meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
Freakonomics Radio

557. When Is a Superstar Just Another Employee?

Freakonomics Radio

Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

Documentary, Society & Culture

4.632K Ratings

🗓️ 14 September 2023

⏱️ 61 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

The union that represents N.F.L. players conducted their first-ever survey of workplace conditions, and issued a report card to all 32 teams. What did the survey reveal? Clogged showers, rats in the locker room — and some helpful insights for those of us who don’t play pro football.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

When I say the words work place environment, where does your mind go?

0:09.1

If you're like most people, you might think about an environment like this, or like this.

0:18.5

Maybe even something like this.

0:20.8

And clear with the closing doors please.

0:25.0

What you probably don't think about when I say workplace environment is this.

0:31.7

But, if you are one of the roughly 2000 men who play in the National Football League, that's

0:40.0

your office.

0:41.0

I mean, it's business, like let's not get it wrong, it's business.

0:44.7

The NFL Players Association, or NFLPA, is the union that represents the players, and

0:50.9

they recently conducted their first ever employee survey about workplace conditions.

0:56.5

I would never have thought to ask are there rats in your locker room.

0:59.8

And they gave letter grades to each of the league's 32 teams.

1:03.7

This is really about, are we giving you the inputs you need to be as productive as possible?

1:08.8

The NFL is the richest and most successful sports league in history.

1:13.3

Each team is worth at least $4 billion.

1:17.1

Nobody wants to be known as the Cheapscape.

1:19.8

Before when it was rumored you were the Cheapscape, it was harder to prove now there's data.

1:25.6

And what does the data have to say?

1:29.0

Among U.S. employees in general, job satisfaction is higher than it's been in decades.

1:34.5

How satisfied are NFL players?

1:38.0

Now you may be saying to yourself, who cares about the workplace environment of NFL players?

1:43.2

They make so much money the environment shouldn't matter.

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.