes: 16,162
    Joined: Mar 31, 2015

    mow long live flippa

    May 22, 2016
    RIP Pavol Demitra and many others from Lokomotiv Jaroslavl and the aircrew.
     
    #14
    2
    asvdawg and Loyalty like this.
    2
    asvdawg and Loyalty like this.
    Mar 28, 2024
  15. DJW
    Posts: 430
    Likes: 909
    Joined: Feb 15, 2011
    Location: Scotland

    DJW

    May 23, 2016
    *Manchester United.
     
    #15
    0 0
    Mar 28, 2024
  16. efuru
    Posts: 328
    Likes: 463
    Joined: May 18, 2016

    May 23, 2016
    Ugh that's morbid but the show must go on I guess. I'm glad they haven't had to deal with this forreal.
     
    #16
    1
    Loyalty likes this.
    1
    Loyalty likes this.
    Mar 28, 2024