I know many folks are disgusted with all-things-NFL. I am one of those folks. So, instead of poking the NFL in the eye for their behaviors, let’s take a look at the consequences of their kneeling protests, anti-anthem, and social justice manufacturing instead of their playing with the pigskin and putting points on the NFL scoreboard.
As Howard Cosell iconically stated from various sportscaster booths, “Let’s go to the tape.”
Let’s!
The Winston Group Sports Survey was published a few weeks ago and, as many expected (and hoped) it does not bode well for the NFL brand to step on its own cleats: “The newest monthly WG Sports Survey (November 29-30) found that the NFL brand improved very slightly, going from 44% favorable – 40% unfavorable in October to 48% favorable – 38% unfavorable. While this is a slight improvement, favorability is well below where it was in August when it was 57% favorable – 23% unfavorable. The question is whether this is a small start back toward the original brand standing, or a settling-in process for the new brand standing of the NFL with the public.”
https://twitter.com/wattsjim/status/939898708421939205
The Winston Group looks at all athletic organizations (including college sports clubs) and polls thousands of sports fans resulting in patrons’ sentiments for various leagues. In its November 2017 sports survey, the highest fan-favorite rating went to Major League Baseball. Indeed, MLB had a few kneeling-protest hiccups, but no where near the vomit spewed by NFL kneelers.
Analyzing the football fan base relocating elsewhere, the Sports Survey delineated, “The NFL’s 38% unfavorable rating represents a significant problem; as a contrast within the same sport, college football has about half that amount (21%), with a steady increase” in the “Favorable” column among sports fans for three consecutive months (September-November 2017).
Among males, the “Favorables” dipped 20 percent lower in November 2017 than the stats in August 2017. Most remarkably, of the males turning away from the NFL brand, the 65-plus demographic more than doubled in the “Unfavorable” category, holding at 48 percent caring less for the cleated, self-entitled wonderkinds.
“While NFL ratings are down 9%, NBA ratings are up 24%. Adam Silver should send Roger Goodell a fruit basket.”
As Martin K posted on Twitter: “While NFL ratings are down 9%, NBA ratings are up 24%. Adam Silver should send Roger Goodell a fruit basket.”
Risky Business
Now that we gleaned some stats from the Sports Survey, what does it all mean and what are its impacts?
The reality is that the NFL brought this upon themselves. Whether overinflated egos, cockiness, and fat bank accounts reigned over reason, the “Unfavorable” numbers indicate less and less interest in the NFL gridiron gurus. Operating as a business which profits highly from game-time advertisers, the impacts of a consistently dwindling fan-base equates to major corporations taking their advertisements dollars elsewhere. Perhaps the Major League Baseball (MLB), the National Basketball Association (NBA), or the National Hockey League (NHL) lucked out from the NFL dropping the ball big-time.
“It is becoming more and more clear that the NFL may be unable to reverse the damage caused by the National Anthem protests and could be facing huge public opinion problems, and losses of advertising dollars for that matter.”
“It is becoming more and more clear that the NFL may be unable to reverse the damage caused by the National Anthem protests and could be facing huge public opinion problems, and losses of advertising dollars for that matter,” the 2ndVote declared.
Papa John’s and its “Better pizza” slogan want better bang for their advertising bucks. DirectTV went in a different direction with its commercials and ad campaigns, since the NFL stands have far fewer fans to gaze at the stadiums’ big screens. Anheuser- Busch can easily trot its Klidesdales to other athletic arenas’ fans to see, hauling their mega-millions in advertising dole with them. Per TrackPolitics.com, “Hardwick Clothes, America’s oldest suit-maker according to the Chattanooga Times Free Press. [CEO Allan] Jones announced that he is pulling all ads and will no longer provide clothing to NBC talent.” Talk about wardrobe problems.
“Our companies will not condone unpatriotic behavior” in the NFL, Jones said in a statement. According to Track Politics, “Jones ordered his media buyer to pull all ads for Check Into Cash, Buy Here Pay Here USA, or U.S. Money Stores from all NFL games ‘for the entire season.'”
Can you hear the dominoes going chink-chink?
Goodbye Goodell?
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell signed a five-year contract extension on December 6, 2017.
According to the Bleacher Report, “Reports again emerged in late October that Jones and 16 other owners were considering putting a pause on what had been considered Goodell’s inevitable contract extension.” ESPN.com added to that notion, claiming various NFL franchise owners were “generally unhappy with Goodell and the NFL’s front office for a variety of reasons, including the player protests staged during the national anthem, issues regarding the relocation of teams to Los Angeles and the league’s handling of the Ray Rice domestic violence case.”
