A report from U.S. Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) "slams the Pentagon" for paying $6.8M to pro sports leagues for "patriotic events," according to Rebecca Kheel of THE HILL. The pair "examined 122 contracts between the Pentagon and various sports leagues, including $49,000 for the Wisconsin Army National Guard to sponsor performances of 'God Bless America'" at Brewers games; $20,000 for the NFL Jets to "honor one to two New Jersey Army National Guard soldiers as hometown heroes at each home game; and $1,500 to honor five Air Force officers" at a Galaxy game. Paying for these activities "would be outlawed by the National Defense Authorization Act coming to the House floor this week." The NFL has "promised to conduct an audit and reimburse any inappropriate payments it finds, while the Pentagon has promised to stop paying for such activities." NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in a letter to McCain and Flake wrote, "We look forward to working with you to resolve this issue" (THEHILL.com, 11/4). Flake said, "These teams do a lot of good work. The problem is when activities like this are paid for by the taxpayer, it cheapens everything else they do.” McCain: "Honoring our troops as we do in virtually every major professional sport is a wonderful thing. But to charge the taxpayers for it in the name of patriotism is disingenuous at best and, frankly, unacceptable at worst” ("OTL," ESPN, 11/3).
INVESTIGATION FELL SHORT: POLITICO's Burgess Everett noted McCain and Flake "charge that the Defense Department's response to their investigation fell short of fixing the problem, and they suggest the department is at the very least unaware of the sprawling number of deals there are with various multi-billion dollar sports leagues." The two senators detailed $879,000 spent by the Georgia Army National Guard with the Falcons on "color-guard performances and video board tributes and $450,000 spent by the same unit" on the Braves. Investigators also said that the Defense Department paid the Sounders $128,000 "over the past four years on 'a compelling Army National Guard public service message' to be played at games." Another $115,000 "was spent" on the Pacers for "perks including parking passes and access to a luxury conference room." But the "bulk of the spending was associated with the NFL, where four teams received more than $500,000 a piece over the past four years from Defense Department contracts" (POLITICO.com, 11/4). Goodell in his letter to McCain and Flake wrote, "If we find that inappropriate payments were made, they will be refunded in full" (L.A. TIMES, 11/5).
FOOTBALL: In Baltimore, Howard & Barker note the Maryland National Guard paid the Ravens $534,500 in FYs '13 and '14. Ravens Assistant Dir of PR Patrick Gleason said that a sponsorship agreement "was part of a military recruitment effort that paid for advertisements on the M&T Bank Stadium video screens." The team also "wore a Maryland National Guard patch on its practice jerseys." Gleason in a statement said, "The agreement did not require us to honor or salute our troops and did not pay us for honoring or saluting our troops" (Baltimore SUN, 11/5). In Tacoma, Adam Ashton notes the Seahawks "reportedly received $453,500" since '12 from the Washington National Guard. That contract "included paid player appearances, a total of six on-field re-enlistment ceremonies and a program that recognizes youth sports coaches." Washington Military Department Communications Dir Karina Shagren said that the National Guard "no longer will pay for those engagements." She added that the National Guard "will continue to hold events at sports venues, but not expressly promotional ones" (Tacoma NEWS TRIBUNE, 11/5).
BASEBALL: The PROVIDENCE JOURNAL noted the Red Sox "were the second-largest beneficiary" among MLB teams, behind only the Braves, "accepting $100,000 over two years for tickets." The Red Sox noted that they had "not accepted money to honor service members on the field at Fenway Park." A team spokesperson said, "The Red Sox' longstanding sponsorship agreement with the Mass. National Guard ... is for marketing and advertising of the Guard -- specifically LED advertising and in-park tabling -- not for pregame ceremonies or military honors during the game" (PROVIDENCE JOURNAL, 11/5). In Phoenix, Bill Theobald notes the Arizona Army National Guard paid the D-backs $40,000 in '14 in return for an "on-field oath ceremony, color guard demonstration, scorecard delivery, and 20 game-entry vouchers for two Diamondbacks home games and other marketing services." A Guard soldier was to "deliver the ceremonial first pitch before the Sept. 17, 2014 game" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 11/5). MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said, "There are a number of contracts where on-field activations were included at the request of the military organization, and then in fact the price was discounted on the deal to avoid there being any appearance that those ceremonial acts were paid for." ABC's Jim Avila reported with the season now complete, MLB this winter will "review the practice and tell its teams to be crystal-clear it's not getting paid for on-field patriotism." Manfred: "We will go back to the clubs during this offseason and we will make clear to them they should be extremely careful about drawing the line between business-related activities, recruitment ceremonies, even someone to sing the National Anthem" ("OTL," ESPN, 11/3).
HOCKEY: A Minnesota National Guard spokesperson said that deals with sports teams are "part of comprehensive recruitment efforts and that teams have also showed strong unpaid support for military members apart from their contracts." In St. Paul, Marino Eccher notes the Wild were "attributed the fourth-highest total for any individual team listed." The team has "received $570,000 in Minnesota Army National Guard contracts in recent years." The Wild said that they have "long supported military members and their families." The Wild added their current contracts with the National Guard "may not have clearly distinguished the promotion of recruiting efforts from moments of recognition" (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 11/5).
