Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Will NFL's Referee Antics Chase Away Advertisers? Doubtful

http://www.forbes.com/sites/dalebuss/2012/09/25/will-nfls-referee-antics-chase-away-advertisers-doubtful/


The powers that be in the National Football League — team owners and Commissioner Roger Goodell — certainly aren’t sweating it in public.
But to the extent that the rising national outcry over rotten officiating by substitute referees may be making some of them itch under their collars at this point, there’s only one reason for their growing discomfort.
And it has nothing to do with upset fans, blanket condemnation by sports literati, or even the fact that ESPN actually is taking some shots at the sport that it has done so much to promote over the years.
If NFL leadership bargains with the union of permanent referees a little more urgently this week, it will only be because they fear that advertisers might start withdrawing some support of the sterling brand that professional football has established in the marketing community. There simply is no better advertising vehicle available in America these days.
And that’s why advertisers aren’t going anywhere.

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