The NFL received $642 million from NBC Sports in exchange for the broadcast rights to Sunday Night Football, and one Super Bowl, every three years. Yet the United States government designates the NFL a “non-profit.”
Yes, $642 million, for just one of their four extremely lucrative television broadcast deals (FOX, CBS and ESPN have the others. Yet the Feds still call them a “non-profit.”
Has your HEAD EXPLODED YET!!!???!!!!!?????
I mean seriously, the NFL as a tax exempt non-profit? WTF?!?!
You’re well into billions of dollars on just TV contracts alone. Then factor in merchandising, attendance, concessions, copyright royalties etc. etc. There’s plenty of grist for the mill against the NFL right now, but this might be the most egregious. Indeed corporate crime is much more sinister and damaging than other non white collar crime.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will likely find himself in the Washington hot seat if a top congressional investigator gets his way.
The new chairman of the House Oversight Committee, Republican Jason Chaffetz, told CNN he will probably haul the commissioner in front of his panel to justify the league’s non-profit status.
In an interview the morning after Super Bowl XLIX, Chaffetz asked, “Was that a nonprofit event going on or was that a for-profit venture? It’s a for-profit venture. You tell people that the NFL is a nonprofit entity and they just start laughing and giggling. But it’s not fair. If there’s another side to that, then let the commissioner come in and make that case.”
Chaffetz said he thinks the league, which paid Goodell $44 million in 2012, should have to pay taxes — a bill that adds up to more than $100 million over a decade.
I rarely ever applaud the efforts and goals of a Republican…but in this case, go get him! Nail Goodell and his cronies. Because the NFL is only going to get richer and more powerful. Look at this:
MOST-WATCHED PROGRAMS IN U.S. TELEVISION HISTORY*
1. 114.4 Million – Super Bowl XLIX, NBC (Last Night’s Game)
2. 112.2 Million – Super Bowl XLVIII, FOX (Feb. 2014)
3. 111.3 Million – Super Bowl XLVI, NBC (Feb. 2012)
4. 111.0 Million – Super Bowl XLV, FOX (Feb. 2011)
5. 108.7 Million – Super Bowl XLVII, CBS (Feb. 2013)
6. 106.5 Million – Super Bowl XLIV, CBS (Feb. 2010)
7. 106.0 Million – M.A.S.H. Finale, CBS (Feb. 1983)
8. 98.7 Million – Super Bowl XLIII, NBC (Feb. 2009)
The NFL has tax exempt status? *SMH*
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and writes The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with Fox Sports Digital, eBay, Google News and CBS Interactive Inc.
You can read Banks’ feature stories in the Chicago Tribune RedEye newspaper and listen to him on KOZN 1620 The Zone. Follow him on Twitter (@paulmbanks)