It
is common to associate blue with boys and pink with girls when a child is
born. This association is made in
order to influence gender identity and show a difference between masculinity
and femininity. However, during
October, it is acceptable and almost expected than male and female athletes
both wear pink in order to support breast cancer awareness. The NFL along with NCAA Football have
done a phenomenal job in enabling players to have an exception to the standard
uniform policies and make bold statements with pink jerseys, helmet stickers
wristbands, and cleats that are all auctioned off to raise additional
funds. These teams have also
encouraged brands such as Under Armour (Power in Pink), Adidas (All Fight),
Nike (A Crucial Catch), and New Era to develop their own lines of breast cancer
awareness shirts, polos, and hats.
Even with all of the special Nike Pro Combat, Wounded Warrior Project,
and retro rivalry game jerseys that are produced in the NFL and NCAA, the
October pink jerseys still have a way of really standing out above the rest and
making the pink noticeable at the games and on television.
Recently, a report
was published that indicated that the NFL only donates 5% of breast cancer
awareness sales to the American Cancer society (and considering that
only 70.8% of
money the ACS receives goes towards research and cancer programs,
for every $100 in sales of pink gear, only $3.54 is going towards research while
the NFL is keeping approximately $45 based on a 100% mark-up assumption). While this still will end up raising a
total of over $3 million in total for jersey, t-shirt, and memorabilia auction
sales, this number still feels disappointing. While the NFL has denied some of these claims in saying that
they do not profit from the breast cancer awareness line, they have
acknowledged that there may be some truth to the rumors about the donation
numbers. For a league that raked
in approximately $9.5 billion in 2011, there is not reason that a little bit
more can be donated in order to make a difference. Even though it is great to see some of the toughest athletes
in the world such as Ray Lewis, Patrick Willis, and Clay Matthews who help
define present day masculinity wearing pink, knowing that the profits being
made may not be going to the correct cause is concerning. The NFL does a great job in promoting
breast cancer awareness, but this venture should be about finding a cure and
securing donations for research with profit being the last think on the mind of
the league. (Gaines, 2012, P.1)
This is news that I never even knew about. I find these numbers completely ridiculous. I agree with you Aaron that it is a great cause for Breast Cancer, and I also agree that the NFL could be donating more of the money they make during October. If you look at Larry Fitzgerald who came out and said that he will donate 25 cents for every friend on Facebook and follower on Twitter that he has total at the end of October. He has also come out and said that he will donate $10,000 for every touchdown, and $1,000 for every reception during October. If a single player can come out and do this for a good cause, I don't see why the NFL can't donate a little bit more. I feel as if they are doing this Pink gear during the month to gain viewers. Females would be more inclined to watch the game because of the cause, however why not make the image of the NFL better by putting all the money to the research of Breast Cancer?
ReplyDeletePatrick McFall
I never knew how much the NFL actually donated, but I always thought it was such a good idea. It's nice to watch a game, and see these athletes supporting such a great cause, and also seeing the apparel be sold to the public as well. But, after seeing that only 5% of the profits are actually donated to the cancer society, like you said, is very disappointing. I agree that the NFL's main focus should be helping the cancer society out during this time, and not looking to simply make a profit. If they wanted to make profit their main goal, then they should find something else that could make them a profit, whereas in this case they're making it seem like they are wanting to really help the cancer society, but only donating 5% makes me think otherwise. It's such a good idea, but sadly with the NFL's main goal in another place. Hopefully, the NFL will switch their focus, and put more of the profit made toward the cancer research.
ReplyDelete-Paxin Stern
Aaron,
ReplyDeleteThe information you have shown in this post is shocking to me. I am pursuing a career, hopefully, in the NFL and even with the knowledge I have of the league and its normal revenue plans I am surprised at the amount of money that goes to breast cancer research. I truly believe that if the NFL expects its athletes to take part in the charity and fanfare of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the it should also put a larger emphasis on itself to produce a larger amount of donations each year. It is unbelievable to think that a multi-billion dollar league doesn't donate more of the revenues it makes from this charitable event to the charities that are associated with the event. Great information, although still disappointing to me!
