NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell "attempted Sunday to distance the NFL" from daily fantasy sports games, according to Peter Barzilai of USA TODAY. Goodell responded to a question during a fan event prior to the Packers-Vikings game at TCF Bank Stadium by saying, "We see a big distinction between season-long fantasy and daily fantasy. Season-long fantasy is (what) many people probably play in this room and it’s fun, it’s social, it’s an opportunity to enjoy the game. We encourage our kids to do it and they have clubs at school and it’s a way to connect people. And we think that’s a wonderful way. Daily fantasy’s taken a little different approach, and it’s one that we have not been as active in that. We want to make sure that we understand how it’s going to be done." Barzilai noted the NFL "does not have a league-wide sponsorship or investment in the companies, though most teams and several team owners do." Asked whether he is concerned that DFS could put the integrity of NFL games at risk, Goodell said, "The daily fantasy is different [from traditional gambling] in this sense: It’s essentially the player actually plays and picks whatever players they want, they do that independently and it’s sort of a mash-up of those players. So it really would be difficult to have that ‘influence’ that we are worried about with gambling in general." He added, "I want to make sure our consumers, our fans -- if you play something, I want to make sure there’s proper consumer protections" (USATODAY.com, 11/22). ESPN.com's Ben Goessling wrote Goodell "sought to draw a line between those businesses and the season-long fantasy football leagues he says the NFL supports." The NFL has "maintained a public opposition to gambling" (ESPN.com, 11/22). PRO FOOTBALL TALK's Mike Florio wrote the NFL "isn't a party" named in a class-action lawsuit filed Saturday that includes as defendants several leagues that have partnered with DFS companies. Goodell "took a strong position against investment in DFS by the league itself" (PROFOOTBALLTALK.com, 11/22).
