'Reasons Why The NFL Is Fixed For Profit'

[BillsImpossible]

This is a long, very interesting article that explains why referees say things like, "Just give it to him."

To make a long story short, the NFL is all about gambling and was literally built on that foundation.

Is the NFL scripted? Does a casino favor the House?

Are players and coaches paid enormous amounts of money to choreograph plays?

Is the NFL really one big production of a Broadway play every Sunday full of players and coaches making more money in a single game check than most people earn in a year or two, or three, or four, or five, or 30?

Whoever wrote this article is right about the fact that very few people this day and age would ever be willing to speak out against how the NFL really works.

If they did, they'd lose their jobs in a heartbeat and be sent off to Siberia with Ed Snowden.

http://spaces.covers.com/blog/MaximumWins/NFL/03042012-Reasons-Why-The-NFL-Is-Fixed-For-Profit.html

1. Contrary to popular belief and to what he NFL wants you to think, there have been fixed games in league history. On page 308 of Dan Moldea's book "Interference" he lists over 70 NFL games that have been fixed and includes the names of the 2 referees involved in fixing those games. He also lists interviews with NFL HOF players most notably KC Chiefs QB Len Dawson. He, in detail with documented facts supported by FBI documents, has interviews with NFL players and known gambling associates to uncover massive game fixing in the league. He also notes, with evidence, throughout the book that no fewer than 26 NFL team owners have or have had continuous and developing relationships with the gambling world, most notably the Rooney, Bidwill, and Mara families all getting their starts as Bookmakers for established mid-west crime families and buying their NFL franchises with moneys earned from gambling.

2. The NFL possesses an Anti-Trust Exemption to the law granted to it by President John F. Kennedy, which ultimately allows the NFL to classify itself as "entertainment" rather than sport, as well as incorporate itself as a single entity instead of the 32 separate "franchises" they would want you to believe.

3. Players are paid to play, not win.

4. NFL Security is a reactionary force designed to cover up the NFL's problems.

5. Video taping other teams' plays is common practice in the NFL.

6. TV Ratings are more important than fans in the stadium.

7. Owners business dealings result in wins and losses, Super Bowls are rewarded not earned through play.

Robert Kraft gets his billion $ TV deal and his casino, the Mara's get their SB and the league splits 80% of the record profits and Roger Goodel gets $20 million a year in salary!

They hoped you enjoyed their "presentation of the National Football League".

[Albany,n.y.]

Re: 'Reasons Why The NFL Is Fixed For Profit'

This is tinfoil hat stuff, plus the guy sounds like a racist to me: "Just ask yourself...what billion dollar business would allow their profits to be at the hands of uneducated, black, youth? Not one single American business. Businesses ensure that a dollar is made and they don't entrust their livelihood in them. It's just not rational nor good business and no business in the history of business does this. "
The reason the Patriots won in 2001 (and beyond, besides the cheating which wasn't league sanctioned) and the Saints won after Katrina was because each team got a franchise QB. If the NFL was fixing the Super Bowl after 9/11 a NYC team or the Redskins would have won the Super Bowl because their cities were affected, not because of a team nickname. The guy's an idiot. I'm guessing his next article will be that MLB fixed the World Series to "reward" Boston after the marathon bombing.

[EricStratton]

Re: 'Reasons Why The NFL Is Fixed For Profit'

Why link to a 2 year old story?

[Skooby]

Re: 'Reasons Why The NFL Is Fixed For Profit'

Entertainment is a broad term, casinos are considered entertainment as well.

[OpIv37]

Re: 'Reasons Why The NFL Is Fixed For Profit'

I don't believe that the NFL is fixed. It's too difficult, too many people would have to stay silent, and the league would lose their credibility- and hence billions of dollars- if they ever got caught fixing games.

I do believe that the supposed aversion to gambling is BS, because the league knows they make a fortune off of it.

And while I don't believe the league fixes games, I do suspect this: the league has preferred outcomes and the refs know it. If they get a judgment call or throw a flag that can be called "questionable" without being considered outright favoritism, they do it. Obviously I have no proof of this, but when the league has a fickle fan base in a big market like New England and a consistent fan base in a small market like Buffalo, there is too much at stake to leave that to chance.

[GingerP]

Re: 'Reasons Why The NFL Is Fixed For Profit'

2. The NFL possesses an Anti-Trust Exemption to the law granted to it by President John F. Kennedy, which ultimately allows the NFL to classify itself as "entertainment" rather than sport, as well as incorporate itself as a single entity instead of the 32 separate "franchises" they would want you to believe.

Though that entire "article" was laughable, this note in particular is not well informed. First of all, aren't all sports leagues "entertainment"? I'm not sure what the hell else you would call them.

