NFL VP/Officiating Dean Blandino yesterday appeared to contradict Commissioner Roger Goodell's comments earlier this week, claiming the PSI data in footballs was "recorded and reported back to the NFL offices at random games this season," according to Ben Volin of the BOSTON GLOBE. Blandino said, "We did spot checks throughout the year, and we measured PSI levels and recorded that information. ... We didn’t have any violations this year, but again we’re still in that evaluation phase to look at the information and then we’ll see what that tells us." Volin notes Blandino's statement comes after Goodell on Tuesday told Rich Eisen that PSI measurements "were taken this season as 'spot checks' and 'it wasn’t a research study'” that could prove if the Patriots illegally deflated balls in last year's AFC Championship (BOSTON GLOBE, 2/4).
TRYING TO CLOSE THE GAP: The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Timothy Martin reports the NFL "has just 72% of assets needed to cover future retirement benefits for more than 12,000 current and former players." That "compares with an industry average of 85% for its peers among multiemployer pensions." The NFL has been "trying to close the funding gap." Just three years ago, the league "had less than half of assets required." Since then, owners "have contributed" a combined $571M to shore up a shortfall of about $1.5B. League officials said that the NFL plans on "funding all of the existing liabilities by the end of the collective bargaining agreement," which runs through '20. An NFL spokesperson said, "The plan is safe" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 2/4).
TECH CRUNCH: In N.Y., Ken Belson reports in Silicon Valley, a region "filled with private equity titans, dreamy entrepreneurs and futurists, the NFL has been eager to show off its technological chops this week." The league on Tuesday hosted a roundtable called "Future of Football," which was sponsored by league partner Microsoft. The Super Bowl host committee also has "raised millions of dollars in donations from a range of technology giants, including Apple and Google, two companies not normally associated with the NFL or other sports leagues." Google is "paying for its shuttle buses to ferry Bay Area fans to and from the game." Apple also is "running company buses to the game, and it has donated iPhones and laptops to the Super Bowl host committee" (N.Y. TIMES, 2/4).
