The 2014 Super Bowl is over, and some of the names that were repeatedly bounced our way may never be heard again.\u00a0A year from now, will you know who Malcolm Smith is, or Marshawn Lynch, or Wes Welker, or Demaryius Thomas or Kam Chancellor? Unless you\u2019re a serious NFL football fan, you probably won\u2019t know. Some of these players are rather extroverted and quite verbal; others prefer to be silent. Each will likely fade from our memories as we become more removed from the game.<\/p>\n
The availability of players to the media can allow some players to talk sense, others to indulge in clich\u00e9s, some to bloviate, and still others to want to run and hide. All NFL players must abide by the standard player contract of the NFL<\/a>. That includes:<\/p>\n 1) Paragraph 4. Publicity and NFLPA Group Licensing Program<\/strong><\/p>\n Player will cooperate with the news media, and will participate upon request in reasonable activities to promote the Club and the League.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n That rule was enforced just prior to the Super Bowl against one of the names above, Marshawn Lynch<\/a>. He is a powerful and speedy running back for the Seattle Seahawks.<\/p>\n As reported<\/a> on the NFL\u2019s own website:<\/p>\n Marshawn Lynch spent the regular season ducking reporters. The league fined the Seattle Seahawks running back $50,000 for his personal closed-door policy.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n As the days counted down to game day, Lynch was a beneficiary of an on-line rally of fans to pay the sum. Lynch then decided to give the fans\u2019 money to charity. Next, the NFL decided to double the fine if Lynch did not speak with the press prior to the Super Bowl. Lynch then gave two short interviews, each about six or seven minutes, far short of the required one hour. Now we have the uncertainty of what will happen next. Regardless of the outcome, what is clear is that the League has the power to fine players for failure to meet with media.<\/p>\n In glaring contrast, there is no rule stating that team owners need to meet with the press. This means that they need not communicate with team fans. This is not an incidental issue, because in all thirty-two markets of the NFL, the fans have made considerable financial contributions to the owners\u2019 success. Almost every stadium is built with tax-payer money from the community. The teams are frequently free from paying full freight on local property, sales, or earnings taxes. Unlike many businesses, particularly small businesses, the NFL teams are beneficently showered with taxpayer dollars rather than taxpayer obligations of successful businesses.<\/p>\n