This year's edition of the NFL's annual October breast cancer awareness campaign "could fall flat," as the league is "under attack over its handling of players accused of domestic violence," according to Lindsay Jones of USA TODAY. Syracuse professor Anne Osborne said, "It will be harder to take it seriously, absolutely. ... For some people it seemed like just a PR effort to acknowledge women's presence around football. Now in light of all of this, it will ring as sort of hollow." Jones reports the NFL said that it "won't scale back its efforts to raise awareness of breast cancer, an initiative that began in 2009, but rather emphasizes that this campaign is one of its most tangible ways to prove the league values its female fans." NFL VP/Social Responsibility Anna Isaacson: "I strongly believe this is not the time to pull back on a campaign that reaches so many people across the country. Clearly, the NFL has been under a lot of pressure, but it's not an either-or proposition for us. We can support breast cancer awareness and also make a difference with domestic violence and sexual assault campaigns." Jones notes this year's campaign "will culminate with what the NFL and the American Cancer Society have called 'A Crucial Catch Day' on Oct. 25 with breast cancer screenings available in every NFL city." Isaacson said that the NFL "is considering a formal acknowledgement of domestic violence awareness month in October ... but the league has yet to decide what would be the best way to handle such a large-scale effort" (USA TODAY, 10/1). NFL Network's Andrea Kremer noted Domestic Violence Awareness Month is "symbolized by a purple ribbon." Kremer: "The decision to wear pink is up to each player. Why not let them sport purple as well to draw attention to domestic violence without the threat of a $10,000 fine for violating the NFL's uniform protocol?" CBS Sports' Tracy Wolfson said, "I'm going to wear it on 'Thursday Night Football'" ("We Need To Talk," CBS Sports Network, 9/30).
MURPHY'S LAW: Packers President & CEO Mark Murphy said that the situation the NFL faces in the aftermath of the "bungling of the Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson cases is the biggest crisis the league has faced" since he played for the Redskins in the '70s. Murphy, speaking yesterday at the Marquette Law School as part of the "On the Issues with Mike Gousha" series, said, "I do think the credibility of the league has been challenged. ... We have taken a real hit in terms of credibility, respect. I don’t think it is fatal. But people have lost a little respect for the league." In Milwaukee, Bob Wolfley notes NFL owners up to now "have not shown an inclination to dismiss" Commissioner Roger Goodell. Murphy said, "The league has been so successful ... When you stumble a little bit, people are eager to, are quick to criticize. Quite honestly, I have great respect for Roger. I think he has done a lot of really good things for the league. But when your compensation is $44 million, some people look at that and say they are out of touch with the rest of society. And then when you do err, when you do make a mistake, I think it is very easy for people to really turn on you" (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 10/1). Murphy stressed that the Rice situation "was not handled correctly and that athletes with a proven history of spousal abuse should not be allowed to play in the league." In Milwaukee, Rob Gebelhoff noted Murphy yesterday also spent time "discussing the league’s efforts to address concussions." He said, "Every rule we make is geared to make the game safer. It’s really crucial not only to the NFL, but also to the game" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 9/30).
UNION KEEPING A LOW PROFILE: CBS' Wolfson said she thought Goodell and the NFL are "moving in the right direction" after several high-profile hirings to oversee the league's personal conduct policy, but added, "What I am confused about is why we haven't heard from the players' association." Kremer said NFLPA Assistant Exec Dir of External Affairs George Atallah told her the NFLPA is in a "holding pattern until this neutral arbitrator is named" for the Ray Rice case. The union is "not in any way defending what Ray Rice did, but he said, 'We're not fighting for Ray. This is about other players down the road.'" CBS Sports Network's Amy Trask said the "notion that there is tension between the union and the league ... is not being understated at all." But Kremer said Atallah noted the union "takes no pleasure" in the ongoing issue the league is dealing with ("We Need To Talk," CBSSN, 9/30).
LAWMAKERS SPEAK OUT: In New Jersey, Mary Diduch reports a bipartisan group of female state legislators is pushing for the NFL to "be stripped of the tax breaks it receives and for those extra tax funds to be diverted to domestic violence awareness and prevention." The 14 lawmakers added that Goodell "should be removed from his position, following what the group said was seven years of ignoring the issue." New Jersey state Sen. Loretta Weinberg said that the discontinuation of the NFL's tax-exempt status "could bring in" around $10M to "go toward domestic violence-related education, training and support" (Bergen RECORD, 10/1).
