NFL was Paid by Military for "Patriotic" Halftime Shows

Don

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More crony crapitolism transferring your tax dollars to the pockets of the politically-connected uber-wealthy.
Arizona Sens. Jeff Flake and John McCain have released a report called "Tackling Paid Patriotism" which details how the military spent millions of tax dollars to put on halftime shows, honor guards, jet flyovers, and other spectacles at professional and college sporting events.
Well, gee, of course it costs money to fly jets, pay honor guards, etc. Right? But those aren't the only droids dollars you're looking for.

We're also talking about dollars paid to the organizations in return for allowing them.

In 2013, a roaring crowd cheered as the Atlanta Falcons welcomed National Guard members who unfurled an American flag across the Georgia Dome’s turf. Little did those fans—or millions of other Americans—know that the National Guard had actually paid the Atlanta Falcons for this display of patriotism as part of a $315,000 marketing contract.
It's not just pro football, either. Although this story focuses on the NFL, other sports at both the collegiate and pro level collect your tax dollars for allowing similar dog and pony shows.

Oh, but at least the NFL will consider returning the money.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has pledged that teams will return all money they received through the programs. More specifically, he said the league will conduct an audit and "if we find that inappropriate payments were made, they will be refunded in full." So I'm guessing that probably no dollars will actually head back to the treasury.
Anybody else betting these payments will be judged "appropriate" and the money stays in the hands of the wealthy owners of the teams?

More, including a list of the Top Ten NFL teams raking in the dough and a George Costanza sex reference, at the link.

Oops, forgot the link.
 
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LittlePinto

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I would like to see the numbers demonstrating that these expensive marketing contracts are providing returns in the form of qualified recruits.

Somehow I suspect that if someone were to ask for that data, "marketing contract" would be swiftly redefined as some sort of positive public outreach effort for the service branch in question.
 

regdog

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Just one more reason why I refuse to watch, buy or support anything to do with the National Felons League.
 

Perks

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Good lord. Now, even I'm ready for some pictures of kittens. It's just bad news, all the time - big bad news, medium-sized bad news, fucking petty bad news, debate news, Trumps hair, and now for the weather...
 

LittlePinto

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Good lord. Now, even I'm ready for some pictures of kittens. It's just bad news, all the time - big bad news, medium-sized bad news, fucking petty bad news, debate news, Trumps hair, and now for the weather...

How about these three? (Linked to my post in Animals & Nature instead of embedded to try and avoid a derail.)

They're chewing on my toes.

I really am curious to know what the goal of the expenditures was. Was it for positive publicity? Was it a recruiting effort? How did anyone think this was a good use of taxpayer dollars?
 

robeiae

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FYI, link to the story Don is quoting: https://reason.com/blog/2015/11/06/nfl-says-it-will-pay-pentagon-back-for-p

And sorry, but I don't accept this line from the story:
The presumption among viewers is that this stuff is being done for free as some sort of true patriotic feeling.
I don't believe that is true in the least (mostly because I think the typical viewer never thought much about it) And I don't see how this is surprising or how it's some sort of scandal. It is--imo--a stupid expenditure on the part of the military. But they must have made the offers to NFL teams, right? It's just buying good PR.
 
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Don

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Thanks rob. Link added to the OP. My bad.
 

clintl

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FYI, link to the story Don is quoting: https://reason.com/blog/2015/11/06/nfl-says-it-will-pay-pentagon-back-for-p

And sorry, but I don't accept this line from the story:
I don't believe that is true in the least (mostly because I think the typical viewer never thought much about it) And I don't see how this is surprising or how it's some sort of scandal. It is--imo--a stupid expenditure on the part of the military. But they must have made the offers to NFL teams, right? It's just buying good PR.

Exactly, and it's nothing new. Among other things they've done is sponsor NASCAR teams, which involves paying several million dollars to have their decal affixed to race cars. It's no surprise that the NFL is willing to take their money, too. And I don't see why the NFL needs to give it back, either. It was selling advertising.
 

