Corporate Greed Run Amok? The Super Bowl in London?

Over the past fiscally shocking months I thought we had seen it all in regards to American corporate greed. We’ve had instances of massive fraud, incomprehensive incompetence, exorbitant bonuses awarded to executives of failing companies, and too many other manifestations of greed on behalf of corporate America to detail here. Now we are witness to another egregious example, a thoughtless and irresponsible act of greed by none other than the National Football League!

Yes, you read that last sentence correctly. The NFL has been talking to officials in London about hosting the Super Bowl sometime in the near future. As FoxNews.com reported today, April 24th, a senior NFL big-wig has confirmed that ‘substantial talks’ have been held with London officials to ship the biggest American sporting event overseas.

I don’t think the NFL people wanted this information to leak out - especially not on NFL Draft Weekend. The BBC Sport news organization scooped the story and put out the word which was then picked up here in the United States by Fox. This morning it is a hot topic on talk radio.

Preposterous! What is the NFL thinking especially now in our time of financial disaster and a crisis of confidence? How could they even consider as a remote possibility outsourcing the biggest sporting event of the year every year, an event which has become a quasi American holiday, a sports gala which is the biggest in the world emanating from right here in the United States showcasing our country as well as the host city?

And yet, the top NFL buffoons are serious about this. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has always had the idea of expanding the NFL overseas. We have had several preseason and now regular season games abroad. Last fall the San Diego Chargers flew to London to play the New Orleans Saints, a journey of many thousands of extra miles just to satisfy the whacky dreams of the Commissioner. It was a tiring week for the players and a logistic challenge for team staff. For what I ask? Money is the answer - a manifestation of excessive greed.

There has been an interest in doing this for some time according to insiders in the NFL organization; only now has it been confirmed as a distinct possibility. A spokesman for London’s official visitors’ organization says “Ever since the NFL began playing games in London we have been in discussions with the NFL about what is involved in staging the Super Bowl from the host city prospective. It continues to be something we discuss on a regular basis, without there being any specific timetable or plan in place.”

The next three Super Bowls have been awarded to cities in Florida, Texas, and Indiana ensuring the NFL won’t abandon America any time soon – at least not for three years. Don’t count on anything after that. If the NFL and Roger Goodell can shake down London for enough money, you can rest assured it will be very enticing to go there.

That’s how awarding a host city the Super Bowl goes these days, sort of a high bid situation. Money talks. The NFL holds some cities for ransom while rewarding those who have built new stadiums and punishing those who refuse.

On January 26, 2003, San Diego was the chosen site for Super Bowl XXVII and put on an excellent show in beautiful weather, had rave reviews from attendees and football officials, and was deemed one of the better cities to have ever hosted a game. But, the Commissioner was unsatisfied with the venue, Qualcomm Stadium. He said then in no uncertain terms, while in the host city as a guest, that San Diego would not see another Super Bowl unless and until it built a new stadium.

New stadiums do not come cheap these days. The team and city would have to come up with at least $500 million dollars - and probably lots more - to satisfy the greed of the Commissioner and NFL. It was a shakedown, plain and simple. To date San Diego has not backed down on their stance that cities should not pay for new stadiums for football teams which are awash in cash, Super Bowl be damned!

Super Bowls bring thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions in tourist dollars for the week of festivities. In San Diego’s case, it was a family affair where the city offered varied entertainment opportunities such as Sea World, Wild Animal Park, and the San Diego Zoo suitable for families as well as beautiful beaches in January for visitors to enjoy. It was an exciting time for locals as well as tourists. And profitable for the city.

Yet NFL officials have let the cat out of the bag: “The NFL is a global property, has a global audience, and London is an incredible city from a sports fan’s perspective. I don’t think it’s an unrealistic prospect at all.” says Mark Waller, marketing and sales guru for the NFL.

You have been forewarned; get on the hook - bombard the NFL with calls, emails, and whatever else you can do to let these greed-driven nincompoops know that we won’t allow this insulting idea of moving our Super Bowl to a foreign country. If they still persist in so doing, cancel all NFL season tickets to let them know WE pay the bills for their overpaid staff including the Commissioner.

Maybe they will get the message that we are mad as hell that they would even consider this stupidity and intend to be proactive in voicing our displeasure at any attempt to outsource OUR Super Bowl