The National Football League has been in the headlines for several weeks because of controversies that have arisen far away from the gridiron. Ray Rice’s domestic abuse conviction and Adrian Peterson’s child abuse allegations have reignited the culture wars along many traditional, ideological lines as well as sparked a national conversation on whether or not professional sports leagues should take a stance on hot-button issues.
Public comment on these controversies has come from some unlikely sources. For one, Sen. Kristen Gillibrand has suggested that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell should resign if he knew the NFL was lying during its escalating responses to Ray Rice’s crimes. On the other end of the spectrum, conservative firebrand Rush Limbaugh has suggested Gillibrand and those who agree with her are “chickifying” and “feminizing” football.
These voices have argued we either shouldn’t care about the social ramifications because of the possible cost to professional football or we should care about the NFL’s actions because of the cost to the moral fiber of our country. Unfortunately, not enough of the conversation has focused on the cost of the NFL and its moral stances to American taxpayers.
The real reason Americans should care about both of these concerns is because we invest in the NFL. Whether or not we see it, our taxpayer dollars subsidize the cost of the NFL’s infrastructure both directly and through tax incentives. If your home is in a city with an NFL team or you have simply paid sales tax in New Orleans during Mardi Gras, your money has likely already helped the NFL defray the cost of building new stadiums, hiring staff and paying the police, fire and paramedics teams that ensure games run smoothly.
We may not always see the bill we pay for the NFL, but the sheer fact that it exists gives us an unavoidable stake in the NFL’s decisions on these hot-button issues. The American public has strong stances on domestic violence, child abuse and racist language. Subsequently, the NFL should either view those issues as seriously as the taxpayers that subsidize it do, or cease to solicit and accept public funds.
The NFL should wake up and realize that taxpayer dollars come at a price. Our subsidies to the NFL are the price we pay for economic investment in our cities and to watch riveting, highly competitive football games. Responsiveness to the public conscience is the price the NFL pays for our taxpayer money.
Leigh Terry is a junior majoring in economics. Her column runs weekly.