Secondly, the the NFL hasn't "incorporated itself as a single entity", and they aren't exempt from anti-trust law for most instances. As recently as 2010 the courts have ruled that the NFL is considered 32 separate businesses under the law, in the American Needle case.

What the author is referring to is the Sherman Anti-Trust act, signed into law by Kennedy. That granted sports leagues the right to collectively bargain for media contracts, and the NFL has benefitted. Of course that same exemption is available to all sports leagues, and is taken advantage of by the PGA, NHL, etc. Are they all fixed, too? Of course, that doesn't grant them any exemption from anti-trust law (as established again recently by the American Needle case). They can't stop competition, which is why the USFL & XFL were able to start up.

The NFL also is a tax-exempt, non-profit organization (the individual teams are not). That, to me, is the biggest travesty. Basically, they are treated like a charity. Of course, again, all sports teams have this same ability. MLB actually gave up their tax-exempt protection in 2007 because they didn't want to report the salaries of their executives (which they would have to as a non-profit).

But, again, the NFL isn't any different from any other sports league.

[DraftBoy]

Re: 'Reasons Why The NFL Is Fixed For Profit'

Though that entire "article" was laughable, this note in particular is not well informed. First of all, aren't all sports leagues "entertainment"? I'm not sure what the hell else you would call them.

Secondly, the the NFL hasn't "incorporated itself as a single entity", and they aren't exempt from anti-trust law for most instances. As recently as 2010 the courts have ruled that the NFL is considered 32 separate businesses under the law, in the American Needle case.

What the author is referring to is the Sherman Anti-Trust act, signed into law by Kennedy. That granted sports leagues the right to collectively bargain for media contracts, and the NFL has benefitted. Of course that same exemption is available to all sports leagues, and is taken advantage of by the PGA, NHL, etc. Are they all fixed, too? Of course, that doesn't grant them any exemption from anti-trust law (as established again recently by the American Needle case). They can't stop competition, which is why the USFL & XFL were able to start up.

The NFL also is a tax-exempt, non-profit organization (the individual teams are not). That, to me, is the biggest travesty. Basically, they are treated like a charity. Of course, again, all sports teams have this same ability. MLB actually gave up their tax-exempt protection in 2007 because they didn't want to report the salaries of their executives (which they would have to as a non-profit).

But, again, the NFL isn't any different from any other sports league.

Boom.

[trapezeus]

Re: 'Reasons Why The NFL Is Fixed For Profit'

i agree with OP, there are outcomes that they know are ideal and would like to see. i think boston is a bigger market with a lot of college kids who move into the area and look to assimilate quickly. those kids also end up making boston their home. the NFL profits have grown quite substantially the last 10 years and i think they know a lot of it has to do with getting a boston fan base that otherwise didn't care about the patriots.

So you see things like the tuck rule and over protection of brady and throwing out the film and slapping belichick on his hand for breaking rules no one else does but suspending sean payton for a yearfor doing something everyone does. Big markets get bigger breaks.

I think NY/NJ is the exception. it is a huge market, but it has a strong football culture. the jets have sucked since 63, but their fan base is rabid. they are like bills fans. giants fans are strong supporters and the corporate support is significant. So they don't really have to pander to them. the stadiums are sold out and people love it.

i think seattle gets a lot of the breaks these days that the early pats got. and they are an area just recently getting into football in the last 10 years. and they have some of the largest corporations and an identity as a city of slackers transitioning to a city of up and comers. it is worth it to the NFL to see them do quite well. However, i think they kind of fell back ass into being good. carroll was on the verge of destroying that team by trading so many of its picks and then russell wilson bailed him out.

[GingerP]

Re: 'Reasons Why The NFL Is Fixed For Profit'

Right... like they have been after the Pittsburgh market, or the Baltimore market, or the New Orleans market, or the Indianapolis market, or the vaunted Green Bay market. All recent Super Bowl winners.

Or... it could be that those teams are run by people who know what the F**k they are doing.

[Night Train]

Re: 'Reasons Why The NFL Is Fixed For Profit'

The only loose end that could be questioned are the crews with the black stripes and flags in their pockets.

Until some ref on his death bed confesses " yeah, I pocketed quite a sum throwing games.." it's all just bad calls over actual fixing.

[Historian]

Re: 'Reasons Why The NFL Is Fixed For Profit'

I think the advertisers that pay these huge sums to hawk their products have a little say in who's on national games, MNF, playoffs, etc.

Think of the pizzas that old Papa John is going to sell next weekend..

[Albany,n.y.]