Notably in opposition to Commissioner Goodell has been Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones who, in recent months, created quite a stink over Goodell’s handling of the national anthem kneeling protests. Mr. Jones has also fired shots across Goodell’s bow, namely that he is overcompensated.
Per ESPN‘s Darren Rovell, “Goodell’s new deal reportedly worth as much as DOUBLE his compensation from first 10 years as commissioner when he made $212.5M from 2006-2015.” To quantify further, “NFL commissioner Goodell’s new 5-year contract worth up to $200 million, but nearly 90 percent of compensation tied to meeting financial targets and other incentives,” claims Ken Belson.
“200 million, but has no control over the players. Promise you if they played the anthem at my office and I kneeled I would be out of work. Bunch of weak cowards. While I’ve stopped watching. 200 million to stand by. Pathetic.”
Dismayed by the entire Goodell debacle and deal, Scott Peltier chimed in: “200 million, but has no control over the players. Promise you if they played the anthem at my office and I kneeled I would be out of work. Bunch of weak cowards. While I’ve stopped watching. 200 million to stand by. Pathetic.”
Nevertheless, Goodell has secured robust riches since he started playing the boss roles in 2001, laughing all the way to the bank. Despite his seeming fall from favor with NFL team owners and some players, his employment is safe for now. It is fair to say Goodell is set for life. Albert Breer posted the Roger-Goodell-Contract-Extension memorandum:
Here is the memo that went from the compensation committee to NFL owners on Roger Goodell’s new contract. pic.twitter.com/VS2t62WYdc
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) December 6, 2017
Regardless of accountability, Goodell’s past and future gobs of compensation is astronomically hard to digest, especially with all the hoopla generated by out-of-control sports personalities grandstanding for attention to things having no relation to football whatsoever. To put it into deeper context, Goodell is granted whopping sums of money while he and his cohorts whined over federal tax revenues for stadium-building ventures on the Congressional chopping block, as reported in the OpsLens expose “In My Own View, They Can Take That Football and Shove It!”
Doing my part culminated in going NFL-less. Life is drama-free, less contentious, much better without NFL players’ opinions plunged through the TV.
Albeit controversial and often claimed as a political ploy, Vice President Mike Pence getting up and departing his seat at an NFL game wherein the players disrespected the nation’s flag was pure justice. Despite the accusations of playing politics, VP Pence tried to watch a football game. Instead, his ticket money purchased a sideshow he did not care for, the very essence factoring into the NFL’s dismal patronage.
But politics found its way into the picture in another way, linking Mr. Goodell, millions of dollars, and George Soros. Talk about a poisonous potion! While tax dollars were infused into constructing new NFL football stadiums, the reams of cash the league pulled in ostensibly made it a Super-PAC while we were focused on the line of scrimmage.
NFL signs on with George Soros, & they are paying Roger Goodell 200 million dollars to make it happen👏✊🏾🤢 https://t.co/N78MOdSqCd pic.twitter.com/UwksI8Nxpw
— JC Shannon (@BillClintonTHOF) December 13, 2017
As negative publicity festered, fear, desperation and excuses oozed the blisters of Goodell et al. “What? NFL attendance down? It must be the weather.” When all else fails, blame Mother Nature, like Commissioner Goodell alluded to:
VIDEO: NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is trying to blame the weather on the absence of fans filling the stadium. https://t.co/tgQcTlEhQ0
— Wayne Dupree 🎙🎥 (@WayneDupreeShow) December 11, 2017
Law Enforcement Stance
When I were in police uniform, I worked extra security at many Tampa Bay Buccaneers home games. Albeit fun at times, it also had its drawbacks otherwise known as drunks who did not remember how to keep a seat and their hands to themselves. Some fans took team-pride way beyond civil limitations, culminating in ejections if not an arrest. Nonetheless, the show must go on…and it did.
Across the nation, state police agencies provide escorts and personal security for NFL teams to/fro stadiums while local police departments provide security at the games and related venues. I was once assigned to babysit the heavily-priced, grossly-exotic sports cars owned by Bucs players. Standout vehicles gleamed and glistened. My watch was spent in a city police cruiser, making extra dinero for my kids’ extracurricular activities. Don’t get me wrong, it was an intriguing security detail, my children benefitted from it, and I can say I was in charge of a Maserati, a Bentley, Porsches and other expensive cars I never heard of. It was like I was hosting an episode of “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous” in a downtown Tampa parking garage.
