U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel has "asked his staff for detailed information about the U.S. military's relationships" with the NFL in the "wake of the scandal over how the league is handling domestic-abuse allegations against players," according to Barbara Starr of CNN.com. The Pentagon is "increasingly sensitive to any suggestion it is supporting a major sports organization that is perceived to tolerate domestic violence." The military has a "zero-tolerance policy in the ranks for domestic abuse, but it also has a high-profile relationship with the NFL that goes back decades." Any Pentagon action to "cut back support for the NFL would be the most direct involvement by the Obama administration yet in the scandal." The Army alone spends some $10M a year "buying advertising from television networks broadcasting NFL games." Games are also "broadcast by the Armed Forces Network to troops deployed overseas." The Army and the NFL also have an agreement to "share information and resources to better understand traumatic brain injury" (CNN.com, 9/19).
TAKING THE LEAD: NFL sponsor Marriott Hotels said that it will "use the recent domestic violence scandal to evaluate its deal with the league." A Marriott spokesperson in a statement said, "We will continue to follow this matter closely and await the findings of the investigations, at which time we will take the opportunity to review our sponsorship." BUZZFEED's Mike Hayes reported while "some of its highest-profile sponsors have had strong words for the NFL this week, no brand has said it will outright terminate its deal." Marriott’s Courtyard brand has been the NFL's official hotel sponsor since '11 (BUZZFEED.com, 9/19).
BUSINESS AS USUAL: SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's Daniel Kaplan reports the "effect on the NFL’s bottom line from the domestic violence crisis engulfing the league has been minimal, and the league’s plans for one of its most visible annual initiatives remained on track last week." The league is "proceeding with its annual breast cancer awareness efforts for October, though at least one league sponsor ended a planned promotion centered on the cause and others were calling on the league to expand the month’s focus to other women’s causes." N.Y.-based social media agency MRY Founder & CEO Matt Britton said, “I would not read too much into the wording from any NFL sponsors. The purpose of these recent brand statements is for the brands to distance themselves from the actions of the players and to make it clear that their sponsorships are in no way implied endorsements of these incidents or the way they are being handled by the league.” Kaplan notes Radisson, which pulled its sponsorship of the Vikings, "notwithstanding, no other NFL team or league sponsor had publicly backed out" of its sponsorship deal. Wasserman Media Group Consulting Division co-Managing Dir Elizabeth Lindsey said there “have been some proactive steps by the NFL.” WMG advises NFL sponsors Lenovo, Verizon, Nationwide, Pepsi, Quaker Oats and Microsoft. Lindsey: "We’re wholly supportive of the independent report that they’ve sanctioned" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 9/22 issue).