Re: 'Reasons Why The NFL Is Fixed For Profit'

Anyone who thinks the league wanted a Denver/Seattle Super Bowl in NY is bat**** crazy. Most of the fans in those cities aren't traveling across the country to see the Super Bowl or hang out in the city. While Denver can be marketed because of Manning, not too many people outside of Seattle care about the Seahawks. The demand to go to NY plummeted when 2 far west teams got in. The ideal scenario would have been for NE to win the AFC because tons of fans would have come down for the festivities due to the proximity of Boston to metro NYC. As far as the NFC, if the league had their way, it would have been the Eagles where, once again, the proximity to NYC/NJ would have added thousands of people to the pre-Super Bowl events & ticket demand for a Philly/NE Super Bowl would have been sky high. Note: I'm only using 2013-14 playoff teams. If the NFL wanted to fix the whole season either the Giants, Jets or both would have made the game. Imagine a Giants/Jets Super Bowl in NY-the conspiracy nuts would have had a field day. They probably think the NFL knew better & didn't want to be so obvious, so they "chose" a team nobody on the east coast gives a rat's behind about to stay under the radar.

[DraftBoy]

Re: 'Reasons Why The NFL Is Fixed For Profit'

I think the advertisers that pay these huge sums to hawk their products have a little say in who's on national games, MNF, playoffs, etc.

Think of the pizzas that old Papa John is going to sell next weekend..

Do you really think Denver being in the SB is going to make that much difference? Papa Johns was going to have a huge weekend no matter who played in the game.

- - - Updated - - -

Anyone who thinks the league wanted a Denver/Seattle Super Bowl in NY is bat**** crazy. Most of the fans in those cities aren't traveling across the country to see the Super Bowl or hang out in the city. While Denver can be marketed because of Manning, not too many people outside of Seattle care about the Seahawks. The demand to go to NY plummeted when 2 far west teams got in. The ideal scenario would have been for NE to win the AFC because tons of fans would have come down for the festivities due to the proximity of Boston to metro NYC. As far as the NFC, if the league had their way, it would have been the Eagles where, once again, the proximity to NYC/NJ would have added thousands of people to the pre-Super Bowl events & ticket demand for a Philly/NE Super Bowl would have been sky high. Note: I'm only using 2013-14 playoff teams. If the NFL wanted to fix the whole season either the Giants, Jets or both would have made the game. Imagine a Giants/Jets Super Bowl in NY-the conspiracy nuts would have had a field day. They probably think the NFL knew better & didn't want to be so obvious, so they "chose" a team nobody on the east coast gives a rat's behind about to stay under the radar.

The Super Bowl has never and will never be about the fans of the actual teams in the game. Nobody cares if they show up or not.

[pmoon6]

Re: 'Reasons Why The NFL Is Fixed For Profit'

The Super Bowl game itself is for the rich folks. Personally, I never saw the attraction of going to one even when my team was in it.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Re: 'Reasons Why The NFL Is Fixed For Profit'

Though that entire "article" was laughable, this note in particular is not well informed. First of all, aren't all sports leagues "entertainment"? I'm not sure what the hell else you would call them.

Secondly, the the NFL hasn't "incorporated itself as a single entity", and they aren't exempt from anti-trust law for most instances. As recently as 2010 the courts have ruled that the NFL is considered 32 separate businesses under the law, in the American Needle case.

What the author is referring to is the Sherman Anti-Trust act, signed into law by Kennedy. That granted sports leagues the right to collectively bargain for media contracts, and the NFL has benefitted. Of course that same exemption is available to all sports leagues, and is taken advantage of by the PGA, NHL, etc. Are they all fixed, too? Of course, that doesn't grant them any exemption from anti-trust law (as established again recently by the American Needle case). They can't stop competition, which is why the USFL & XFL were able to start up.

The Sherman Antitrust Act was signed into law by President Harrison, nearly 30 years before JFK was born. What JFK signed was the sports broadcasting act of 1961, and it's relevant because the law refers to "contests." If the league is in fact fixed (I do not believe it is), then they aren't staging "contests" and they lose the protection of the law.

As for the PGA, they aren't mentioned under the SBA and they aren't relevant as I'm aware. They are one league which allows golfers to join it, but they are legitimately only one legal entity and thus cannot restrain trade like the NFL can.

The NFL also is a tax-exempt, non-profit organization (the individual teams are not). That, to me, is the biggest travesty. Basically, they are treated like a charity. Of course, again, all sports teams have this same ability. MLB actually gave up their tax-exempt protection in 2007 because they didn't want to report the salaries of their executives (which they would have to as a non-profit).

But, again, the NFL isn't any different from any other sports league.

They are treated like a charity only insofar as they fall under another 501(c) exception. No one is pretending that they are doing this for social welfare. The issue is that if you treat the NFL as a separate taxable entity from the 32 teams that comprise it, then you are double-taxing the income. Once when it is paid to the NFL and again when it is disbursed to all its members.