Joey Durant
It is very upsetting to see that the NFL only donates 5% of the profits to the American Cancer Society. Since the NFL says they do not profit from it a study should be done to uncover what is done with the other 95% of the profits. Money aside, the most important thing is to raise awareness for such a great cause. And it is awesome that so many athletes and teams support Breast Cancer Awareness. Teams are now coming up with new and creative ways to wear pink and support the cause. In the end supporting and promoting the cause is the most important thing.
ReplyDeleteThis is very shocking to hear that the NFL only donates 5% of the cancer awareness sales to the American Cancer society. You would think that with all the supporting that NFL players do to promote breast cancer awareness, that the NFL would their biggest contributor. Where does that $3 million dollars go to from all the fundraising that the NFL received? You would think the NFL would just donate all the money or at least over 5%, to breast cancer awareness. What the NFL does to help breast cancer awareness is amazing, but to find out this is disappointing to me. Their main focus shouldn’t be to just to make a profit off of it, but to actually save lives. To me they are just doing false advertisement, but hopefully more people find out about this and hopefully the NFL will switch their main focus and helping out the women who are affected by this.
ReplyDeleteAlicia Jefferson
Just like everyone who has commented, I am shocked at what a small percentage is donated from the NFL. The NFL is doing such a good thing by draping the NFL fields and players in pink, that I think more people would be dissapointed to find out what a small percentage is being donated. I understand that it costs money to have jerseys, t-shirts, gloves, socks, etc., to be made, but it should still be all about the cause.
ReplyDeleteMatt Pitzulo
I did not know the figures were this lobsided. I guess I assumed that the NFL would keep some of the profits made during awareness months but I never thought they would be this selfish. The NFL is such a widely televised organization that they are able to bring a huge amount of exposure to such a critical cause. I would like to see the NFL implement a heavier donation program to Breast Cancer foundations. I wonder if they could switch off weekends during the month as far as donations go. One weekend they could keep more of a profit for their organization and then the next donate the majority of the money towards research. This way they are able to maintain their revenue and they are giving back to the community.
ReplyDeleteMike Frank
I think that the fact that different sports teams taking on the opportunity to raise money for a cause is amazing. It is upsetting how little money actually is given to the foundation from the NFL though. It is amazing just how much awareness it brings to the community. Not only does professional teams participate in this, but college and high school levels participate as well. At the last BG football game all the players had pink towels, wristbands, and tape. I recently went to a high school football game, and the players all had pink shoe laces. It doesn't only occur in football either. I have seen it in gymnastics. Typically every school has either a breast cancer meet or a meet that is for all types of cancer. The gymnasts at that meet wear special breast cancer leotards that are usually all pink or black with the pink ribbon in the design. They raise money at the meet and it goes directly towards the foundation. There is also a club gymnastics meet that happens every year where all of the proceeds that are made at the meet go to the foundation. Over all I feel as though these different things make a huge impact not only by the money raised, but by bringing awareness to the community. It is disappointing that the NFL only donates 5% to the American Cancer Society though, but it does bring so much awareness.
ReplyDelete-Sunny Marchand
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis statistic is surprising considering how much money the NFL franchise brings in. As far as promoting breast cancer throughout the month of October by having athletes wear pink everything from cleates to mouthguards, as fans we see every equipment possible "pinked out." As sad as it is that only 5% of profits is donated, I want to look on the bright side of this. The constant exposure of breast cancer leads to fans donating on their own and I'm sure the numbers are there to support that there has been a increase of profits especially in the month of October since the NFL promotes so the cause so well. The NFL we see as fans does an excellent job of cause marketing. By supporting breast cancer, it draws in a female audience especially those who are survivors of the illness or those effected first hand. It's a win-win situation for both the American Cancer Society and the NFL. Supporting breast cancer has spread like wild fire throughout college football and other sports at all different levels of play. I believe the NFL has influenced this because of the "role model" the NFL as a successful franchise plays into our society. So yes, it is unfortunate the amount that is not donated to actual cause but look how much good is done just from the NFL promoting the product/cause which I believe is more important than money.
ReplyDelete-Chelsea VanAssche