Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Follow the Money

Bill,

The real power behind the NFL has begun to speak out about the recent scandals rocking our favorite league; From  today's New York Daily News

"Memo to the NFL: This Bud may no longer be for you.
Pro-football got blindsided Tuesday for its handling of the Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson scandals by one of its biggest sponsors — beer maker Anheuser-Busch.
In a scathing 49-word statement, the league’s official suds-maker said they are “disappointed and increasingly concerned by the recent incidents that have overshadowed this NFL season.”



  “We are not yet satisfied with the league's handling of behaviors that so clearly go against our own company culture and moral code,” the company said. “We have shared our concerns and expectations with the league.”

Such statements will get the NFL's attention in a way that nothing else has, or will. Note that BUD hasn't pulled its advertising, at least not yet. Still too much money to be made from all us thirsty fans. They expect the proper concerns to be raised and the needed heads to roll (a bad metaphor in the age of ISIL or maybe not).

Forgive my cynicism over all this. It's hard for me to believe that any of the folks involved in this Kabuki dance of righteousness really give a hoot about the issue(s) at hand; that is is to say, how does  one change a culture that devalues the physical integrity and autonomy of the vulnerable? The issue is about power and its near equivalent, money; those who have it like having it, and want to keep it, they will only be convinced to change when that power is threatened,

 Eli

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