What can happen if a team consistently violates salary cap rules?

If a team consistently violates salary cap rules, it faces penalties from the league. Salary cap rules are established to maintain a level playing field among teams, ensuring that no one team can simply outspend others to amass talent. When a team infringes on these rules, the league can impose various penalties as a corrective measure. These penalties might include fines, loss of draft picks, or even the voiding of contracts. Such repercussions are meant to deter teams from disregarding the regulations and to preserve the integrity of competitive balance in the league. This concept is crucial for maintaining fairness and competitiveness in the sports landscape.

The other options do not pertain to the consequences of violating salary cap rules. Increased popularity among fans or more lucrative sponsorship deals would typically stem from successful team performance rather than salary cap mismanagement. Competitive advantages over other teams would also be undermined by penalties, as those consequences could harm a team's roster and overall performance.