Senators: Stop using taxpayer funds to pay NFL teams to honor the troops

(Image credit: Illustrated | AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

published 5 June 2015

A bipartisan group of senators is calling on Congress to ban the government's practice of using taxpayer dollars to encourage NFL teams to honor the U.S.'s armed forces. Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) say NFL teams should express such patriotism of their own volition, without a profit motive. Some details from CNN:

In a statement, the senators said the National Guard paid NFL teams nearly $7 million for marketing and advertising contracts over the last three years, including $675,000 to the New England Patriots, which included the team's "True Patriot" promotion, in which the team honored Guard troops during home game half-time shows. Other activities paid for by the Guard included color guard ceremonies, American flag ceremonies, and player appearances at local high schools.Earlier this year, Flake uncovered public documents detailing marketing contracts between 2011 and 2014 totaling some $377,000 between the New Jersey Army National Guard and the New York Jets. The documents specify that the funds covered "Hometown Hero" salutes on the billboards at the stadium, tickets for veterans and their families to attend games, and costs of veterans attending kickoff events with Jets players. [CNN]