The $2.2 million reason Congress won't end the NFL's tax-exempt status

The $2.2 million reason Congress won't end the NFL's tax-exempt status
(Image credit: Nick Laham/Getty Images)

Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) said Tuesday she would introduce a bill to strip the NFL of its tax-exempt status because the league won't force the Washington Redskins to change their name. Regardless of whether you believe the feds should have a say in a team's nickname, there is a multimillion dollar reason to believe the change won't come.

The NFL has spent almost $2.2 million on lobbying and campaign contributions this election cycle alone, according to Open Secrets. And in the past five years, it has spent $5.89 million lobbying D.C., far more than any other sports league.

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Jon Terbush

Jon Terbush is an associate editor at TheWeek.com covering politics, sports, and other things he finds interesting. He has previously written for Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, and Business Insider.