Yesterday we were reminded about an undeniable tenet in sports: The NFL is an 800-pound gorilla that gets what it wants.
Judge Carl Ginsberg’s summary judgement in the NFL’s favor essentially will shut down the lawsuit brought forth by Tony Romo’s fantasy-football themed convention. The event was scheduled to be held last summer at Las Vegas’ Sands Convention Center but was short-circuited when the NFL deemed it against the league’s anti-gambling guidelines.
Hog. Wash.
Truth: Romo’s event was getting big, and the NFL wanted a piece of the financial pie. Or else.
Fantasy Football? Sure. Sponsorships from online outfits like FanDuel? You betcha. But if – and only if – the NFL gets its immoral cut. In the case of Romo’s convention, the NFL decided at the last minute that it was such a great, money-making idea that it should hold a similar event. In order to do so, however, it had to mute Romo’s original event.
The Fan Expo, for crying out loud, had contracts with several NFL players and even NFL Media employees.
The NFL is a billionaire-backed bully, and at times its power is disgusting. When it comes to football, the league wants two things: Control and money.
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Obviously players shouldn’t be hosting events at casinos. But Romo’s event was a Las Vegas convention center, which doesn't even have on-site gambling.
We love football. We love the NFL. But more and more these days, the less we love the bullies that run the league like a dictatorship.
A native Texan who was born in Duncanville and graduated from UT-Arlington, Richie Whitt has been a mainstay in the Metroplex media since 1986. He’s held prominent roles on all media platforms including newspaper (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Observer), radio (105.3 The Fan) and TV (co-host on TXA 21 and numerous guest appearances, including NBC 5). He lives in McKinney with his wife, Sybil, and two very spoiled dogs.
