These days, the idea of free agency in major North American sports is something that hardly gets a second thought. We are accustomed to the idea of professional athletes playing musical chairs with various dugouts and benches across the league, and we all know the risks that are associated with purchasing a jersey of your favourite player while he plays for your favourite team.
This wasn’t always the case, though. Not so long ago, franchises wielded incredible power over their athletes, with the only roads out of town leading from trades, cuts, or retirement.
Many credit Major League Baseball player Curt Flood for opening the door to modern day free agency in 1969. Flood protested a looming trade by petitioning the league on the grounds that he should be allowed to negotiate potential contracts with other teams. His case made it all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, where Flood ultimately lost. In the process, however, Flood had punctured the barriers to free agency, which now flow freely and rapidly throughout all major North American sports.
It goes without saying that some free agents make more headlines than others. When there is a LeBron James or Peyton Manning on the market, one can expect daily updates regarding who they have been on the phone with and which cities they have visited.
There are two distinct camps when it comes to the evolution of free agency. Some feel that these professional leagues benefit from this constant cycle of movement. It certainly gives the pundits something to cover in the offseason, and it gives struggling teams a chance to turn things around faster than would have been possible through drafts and trades.
On the other hand, some miss the days when athletes played their entire careers in one city. This is something that makes Tom Brady’s most recent Super Bowl win even more impressive, if only for the fact that he has been playing for the same team since the year 2000.
On that note, I will use the space I have left to announce that I will be leaving the St. Paul Journal newspaper. I have decided to travel east in order to explore a new opportunity, and this will be my last column.
Though my time in St. Paul was very short, I am glad I had the opportunity to scratch the surface of this community. I enjoyed covering the various events that were assigned to me, and, in doing so, meeting the many dedicated individuals who make these things run.
Much like the modern-day free agent, I have done a lot of moving around over the last few years, and each experience has helped to shape my path moving forward. A few highlights from my short stop here would include helping out with the St. Paul Lions football team, and getting to know my talented colleagues at the Journal.
I would like to thank them and everyone else who made me feel welcome during my brief time in St. Paul.
