The NFL's decision to allow commercials for distilled spirits in '17 "represents a win" for the industry, which has "consistently swiped market share from beer in recent years," according to Greg Trotter of the CHICAGO TRIBUNE. It is "unclear whether" new Jim Beam commercials will be in the mix as there are "some restrictions on the liquor ads that don't apply to beer commercials." The NFL's decision is a "happy moment in time for liquor companies and much less so for purveyors of beer." Other major pro sports leagues "already allow televised advertising of spirits brands; the NFL was the final holdout" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 6/6). SPORTS ON EARTH's Ross Tucker wrote the logic behind excluding hard alcohol advertising was "either outdated or dubious at best in the first place." With NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell's stated goal of the NFL hitting $25B in revenue by the year '27, the league is "going to have to find new and different ways to continue to drive growth as television ratings continue to be affected by cord-cutters." Hence the NFL has "begun the process of loosening restrictions in a lot of areas." Other restrictions in place regarding TV commercials during NFL games "include any form of contraception, including condoms, energy drinks, supplements and supplement companies, gambling of any kind, and even tourism ads for Las Vegas." Most "reasonable minds believe all these types of commercials will be less taboo eventually, so if the NFL was smart it would jump at the chance to receive the financial windfall that would come along with these companies being able to advertise to a huge audience in a more mainstream fashion" (SPORTSONEARTH.com, 6/5).
