As an avid watcher of the NFL, I have recently realized that not only are they one of the most successful companies in the world, but they have done an amazing job creating value around their league and what their league advertises. Football is a mainstay in the United States, and even with the disturbing acts of abuse and violence by players, I never see that changing. The NFL has built up a company that generates billions of dollars through viewership and advertisements as well. Companies pay top dollar to get airtime during an NFL broadcast, and will even pay millions of dollars to secure a 30-second time slot for the Super Bowl. Seemingly everyone in this country has some interaction with either the league itself or one of its many corporate sponsors. Comcast, Visa, Verizon, Gatorade, Microsoft, and Coca-Cola are just some of the companies that sponsor the league; showing the amount of reach and power the NFL truly has over the marketing world. On Sundays, millions of North Americans' eyes are glued to the screen watching football, a market that every company is eager to capture. The commercials that air during football games seem to have a similar formula, you like watching football and we have some way to enhance your viewership. Visa promotes the opportunities the company offers for a person to watch their favorite teams play all over the country. Gatorade sponsors specific superstars in the league, suggesting that kids can grow up to be like their favorite players as long as they drink their sugar-laden product. Microsoft boasts that they are improving the NFL because they are introducing more and more technology to the league.
Even stadiums themselves are owned by companies: the New England Patriots play in Gillette Stadium, the San Francisco 49ers play in Levi's Stadium, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers play in Raymond James Stadium. These are just three examples because it would tedious and repetitive to list off all 32 stadiums of the NFL. The experience of going to these stadiums is similar to sitting at home watching the game, you are constantly being forced to look at advertisements in the stadium, and all the advertisements are centered around football. The NFL is essentially a monopoly that will never topple because too many people like watching football, and too many important companies have invested too much money in sponsorships. Basically, the NFL is too big to fail because it has tremendous value to stakeholders, even if there are instances where the players are seen doing horrendous acts. Roger Goodell, commissioner of the NFL, has the best job security in the nation right now because he heads a billion dollar industry.
Goodell probably thinking about all of his money
No comments:
Post a Comment