Why Football is Doomed
October 16, 2014
Football is America’s favorite pastime. We as a country have yet to find a sport or TV show more captivating than the spectacle of the game. It seems like good, clean fun, no matter who you are and who you root for.
However, if this was true at one point, it isn’t true now. Scandal after scandal has rocked the league, hurting public opinion of the sport. Violence on the field inevitably leads to violence off the field. Injuries can become debilitating or even deadly. Sketchy policies, especially concerning women’s rights, within the NFL have brought shame upon top officials.
At the rate the league is going now, football will be obsolete in the next 30 years. This isn’t a popular opinion now, but growing numbers of current and former fans are finding that the NFL and football are no longer satisfying.
The most visible problem with football is violence. The now infamous Ray Rice video has been broadcasted for weeks, hurting the Ravens brand. Adrian Peterson shocked the nation when pictures of the abuse he inflicted on his son were released. These issues aren’t something that’s specific to football, but the fact that these players are brutal to each other every week almost certainly adds to a deep problem. If players are harsh all day, all week, all year, how do they turn those reflexes off when they leave the field? Violence is ingrained in the minds of these men for our own pleasure every Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday. Football is too vicious to sustain itself.
Another facet of the NFL issue is injury. Concussions are par for the course and are shockingly common. Players ages 30-49 were found to be 19 times more likely to suffer from illness related to brain trauma than their peers. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is a degenerative disease caused by repeated trauma to the brain, and is commonly found in the brains of deceased players. CTE causes memory loss, impulse control problems, aggression, and depression. It has been found in many professional and college football players, most recently in Jovan Belcher.
Fans can remember the suicides of many former players, including the death of Junior Seau in 2012. Specific mental health issues, many leading to suicide During the 2013 season in the NFL, 228 concussions were diagnosed. Increasing debate over mental health issues in America has extended to football, making fans wonder what entertainment is really worth. Is it ethical to ruin a person’s life – or even end it in the case of Belcher – for the enjoyment of America?
Mental health is not the only dated policy in the league. Michael Sam made headlines earlier this year as the first openly gay player to be drafted. At the time, the media went crazy, either for or against the historic announcement. This is another persistent problem for the league. If the first openly gay man joining the league is a newsworthy event, everyone involved has to know that it is doomed. The sport is so homophobic to the point that an openly gay player is national news. Continuing with these outdated views signify bad things are to come for the league.
Money is the underlying cause of other major problems. A study has shown that over 70 percent of money spent on stadium construction is taxpayer-funded. Seventy percent. Team owners then make a profit directly because of this. Teams often receive much more capital than they actually need, making an easy profit. Policies created for the growth and success of football have led to corruption that has betrayed the very people who tune in to games every week.
Injury, violence, death, discrimination, and corruption are now synonymous with the NFL. Scandals are engulfing the once pristine name of several teams. Team owners are making a legal profit off the taxes of hard-working Americans unaffiliated with the sport. Even knowing this, we still watch and participate every day. Football is America’s favorite pastime. It’s time we found a new way to spend our time.