LittlePinto

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Exactly, and it's nothing new. Among other things they've done is sponsor NASCAR teams, which involves paying several million dollars to have their decal affixed to race cars. It's no surprise that the NFL is willing to take their money, too. And I don't see why the NFL needs to give it back, either. It was selling advertising.

I suspect the NFL wants to disentangle itself from the potentially bad press. It's a campaign season so there's always the possibility that candidates and lawmakers will start denouncing the military for frivolous spending and/or the NFL for taking taxpayer dollars. If the NFL gets out now then they have more control over their part of the story.
 

Don

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This is just more corporate welfare. It's not like they haven't gotten huge tax breaks and taxpayer-supported bond issues to build massive monuments to their egos in the first place. These are the true "welfare queens," but people give them a pass because "sports."
 

kuwisdelu

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I'm not sure if I can denounce this without being a hypocrite.

The Navy is a major sponsor for our American Indian Science and Engineering conferences and events. They were our biggest source of funding last time my school held our region's regional conference, and we probably couldn't have done it without them. But we did have to let them give a presentation in exchange. (Fortunately it was a Native guy who happened to be a great and relevant speaker so it all worked out well in the end.)

I feel like the NFL probably doesn't need the funding as much, and I want to think we're a better "cause," but ultimately is there any reason they can't sponsor them in exchange for publicity if they can sponsor us in exchange for publicity?

Or maybe some would argue we shouldn't have taken their money either?
 

Zoombie

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On the grand scale of military propaganda spending, buying shows in the NFL is somewhere in the middle, with the far positive end being Stargate SG-1 and the far negative end being the Transformers films.
 

frimble3

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The Navy is a major sponsor for our American Indian Science and Engineering conferences and events. They were our biggest source of funding last time my school held our region's regional conference, and we probably couldn't have done it without them. But we did have to let them give a presentation in exchange. (Fortunately it was a Native guy who happened to be a great and relevant speaker so it all worked out well in the end.)

I feel like the NFL probably doesn't need the funding as much, and I want to think we're a better "cause," but ultimately is there any reason they can't sponsor them in exchange for publicity if they can sponsor us in exchange for publicity?

Or maybe some would argue we shouldn't have taken their money either?
Well, aside from publicity (which the military usually gets by bombing something or killing someone) by supporting American Indian Science and Engineering events, they're encouraging young people in Engineering and the Sciences. Even if none of them feel a warm fuzzy glow of gratitude and join the military, they will become useful productive people, helping to invent tomorrow for the whole country.
On the other hand, by buying publicity at sporting event entertainments, the military isn't even encouraging athletes (which could be done by sponsoring sports camps for children who might not otherwise get the opportunity). No, what it's encouraging is spectatorship, the 'sitting around waiting to be amused' that is contributing to the obesity epidemic, and reducing the physical fitness of potential soldiers.
Your school is a much better use of money.
 

Don

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I'm working on lyrics for a new halftime song. Whatcha think?

[First Verse]
Homeland, Homeland over all
Over everything in the world!
Our destiny is to protect and serve,
We're the leaders of the world.
From Afghanistan to Syria
From Iraq to Iran.
Homeland, Homeland over all
Over everything in the world!

[Cadence]
We have weapons,
We have gas!
We can kick
the whole world's ass!
Hoo-rah!
[/Cadence]

[Second Verse]
Homeland, Homeland over all
Over everything in the world!
Spreading democracy and dollars,
We're the leaders of the world.
Bringing freedom with mighty drones,
To weddings and children everywhere.
Homeland, Homeland over all
Over everything in the world!

[Repeat Cadence]

[Third Verse]
Homeland, Homeland over all
We're the freest in the world!
Most incarcerated of all people,
We're the leaders of the world.
Micro-managed to the nth degree
We have freedom and security.
Homeland, Homeland over all
Over everything in the world!

[Repeat Cadence]

Goebbels would be proud.
 
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