Regardless of whether the NFL would have suspended a player six games for the same Personal Conduct Policy that resulted in a six-game suspension for 49ers owner Jed York, there's a fundamental disparity between the handling of the financial consequences of owner and player suspensions.
When a player is suspended, he loses all of his compensation. Depending on the terms of the contract, he becomes potentially responsible to refund money (e.g., signing bonus) that he already has received. At a minimum, the player gets no new pay during the period of his suspension.
When an owner is suspended, what does he lose? He can't go to the games. He still gets his full cut of the massive revenues that the 32 teams share, for every week of his suspension.
Yes, the sheer magnitude of the money involved is very different. But there are no distinctions drawn between the highest- and lowest-paid players who are suspended. If a player is suspended for a game, he loses all of the money he would have made.
On the surface, York's $500,000 fine seems significant. Considering that the franchises shared $453 million last year...