Most often, I was assigned a section in Raymond James Stadium, home of the Bucs. Where there is an endless flow of tap beer around, large crowds always require guidance and behavioral reminders.
I know a vast majority of cops who, in the face of anti-flag, anti-anthem, and anti-law enforcement rhetoric from NFL players…have chosen to close the door on that extra NFL money and leave the field behind.
Granted, the NFL gigs supplemented law enforcers’ salaries. However, I know a vast majority of cops who, in the face of anti-flag, anti-anthem, and anti-law enforcement rhetoric from NFL players…have chosen to close the door on that extra NFL money and leave the field behind. It is a matter of principle and nation-pride. Heck, Colin Kaepernick donned socks during field practice, and on those socks were animated pigs dressed in police garb. How do you interpret his intention? Just coincidence with no disparage behind it? The jig was up and cops made choices laden with integrity.
So what does the NFL spate of social justice upheaval look like for cops?
A Chicago policeman spoke out and basically protested the NFL players’ protest, for which he was reprimanded by Chicago police administration, according to the Chicago Tribune.
To Commissioner Goodell, the San Francisco Police Officers Association (SFPOA) wrote condemnations of Colin Kaepernick‘s anti-police rhetoric, saying, “While the SFPOA acknowledges Mr. Kaepernick’s right to speak his point of view and we stand by that right, we also recognize your organization’s ability to denounce his foolish statements and separate yourself from his actions.”
As former Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke pointed out to the NFL rollovers: “What the hell is there to discuss? Stand at attention, face the flag, and give it some respect.” He deserves at least $200 million for those 18 words.
“What the hell is there to discuss? Stand at attention, face the flag, and give it some respect.”
Additionally, Bossier County Sheriff Julian Whittington represented his law enforcement officers in this fashion: “NFL players have the right to protest as they deem necessary, but we, the Bossier Sheriff’s Office and the taxpayers of Bossier Parish have a right to spend our money elsewhere.” Incidentally, that was in direct response to Ford Motor Company whose support of NFL players’ protests drew ire from police executives whose agencies purchase Ford police package vehicles. Dodge Charger police packages fared quite well in sales.
Dade County Police Benevolent Association President John Rivera succinctly stated, “The irony of NFL players not honoring our fallen heroes is that those police heroes are the ones who are protecting them!” All teams, all games, all the time throughout the NFL season…cops are present.
Cleveland Police officers and EMS personnel refused to hold a large American flag at the Cleveland Browns 2017 season-opening game. Perhaps the loudest anti-police gong stemmed from Cleveland Browns Isaiah Crowell‘s beheading effigy depicting the throat-slicing of a Caucasian policeman.
Crowell posted the above graphic image on his Instagram account, upon which he wrote, “Mood: they give polices all types of weapons and they continuously choose to kill us #Weak.” Choose?
Thereafter Crowell’s blatantly offensive and sheer stupidity, he apologized. His own NFL team didn’t feel his apology was sufficient, as reported by Fox News. How could anyone tune-in to such utter recklessness?
“I will pull Cleveland officers, sheriffs, state troopers out of First Energy Stadium this season if he doesn’t make it right,” said Stephen Loomis, president of the Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association coordinating law enforcement safety/security for Cleveland Browns NFL games. “You’re a grown-ass man, and you claim you were too emotional to know it was wrong? Think we’ll accept your apology? Kiss my ass.” Ding-ding. No interpretation necessary.
“You’re a grown-ass man, and you claim you were too emotional to know it was wrong? Think we’ll accept your apology? Kiss my ass.”
As the Sports Survey results indicated, former NFL football fans are tuning into college football. Cops work security at those games too. And under your typical Friday night lights at high schools across the country…law enforcement officials are dedicated locally. No whopping NFL salaries, no whiny phenoms, no showiness…just gridiron football fans backed by local cops standing among pure patriotism.
Notwithstanding the myriad NFL snubs, shenanigans and disrespect for our beloved nation’s red/white/blue cloth and the military and police warriors who uphold its constitutional tenets…law enforcers will respond, re-establish order, and help rebuild lives, even for those who are down on one knee and beckoning help.
And with the Sports Survey indicating doom for the NFL, coupled with many major advertisers pulling their campaign and millions upon millions of dollars with them…how does the NFL come up with over 200 million for a questionable, purportedly disfavored leader anyway?
