NFL Players Banned From Wearing Beats Headphones on Camera

[rlhamil]

So... they replaced one over-priced, over-hyped product with another one of the same fashion. K.

While IMO both are overrated, Bose IMO has been at least a bit more about sound than fashion, and has contributed some decent R&D. That may change with Beats now owned by Apple, but my impression is that they were mainly catering to rap fans and young people up to now, not people that actually cared about the sound quality.

Having the league make such deals is IMO outrageous though. Stupid though endorsements may be, IMO endorsement deals for personal use products like headphones should be made with teams or players, not with the NFL; that way, there's room for some variety rather than one big spender paying money to the back room bunch that doesn't even need more money than they've got. Nothing against rich guys. But the game needs players and teams, it doesn't need more money going to the league. And the consumer probably benefits when there's a variety of brands being able to access sports endorsement based advertising. (although the old no-ad idea - lower prices and no advertising - still appeals to me more)

I'm not quite saying that the league should be prohibited from making such deals, but I don't like it.

 

[Peace]

Apple missed some major marks with their marketing lately. $100MM for U2 but they couldn't spend $400MM to be the official tablet of the NFL???

That would and could not ever happen as long as one team. The Seahawks are owned by a retired Microsoft founder.

 

[loon3y]

Only overrated athletes wear overrated Beats headphones.

lol, you dont watch much sports do you?


anyways, Beat Pros are the good. over priced, but its up there with the best of them.

i love mine

 

[mojolicious]

Well if the players do start wearing Bose headphones...

Perhaps I'm unusually petty, but if I was a footballer and was told I could only wear one particular brand of headphones whilst 'on duty' then I'd stop wearing headphones.

 

[loon3y]

While IMO both are overrated, Bose IMO has been at least a bit more about sound than fashion, and has contributed some decent R&D. That may change with Beats now owned by Apple, but my impression is that they were mainly catering to rap fans and young people up to now, not people that actually cared about the sound quality.

Having the league make such deals is IMO outrageous though. Stupid though endorsements may be, IMO endorsement deals for personal use products like headphones should be made with teams or players, not with the NFL; that way, there's room for some variety rather than one big spender paying money to the back room bunch that doesn't even need more money than they've got. Nothing against rich guys. But the game needs players and teams, it doesn't need more money going to the league. And the consumer probably benefits when there's a variety of brands being able to access sports endorsement based advertising. (although the old no-ad idea - lower prices and no advertising - still appeals to me more)

I'm not quite saying that the league should be prohibited from making such deals, but I don't like it.

studios are trash, but Pros are very nice overpriced but they're good , check them out. but of course it has a bit more bass, but you can adjust it on your equalizer.

bose are very nice too, but ill stick with my pros

 

[genovelle]

60% of the market!?
Are people really that tone deaf? Unreal

Bose really doesn't sound good with modern music. The deep extended bass overwhelmes them. EMD, Pop, Club, Hip Hop and Modern R&B all use it. This accounts for 60% or more of sales. Beats' ability to handle this is why they are popular.

 

[Maetzle]

I'm pretty sure those NBA players can afford more high-quality headphones for listening music to to prepare them for a match.

 

[megadon]

Every Bose or Beats products I've purchased has been total garbage.

My Bang & Olufsen H6 and Beyerdynamic T5p actually sound good.

 

[richman555]

The NFL is pretty much anti Apple in every way. How about those Microsoft surface tablets on the sidelines and the coaches wear Bose headphones.

 

[MaloCS]

Bose really doesn't sound good with modern music. The deep extended bass overwhelmes them. EMD, Pop, Club, Hip Hop and Modern R&B all use it. This accounts for 60% or more of sales. Beats' ability to handle this is why they are popular.

Ding ding ding ding!!! We have a winner.

When I've listened to neutral headphones I always EQ the **** out of them so they sound good and have some sort of bass punch, even if it is weak. With the Beats Studio V2 (wireless) I don't have to touch the EQ because the sound signature I'm looking for is built into the hardware of the headphones.

I like the way the Beats Studio V2 (wireless) sound. I think they're much better than the wimpy, neutral headphones everyone raves about because audiophiles say it's so. I'll trust my own tastes and my own ears over anyone else's opinion.

