NFL's Social Justice Initiative Highlights Community Work
The NFL's new social justice initiative, "Inspire Change," is designed to "showcase the community work being done by players, owners and the league," according to Mark Maske of the WASHINGTON POST. NFL Senior VP/Social Responsibility Anna Isaacson said the intention of the new initiative is for it to be "on the scale of the NFL's other initiatives and programs." When the NFL and the Players Coalition "struck their deal last season, it was estimated that the league and teams would contribute" about $89-90M between the onset of the arrangement and '23 to "community-activism programs deemed important by the players, focused in particular on African American communities." The NFL's "financial commitment last year" was $8.5M (not counting an additional $2M for NFL Foundation grants for teams and current and former players). That is "projected to increase" to $12M this year, and "does not count the money contributed by players and matched by teams." League officials "believe its financial commitment over the duration of the deal could exceed" the original $89M estimate. NFL Exec VP/Football Operations Troy Vincent: "The national dialogue was really confrontational a year ago. It was that way between players and owners. Now you've seen it come full circle. The work is being done, and it's providing a great example." Maske noted the NFL's social justice efforts are "overseen by a joint committee of owners and players." The NFL said that the committee "just approved grants" to Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and Operation HOPE. Previous grants "were awarded to Dream Corps and the United Negro College Fund" (WASHINGTON POST, 1/12).
LEAGUE-WIDE CONTRIBUTIONS: THE ATHLETIC's Lindsay Jones noted the NFL Foundation has "received more than 360 applications from current and former players as well as teams for matching grants for various social justice related causes" and has awarded more than $2M -- money "separate from the contribution owners agreed to last year." Individual teams have also "committed to match up to $250,000 raised by their players on an annual basis." The Bears, featured in a PSA this weekend that will air throughout the playoffs, were the "first to announce their matching plan last fall and their player and team contributions have exceeded $800,000." By the end of the fiscal year in March, the league will have "accounting for the matching funds from all 32 teams." Isaacson said that every club will have "participated in some way, with many reaching or exceeding the $500,000 mark." Patriots S Devin McCourty, who is a member of the Players Coalition, said, "All 32 teams, all the players in the locker room have that ability to do that. It's been good within the Players Coalition to talk with guys on their different teams about what they've been doing too. We've definitely looked at that. I think that's a good thing about the NFL -- when one team does something, across the board everyone wants to be in that top tier" (THEATHLETIC.com, 1/11).
JUST THE BEGINNING: THE UNDEFEATED's Jason Reid noted within the new initiative, the NFL will "promote its work in education and economic development, community and police relations, and criminal justice reform." Vincent said of the league, "We're not a social justice group, and we will never be that. We're just playing a part in the general conversation. Are we doing our part? We've made progress. But we're not there yet" (ESPN.com, 1/11).
