The NFL is back in full swing and many are talking about how their teams will do, how maybe it will be "their year", or even talking about their fantasy football teams. Enter my problem: I have none of these things going. So my question now becomes: "What am I to do with myself?"
In the U.S. of A, being a fan of the NFL seems to be as American as Mom and apple pie and not being an NFL fan can be seen as sacrilegious. For me though, this is not without reason. That being said, here are just a few reasons that I am not a fan of the NFL.
1. Player discipline is a farce
When a player is found guilty of wrongdoing, normally the commissioner hands down some form of discipline. In part, I have written about this before (seen here), but it is worth repeating. Fines are more harsh for minor uniform alterations than using steroids. And the NFL's punishment for using steroids or adderall are much more severe than knocking out a woman in and elevator. Even better, Tom Brady (for partially deflated footballs) got a harsher sentence than Ray Rice....let that sink in for a moment.
2. Taking advantage of poor Americans
The NFL takes advantage of poor people all the time and I don't really believe many are aware of it. Forget about the overpriced sodas, hot dogs, and beer for just a minute and let us look at a bigger picture. You know those big shiny stadiums that the teams play in? Well while poor Americans often go to these games, they are the worst victims. Stadiums need funding and that does not come cheaply. Ever since 1990, the vast majority of stadiums have been publicly funded (i.e. through taxes). Americans all over are being taxed for stadiums in their state, regardless of if this "service" is used or not. Another policy that the NFL can take advantage of is Eminent Domain. Eminent Domain is "Thepower to takeprivatepropertyforpublicuse by a state,municipality, or privateperson or corporationauthorized to exercisefunctions of publiccharacter,followingthepayment of justcompensation to theowner of thatproperty." This policy has been used substantially to remove poor people, minorities, and the less educated from their homes and that is something I cannot be a party to.
3. Paid patriotism
Sure, the NFL has given this money back, but the fact that this was even an issue to begin with speaks volume. Patriotism is not something that should be forced. Patriotism is something that should be done of one's own free will. This is not my most lengthy section, but not that much really needs to be said about paid patriotism.
4. Their sense of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a joke
This is another part of the NFL that I have written about before (see here). But every October, as everyone knows, is Breast Cancer Awareness month. And the NFL WILL NOT let you forget that. You can buy pink jerseys, pink hats, and you will see the refs with pink penalty flags. What the NFL will not tell you though is very little of the money generated from sales actually goes to research.
A little known fact though, the month of October is also Domestic Violence Awareness month. Yet the NFL lets this go unmarked. No one in corporate will even acknowledge that there is such a thing.
In addition to this, the NFL's "Salute to Service" program is a joke. Think of the pink Breast Cancer Awareness jerseys and swap them out for some digital camo. Would you be surprised to find out very little of this money goes to the military? Well, you shouldn't be.
I don't want this article to be made to state that I hate football, because I don't. I don't even hate the on field product that the NFL has to offer. I simply hate how the NFL does business. The bad business practices that they employ is why I am not a fan.
