Ahead of Possible Lockout, NFL Owners Giving Big Bucks to Politicians

[a kennedy]

Sports fans often claim that the government shouldn't get involved in sports. But the government is already involved in sports and has been for a long time. And thanks to some serious campaign contributions made in just the last year and a half, NFL owners appear to be ensuring that the government works in their best interests.

NFL owners have donated hundreds of thousands of dollars in this election cycle as individual contributors and via the political action committee (NFL PAC) they formed during the 2007-08 cycle.
The Center for Responsive Politics recently looked at federal campaign finance records and found:

The Rooney family, which runs the Pittsburgh Steelers, wins the Lombardi Trophy of political donations this election cycle, with Arthur, Patrick, John, Timothy and their wives combining to donate more than $153,000 to various federal-level political interests, primarily Republican. That includes thousands of dollars spent on kin -- Brian John Rooney-- who ran for, and failed to win, the GOP nomination in Michigan's 10th Congressional District contest.
Patrick Rooney and Houston Texans owner Robert McNair each have contributed more than $100,000 this cycle. (All of McNair's donations have gone to Republicans and overall, Republicans have received more from owners, league executives and players who've donated at least $3,000 this cycle. Republicans have received $456,769, while Democrats have received $337,925.)

But the real story is the NFL's PAC, which didn't make any contributions to federal candidates last cycle. This cycle, they've spent more than $341,000 among 82 federal candidates and $100,000 on the party committees.

By contrast, the NFL Players Association does not even have a PAC. Individual players have contributed to candidates and committees, but their donations pale in comparison to those of owners and league executives. Among active players, Dhani Jones and Gibril Wilson of the Cincinnati Bengals have contributed at least $15,000 this cycle.

And for the record, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has contributed $11,800 this cycle to federal-level candidates and political committees.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brian-frederick/ahead-of-possible-lockout_b_735438.html

[Auggie]

1. One would hope that if there is a lockout -- and

if Congress got involved -- this would become a big story. Would losing their NFL football finally enroll sheeple to take a deep look at how successfully the rich are controlling government?

[underpants]

2. Looks like they are pretty sure it will happen