The NFL Jets yesterday said that in the future, they "will inform the public when they are being paid by the U.S. military in promotions honoring the troops" like they were with a three-year, $377,500 deal with the New Jersey National Guard, according to Jonathan Salant of the Newark STAR-LEDGER. Jets Senior Dir of Media Relations Bruce Speight: "If there are future agreements with the military, we will make it abundantly clear that an advertising relationship exists." Salant notes in addition to the promotional campaign with the New Jersey National Guard, the team "staged their own salutes to the Armed Forces, including appreciation days for the military and for first responders." Those "are again scheduled" for the '15-16 season (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 5/13). New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said, "If the money was paid to the Jets just for saluting the troops, they should give the money back, because we should be saluting the troops because of what they do for our country." But Christie yesterday also "hedged, saying that if the teams were paid 'for some other advertisement or something else that I don't know about, then that's a decision for the government to make.'" Christie: "But if we're actually paying the New York Jets franchise for saluting the troops, then that would be very disappointing" (CNN.com, 5/12).
OF CHIEF CONCERN: In K.C., Terez Paylor notes the Chiefs in '11 "were paid $125,000 for an agreement with the Missouri National Guard, which received advertising on the team’s website, recruiting booths at Arrowhead Stadium and sponsorship" for a game. The Chiefs in a statement said that their agreement "was about advertising and not tributes to service members." The team's gameday sponsorships "can include digital, web and video-board advertising." These companies "can request an on-field component, but the Chiefs say they do not charge their partners for that" (K.C. STAR, 5/13).
