Threat to football -- inability to insure its players

ESPN's "Outside the Lines" filed this really interesting read on the number of insurance carriers that are now refusing to insure football players at every age from Head Injuries. From the article:

From the NFL to rec leagues, football is facing a stark, new threat: an evaporating insurance market that is fundamentally altering the economics of the sport, squeezing and even killing off programs faced with higher costs and a scarcity of available coverage, an Outside the Lines investigation has found.

The NFL no longer has general liability insurance covering head trauma, according to multiple sources; just one carrier is willing to provide workers' compensation coverage for NFL teams. Before concussion litigation roiled the NFL beginning in 2011, at least a dozen carriers occupied the insurance market for pro football, according to industry experts.

Insurance market for football evaporating, causing major threat for NFL, Pop Warner, colleges - ESPN

I know why the carriers are doing it, but it seems hypocritical when concussions can happen in other sports as well.

I know why the carriers are doing it, but it seems hypocritical when concussions can happen in other sports as well.

But not at the same rate.

What about soccer?

What about soccer?

I read bits and pieces of the article, and soccer was mentioned as another sport that could face this issue as well.

Better make hockey part of it too. Flag or touch football is approaching.

But not at the same rate.

Soccer and Cheerleading actually have a more highly occurring rate of concussions per participant than football, so yes its very hypocritical.

Soccer, hockey, lacrosse were specifically mentioned. And time is not a factor. A player in Texas got a settlement 44 years after he quit playing. Some players who got settlements years ago sued again at a later date and got more money. It's crazy how this is all working and where the future of all sports are going.

Soccer and Cheerleading actually have a more highly occurring rate of concussions per participant than football, so yes its very hypocritical.

I am not arguing that. Cheerleading is one of the leaders in catastrophic injuries.

How in the heck did people live 50 years ago? We need to bubble wrap the world I guess.

How in the heck did people live 50 years ago? We need to bubble wrap the world I guess.

I could be wrong, but I believe that 50 years ago (and I was there) kids were not as big, strong ,or aggressive as they are today, resulting in bigger stronger pro athletes.

For better or worse, all sports have become more organized, more competitive and more specialized. Kids are bulking up, getting quicker, and stronger than I remember when I was young. I believe (though admit I have no stats) that injuries are far more prevalent today than they were back then.

As far as the insurance issue, not sure how I feel about that. No doubt insurance companies are doing it for financial reasons, not out of concern for the health of athletes.

The American public has become way too litigious in the last 50 years IMO. Guess this is how insurance companies respond.

How in the heck did people live 50 years ago? We need to bubble wrap the world I guess.

I'd say those same insurance companies are paying a ton right now for injuries to those from "fifty years ago" and are wanting to avoid paying for today's kids fifty years down the road.

How in the heck did people live 50 years ago? We need to bubble wrap the world I guess.

We also know much more about how injuries affect us as well.

We also know much more about how injuries affect us as well.

And you don't have to look to hard to see the debilitating effects of injuries on those previous generations. Early deaths, dementia, chronic pain and many other issues has led many to experience severly diminished quality of life for athletes of provious generations. To answer the question "how did people live 50 years ago"...the answer is not so great.

And you don't have to look to hard to see the debilitating effects of injuries on those previous generations. Early deaths, dementia, chronic pain and many other issues has led many to experience severly diminished quality of life for athletes of provious generations. To answer the question "how did people live 50 years ago"...the answer is not so great.

Agree with you.

I had an old school coach in HS. Water breaks were limited and were seen as a sign of weakness. As we learn more we can better take care of our athletes. I know times are different and kids are not the same but that doesn't excuse using the knowledge we have about concussion or any other things that can affect an athlete in the present and in the future.