Franchise player
Encyclopedia
In professional sports
, a franchise player is an athlete who is not simply the best player on their team, but a player that the team can build their "franchise" (team) around for the foreseeable future. The misunderstanding that a franchise player is only "the best player on a team" disregards the fact that an inordinately bad team will undoubtedly still employ a player with superior skills, relative to his team. However, such a player could be so bad in comparison to players at large that labeling such a player a franchise player would be inappropriate. It is an elite status, but it is not necessarily a singular position; a large team such as an American football
team might have a few franchise players at different positions. The term may be used alongside a particular position name to describe a player, such as a "franchise quarterback
".
and Kelvin Bryant
and veterans like George Brett
. While the term is primarily associated with North American English
and sports, it is sometimes used in reference to athletes in sports outside the United States, such as rugby league
and soccer players. It has frequently been applied since the advent of free agency
in sports, which made it less likely for players to stay with one team for their entire career. A franchise player has the confidence of the organization and has the comfort of knowing that he will probably not be traded or released. Ideally, the franchise player will generate both wins and revenue for his team, and after a successful career, will be long remembered as a member of that team.
Franchise players may have some or all of the following specific characteristics:
In practice, many teams do not utilize the franchise tag; in 2008, only 12 of 32 NFL teams had a tagged franchise player. The tag, or the threat of using the tag, can be used as a negotiating tactic by the team to convince a player to sign a long-term deal with the same team. The player's alternative is to take a single highly-paid year and then free agency. The player's next contract as a free agent will depend on how the player performs in the single year, and some players may decide to take the more certain long-term deal up front.
Professional sports
Professional sports, as opposed to amateur sports, are sports in which athletes receive payment for their performance. Professional athleticism has come to the fore through a combination of developments. Mass media and increased leisure have brought larger audiences, so that sports organizations...
, a franchise player is an athlete who is not simply the best player on their team, but a player that the team can build their "franchise" (team) around for the foreseeable future. The misunderstanding that a franchise player is only "the best player on a team" disregards the fact that an inordinately bad team will undoubtedly still employ a player with superior skills, relative to his team. However, such a player could be so bad in comparison to players at large that labeling such a player a franchise player would be inappropriate. It is an elite status, but it is not necessarily a singular position; a large team such as an American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team might have a few franchise players at different positions. The term may be used alongside a particular position name to describe a player, such as a "franchise quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
".
Overview
In the United States, outstanding players were referred to as "franchises" at least as far back as the 1950s. By the 1970s, the concept of a "franchise" player who single-handedly generates success was commonly understood in the sporting trade. The term franchise player was in widespread use by the early 1980s to describe both star rookies like John ElwayJohn Elway
John Albert Elway, Jr. is a former American football quarterback and currently is the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos...
and Kelvin Bryant
Kelvin Bryant
Kelvin LeRoy Bryant is a former American football running back in the National Football League and the United States Football League.-College career:...
and veterans like George Brett
George Brett (baseball)
George Howard Brett , nicknamed "Mullet", is a former Major League Baseball third baseman, designated hitter, and first baseman. He played his entire 21-year baseball career for the Kansas City Royals. Brett's 3,154 career hits are the most by any third baseman in major league history, and 15th...
. While the term is primarily associated with North American English
North American English
North American English is the variety of the English language of North America, including that of the United States and Canada. Because of their shared histories and the similarities between the pronunciation, vocabulary and accent of American English and Canadian English, the two spoken languages...
and sports, it is sometimes used in reference to athletes in sports outside the United States, such as rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
and soccer players. It has frequently been applied since the advent of free agency
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
in sports, which made it less likely for players to stay with one team for their entire career. A franchise player has the confidence of the organization and has the comfort of knowing that he will probably not be traded or released. Ideally, the franchise player will generate both wins and revenue for his team, and after a successful career, will be long remembered as a member of that team.
Franchise players may have some or all of the following specific characteristics:
- They are signed to lucrative, multi-year contracts.
- They may have "no-trade" or equivalent clauses written into their contracts, giving the player the power to veto any trade in which he is involved.
- They may be promoted as the "face of the franchise" on a local and national basis. This can include the signing of product endorsement deals, media appearances and working with local charities.
NFL usage
The term also has a separate contractual definition within the National Football League. Any NFL team can designate a single player as its franchise player and therefore restrict the player from entering free agency. In return, the team must pay the player a premium salary. The NFL requires that a franchise player be paid at least the average of the top 5 players in the league at his position, or 120% of his previous year's salary, whichever is greater. The franchise player status lasts for only 1 year and can be renewed, but if not renewed the player is granted unrestricted free agency.In practice, many teams do not utilize the franchise tag; in 2008, only 12 of 32 NFL teams had a tagged franchise player. The tag, or the threat of using the tag, can be used as a negotiating tactic by the team to convince a player to sign a long-term deal with the same team. The player's alternative is to take a single highly-paid year and then free agency. The player's next contract as a free agent will depend on how the player performs in the single year, and some players may decide to take the more certain long-term deal up front.