The NFL kicks off its season opener this week, and that means that most of the nation will suddenly begin losing its Sundays to the comfort of the couch, the excitement of the game and (probably) pizza, chicken wings and beer. We love the NFL, and, like many Americans, we wait all year for the season to begin. Will Favre return? Who will be the surprise team? Will the Madden Curse prove true again this season? We’re not going to pretend like we don’t love the NFL.
However, we’re also not going to pretend that the NFL in any way represents the values that Postconsumers is here to advocate. And while our philosophy is that everybody needs to find their own level of satisfaction, whether it’s with a little or with a lot, the NFL clearly sends a message that you can’t be happy without “a lot.” Here are some ways in which it does that.
Player Salaries: This one seems fairly obvious, and not completely different from how we feel about many celebrity salaries. However, we’d doubt that there’s much debate that the idea of being paid tens of millions of dollars a year to play a sport when a teacher’s salary averages thirty thousand dollars a year is somewhat insane and reflective of warped values that need to be adjusted. Yes, professional athletes have rare talents that make them valuable. However, we’ve bought into a system that allows them to make comparatively outrageous salaries.
Player Attitudes: Professional athletes may not want to be role models, but they are, and we think that they should have contractual obligations to behave in a way that reflects that when in public. Unfortunately, even with rules such as that implemented, the role models of so many of our youth (by which we mean professional athletes) will be seen driving around only in luxury cars, wearing only expensive designer clothing and only “blinged out.” You can’t entirely blame children who grow up coveting possessions when their role models tell them that that’s how to define success.
Merchandise Sales: It’s one thing to offer and encourage your fans to buy a shirt or jersey supporting their local team. We actually like that. It brings communities together. However, the NFL has built a merchandise empire and even sent out the message that you’re not a “real” fan unless you have all of the gear: clothing, dishware, home décor, automobile accessories. The system is designed to have you constantly buying new team merchandise when, we ask you, do you really need more than a day’s worth of fan gear?
Kickoff week is one of our favorite weeks, but perhaps this year we could all (us included) go through the football season being a little more aware of the consumer messages it enforces!
