The NFL has damaged its business model by running head-on into politics.
Fans looking for escapism have turned away from the sport as a result.
And the NFL got even more political with one radical message.
If the NFL couldn’t get political enough with the anti-American anthem protests and “woke” messaging on players’ helmets, the league is now wading into the issue of sexuality.
The NFL is running a “National Coming Out Day” PSA encouraging gay players in the league to be open about their sexuality.
This is a truly bizarre development.
The sex lives of NFL players is not relevant to the fans watching the games.
However, LGBT politics have become intertwined with the left, and the leftward tilt of the NFL means the league must opine on seemingly every issue.
The issue first became prominent when openly gay football player Michael Sam was drafted in the seventh round.
Sam was celebrated for his breakthrough, although no active NFL player has come out as gay.
An NFL locker room is a hyper-masculine place, but there have been gay players in the league for decades.
Since sexuality and the NFL have become so politicized, it’s not enough for players to quietly live their private lives.
NFL Executive Vice President Troy Vincent said:
“Anyone in the player community who may be considering coming out, know this — I am committed to serving as a conduit to help you through that journey — either myself, in collaboration with my teammates at the league office, or through the many organizations with whom we partner on LGBTQ+ issues. We have no way of knowing if an active NFL player would choose to come out or what they might experience. What I do know is that I am committed to celebrate, support, and welcome them.”
There’s nothing wrong with Vincent’s statement, but it seems like an unnecessary move for the NFL to wade into this territory and drag fans along with a primetime PSA.
It only underscores just how political the league has just become.
The left gets borderline giddy then there’s a gay sex-related story to exploit.
Hill is even having a Hollywood movie made about her.
The NFL doesn’t seem to have learned its lesson that football fans just want to see football.
The ratings have been in a tailspin this season, but it really started in 2016 with Colin Kapernick’s anthem kneeling.
The NFL has decided to become political, and viewers have decided not to watch in large numbers.
