When you turn on the television Sunday to watch the Super Bowl, you may notice that something is missing. It is not something that would have had an impact on the outcome of the game, but to the keen observer, it will be obvious. This Sunday’s Super Bowl will be the first time since February of 2021 that the two-word phrase “End Racism” will not be painted in the end zones. When I first heard this news, I was excited because I assumed that they were removing the phrase “End Racism” because their three-year messaging campaign had finally succeeded – racism no longer exists in America. If they were truly concerned with stopping racism and they believed that this type of messaging actually worked, then the only reason to remove that message would be because it was no longer needed.
With 85 million Americans expected to tune in on Sunday, and another 62 million worldwide, you would think that this is the game to put that messaging in the end zones if you actually believed that racism was still a major problem. It does seem curious that the one game in which over 60 million people from other countries will be watching, the NFL decides to no longer prominently display that phrase. Is the NFL less comfortable lecturing the entire world as they are lecturing racist America? Either way 85 million Americans will be watching this game – the biggest audience of the season – so if they actually believe racism is rampant in America, Sunday would have been the time when that message would have the greatest impact, but it will not be there. If they don’t display that message at the Super Bowl, it shouldn’t be at any other NFL game ever again. Everything the NFL does is extremely calculated with a financial reason in mind. If the NFL made the calculated decision to remove that phrase for financial reasons, then the NFL was never interested in ending racism, that message was merely put there to pander to specific groups in order to enhance their domestic viewership during the regular season.
I wonder if the message in the end zones will be the only message that the NFL will expunge from the playing field, or will they prevent the players from continuing to display annoying social justice messages on the backs of their helmets? Someone needs to explain to these players that throwing far, running fast, hitting hard, does not give them more moral clarity than the rest of us. But I’m always confused by one of the messages that many players display – “Stop Hate”. Who exactly are they talking to? Is it a call to action or a personal admonition? Are we supposed to stop hating everyone? Are we supposed to stop hating rapists and murderers and pedophiles, people who abuse the innocent without a conscience? What “hate” are they referring to? Are they only speaking out against hating the good and innocent people. I don’t think anyone is in favor of that, so a message is not needed. Liberals believe hating is not agreeing with them politically. So, if you don’t want open borders or men in women’s sports, you are hating. But on the other hand, it is okay for these social justice warriors to hate Donald Trump, conservatives, pro-life activists, etc. So, does the “Stop Hate” message mean that we must always agree with liberals?
But in reality, the NFL runs on hate and tribalism which is a root cause of racism that their “End Racism” messaging is trying to eradicate. Try going to Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia wearing a Dallas Cowboys jersey. You may not escape with your life. Try going to any stadium wearing the opposing teams' colors, and you will confront 70 thousand angry people hating you – not because you are a bad person or you did something evil – but simply because you wore the wrong color jersey, or more specifically, you wore a jersey with a different color than everyone else. That hate is fueled by the tribalistic instincts in all of us. And this hate is real. In 2023, a survey by Sportsbook Review, revealed that nearly 40% of fans have witnessed violence or criminal behavior at an NFL stadium. On September 19, 2023, a father of two who was wearing a New England Patriots jersey was beaten to death by a man wearing a Miami Dolphins jersey at Gillette Stadium. Why? Because they were wearing different colored jerseys. If it was because they had different color skin, it’s an evil hate crime; but if it’s different colored jerseys, it’s just two fans got out of control at an NFL game. But the source of the hatred is the same in both – tribalism.
And tribalism makes the NFL, and all sports leagues go around. Try going to a Premiere Soccer match in England. You may be trampled to death if the referee calls a penalty against the home team at the wrong time. It is that intense emotion fueled by tribalism and hatred of the opposition that drives the NFL’s $20 billion of revenue, because fans are willing to pay $400 per ticket to watch “their team” for three hours. If no one really cared that intensely, no one would pay anywhere near that money to go to a game or spend all day Sunday watching football. It is the games, the rivalry, the histories of sports leagues like the NFL that teaches the tribalism and the hatred of those who are different, that will sometimes show up in other parts of life because it is not only excused but encouraged as a sports fan. At this point, it may be best if the NFL stops messaging and lecturing, and focuses solely on the one thing they do really well – play football.
__________________________________________________________
Mr. Garrett is a graduate of Princeton University, and a former NFL player, coach, and executive. He has been a contributor to the website Real Clear Politics. He has recently published his first novel, No Wind.
Comentários