Replacement Refs - The NFL Exposed

Does the NFL care about anything other than profitability? Their little experiment with the replacement refs shows that they do not. Fortunately, their experiment came to an end Wednesday as they reached an agreement with the professional refs. Still, going through the preseason and 3 regular season weeks with replacement referees shows that the NFL doesn’t care about anyone but its owners and they do not care because all the fans will continue to watch no matter what.

Integrity is firm adherence to a code of moral values. The NFL did not adhere to any moral values while allowing college D-3 and high school refs to officiate NFL regular season games for 3 weeks. Roger Goodell states “my most important responsibility is maintaining the integrity of professional football,” but it looks as if his most important responsibility maintaining the wealth of the owners. He does this with no regards to the players, coaches, officials, the fans or anyone else. This whole experience has led many to question whether the league is as moral as it says it is.

In the past few years the NFL has been preaching player safety. They have been doing everything from handing out huge fines to suspensions all for the health and safety of the players. They have been taking so many steps forward when it comes to player safety but with the ref lockout they took a huge step backwards. NFL players were in danger of serious injury. The NFL replacement refs did not have the experience to make the calls to prevent player injuries. They were not accustomed to the speed of the game so they could not make the crucial calls needed to protect the players. Now, it appears to some that the only reason the NFL was implementing player safety rules were to quiet the critics who said the sport was too gruesome and to attract more fans. Whether the NFL really cares about player safety is questionable.

Some would ask why wouldn’t the NFL care? The answer is simple, through player strikes and lockouts, through ref lockouts, through all the NFL has been through fans continue to watch. With such an inelastic demand, the NFL can do just about anything they want, including replace their officials with D-3 and high school refs. The NFL knows that they can make major changes to the game without changing the demand of the game. That is why they take unnecessary risks and make huge mistakes because it won’t hurt their profit. No matter what, people will buy jerseys, tickets, watch the games, and spend money on the NFL.

The NFL has been exposed for what it truly is: A “duly adjudicated illegal monopoly”, as declared by a jury in an antitrust lawsuit against them, who only care about their owners and their money. It’s much like the times of John Rockefeller and the monopoly he had on oil. He could raise prices as high as he wanted because his customers had no choice but to buy from him, there was little competition. If we had another choice, perhaps a different Football League to watch in America, we wouldn't put up with their nonsense. If you like the sport of professional American Football you have no choice but to be a prospect of the NFL and that is why they don’t care.