The NFL lockout has ramifications that reach far beyond the players. If there is a NFL work stoppage and players are no longer receiving checks it will also affect alimony and child support payments. According to an article posted on Bloomberg.com some players are going to court trying to lower alimony and child support payments.
“NFL and NBA players are lining up to get child support and alimony payments lowered to reflect what would be reduced incomes should their leagues shut down.”
While the players are looking to lower their payments, the people that depend on those payments are trying to figure how they are going to absorb the impact.
Tina Julian has a child by Jets CB Antonio Cromartie stated that she will no longer be able to afford child care if the NFL and players
cannot reach an agreement. I’m sure that she is not the only woman who depends on child support or alimony payments to sustain their lifestyle.
Now these players have every right to ask the court to lower these payments due to the loss of income, but it is just one of these things that they should have planned for. The NFL lockout did not sneak up on anyone.
Owners, players, and fans all knew what was coming up after last season. Union officials even went as far as to pass out lockout survival guides to the players.
This also should be no surprise for the parties that are receiving these court ordered payments. In no situation should you depend on someone else to support you. NFL players in particular can have short careers. Just because you were receiving $10,000 a
month before does not mean that you depend solely on that. Injuries occur, players retire….lockouts happen. Plan accordingly.
Julian has done just that. According to the article. “she’s been saving a portion of her paycheck and tax refund the past few years. There are any numbers of reasons why a child-support payment might not arrive when it’s supposed to Julian said in a telephone interview.”
I’m not saying that these players deserve a reprieve when it comes to these payments. They should still be held responsible for their
obligations. Now just because these players are asking for reductions and modifications doesn’t mean that they will be
granted. If reductions are not granted and a player cannot pay his child support and/or alimony he has no one to blame but himself.
Now it seems as if these payments won’t be a problem for all athletes. The article stated that “Oakland Raiders running back Darren McFadden, who has three children with three women, has enough money to pay his support even in the event of a lockout.”
The fact that there is a chance that NFL games will be cancelled will no doubt affect everyone who depends on these players’ for
support. Hopefully more players than not are financially prepared, like McFadden, for this lockout. For those who are not hopefully this will be a lesson learned.