The NFL’s Darkest Secret: Is the League Rigging Games for Ratings?
The Kansas City Chiefs have become the golden boys of the NFL, with star power, high TV ratings, and a shot at an historic three-peat. But is their success due to fair play or is the league manipulating outcomes for the sake of entertainment?
Bill Burr’s recent rant to Rich Eisen suggests that the NFL’s classification as an “entertainment” product allows it to “massage” outcomes, especially for a franchise like the Chiefs that has reached the Super Bowl five times in the last six seasons. Burr argues that if the league calls itself an “entertainment” company, then it’s not guaranteeing fair play, but rather a show.
A Look Back at Spygate
In 2007, the New England Patriots were caught illegally videotaping opponents’ signals, and it was revealed that they had been doing it for a decade. A Jets fan and season-ticket holder, Carl Mayer, sued the Patriots, demanding compensation for all Jets fans who had attended those allegedly rigged games. Although Mayer lost the lawsuit, it raises questions about the league’s accountability.
The NFL’s Legal Loophole
The court decision in Mayer’s case revealed that the NFL argued, and the court agreed, that people who buy tickets to an NFL game have the contractual right to a seat to watch two teams play each other, and nothing else. This means that if the Patriots cheated to win a game, or if officiating is blatantly one-sided, tough luck. There’s no enforceable guarantee of an honest contest in your ticket purchase.
The League’s Shady Practices
The NFL has repeatedly positioned itself legally as a “sports entertainment” business, not a genuinely contested “sport.” This means that from a legal standpoint, the league isn’t obligated to deliver a truly fair, competitive product. They’re only obligated to put on a show. And with the complete lack of accountability that officials and referees have, it’s no wonder fans are dubious about the league’s intentions.
A Lack of Accountability
Players are held accountable for their performance, but referees can botch a call, changing the course of a team’s season, and face no consequences. It’s a double standard that has fans questioning the league’s integrity.
The Tim Donaghy Situation
Mike Florio has floated the possibility of the league having a Tim Donaghy situation on its hands, where officials are influenced by external factors to alter the outcome of games. It’s a concern that has been echoed by NFL legend and Hall of Famer Earl Campbell, who has compared the league to the WWE.
The NFL’s Entertainment Business
The league’s focus on entertainment over fair play has led to a situation where the margin of error always seems to tilt in favor of star-laden teams like the Chiefs. It’s a phenomenon that has fans wondering if the league is rigging games for the sake of ratings. As Joe Thomas put it, “The NFL is like a spectacle of violence, for entertainment, and you’re the actors in it. You’re complicit in that: You put on the uniform. And it’s a trivial thing at its core. It’s make-believe, really.”
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