 

[mojolicious]

The NFL is pretty much anti Apple in every way. How about those Microsoft surface tablets on the sidelines and the coaches wear Bose headphones.

You realise 'not Apple' and 'anti Apple' aren't synonymous, right?

 

[AlecZ]

Bose really doesn't sound good with modern music. The deep extended bass overwhelmes them. EMD, Pop, Club, Hip Hop and Modern R&B all use it. This accounts for 60% or more of sales. Beats' ability to handle this is why they are popular.

Really it's just the fashion. You can get better headphones for less than Beats. Not sure about Bose vs other brands for sound quality, but Bose noise canceling is wonderful.

 

[megapopular]

They need some Sennheisers in their life!!

 

[MaloCS]

I think audiophile headphones are wimpy and lack personality.

 

[mazimoyo]

Probably a fine which Apple will pay smiling at the publicity of a pro atheleye willing to face a confrontation to use his Beats headphones.

And this is where this deal could backfire on the NFL. They could quickly be painted as heavy handed in taking away a players personal "choice" off the field.

"90 minutes after the game" Not good PR when players are already all over media for being Strong Armed.

 

[tito2020]

You want head phones get samsung lol

 

[bozzykid]

I wonder what happens if the athlete has a contract that states they will wear Beats headphones at the game when the NFL's contract says they cannot.

I smell lawyers.

You smell dumb lawyers then. The NFL regulates everything an player can wear on the field whether they are playing in the game or are just on the sidelines. They also regulate what can and can't be shown at press conferences. A player must abide by the rules if they want to stay in the NFL Players Association because they are bound by the NFL collective bargaining agreement.

 

[bushido]

so what r "awesome" headphones according to MR audiophiles?

i like my Sennheiser (i actually thought they were bose til now) in-ears, but unless something is mono i dont hear much of a difference anyway lol

 

[bozzykid]

And this is where this deal could backfire on the NFL. They could quickly be painted as heavy handed in taking away a players personal "choice" off the field.

The NFL always does this. Let me know when you see a NFL player wearing Reebok on the sideline because it will result in a big fine. This "deal" with Bose is nothing new. The NFL dictates what players can be shown wearing, drinking, etc during the game and during press conferences. This will stay this way as long as it is in the collective bargaining agreement that the NFL Players Association agreed to.

For some reason tech sites picked this up like it is actual news. This new "directive" is not new at all. It is just Bose making sure the NFL is following their contract which gives them exclusive rights.

 

[mikegoldnj]

That's the most interesting part of this. Can a league deal force the players to possibly violate individual contracts, sponsorship and endorsements?

Of course they can. Happens all the time.

There are numerous cases of players like RGIII either covering up the Nike logos or trying to wear their sponsoring logos and then getting slapped down or fined by the league.

 

[bdkennedy1]

The words "NFL" and "beat" seem to be in the news a lot together lately.

 

[aaronvan]

Apple's own earbuds have worked fine for me.

 

[bushido]

Apple's own earbuds have worked fine for me.

id agree if they would hold in my ears for longer than 5 seconds

 

[jlc1978]

Stupid for who?

Apple. As long as they make money off of selling BOSE products they should sell them.

I suppose all the other outlets that carry U2 recordings because Apple got an exclusive?

 

[sodapop1]

You smell dumb lawyers then. The NFL regulates everything an player can wear on the field whether they are playing in the game or are just on the sidelines. They also regulate what can and can't be shown at press conferences. A player must abide by the rules if they want to stay in the NFL Players Association because they are bound by the NFL collective bargaining agreement.

Well, if that were the case then it would be illegal for any player to enter into a contract to sponsor a product without getting prior consent from the NFL. So either the NFL or the individual players are in breach of the contract with Beats. Ultimately, this will be decided in a court of law and either the NFL or the players themselves will have to recompense Apple.

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Of course they can. Happens all the time.

There are numerous cases of players like RGIII either covering up the Nike logos or trying to wear their sponsoring logos and then getting slapped down or fined by the league.

Well, it really depends on the terms of the contract. It really makes no sense for a player to sponsor a product and not be able to publicly acknowledge their sponsorship.