February 1, 2015

Today is Super Bowl XLIX (that is 49 for us who are not familiar with Roman numerals). Some of us are old enough to remember the first Super Bowl (I remember it because I grew up in Kansas and the Kansas City Chiefs played in the first Super Bowl (I won’t talk about who they played or who won).   That was also back when the NFL and the AFL were leagues competing with each other, rather than conferences under one league as they are today. Things have changed a lot in the last 49 years.

You might remember that a few years ago, the NFL stopped churches and other groups from showing the televised Super Bowl to groups on its premises. It was a copyrighted telecast and the NFL wanted control and revenue (money) from its use. In more recent years, the NFL has become even more strict in licensing the use of the name “Super Bowl.” In fact, few businesses are permitted to use the name and those who use it illegally often face charges and fines.

Roger N. Behle Jr., an intellectual property lawyer, said the NFL’s monitoring is about maximizing revenue. “They do have a right to police it. They spent a lot of money to build the brand up, make it profitable and not have any Tom, Dick and Harry use the marks.” Behle has worked on licensing deals with the NFL and other major sports leagues.

According to another advertizing lawyer in New York, Jeff Greenbaum, the NFL’s strict enforcement of their trademarked name “is to create enough concern among marketers that they’re afraid to even get close to the line.”

It seems to me that the NFL has decided to use it huge resources (both popularity and money) to defend its right to make as much money as legally possible and to prevent others from piggybacking on their success. While I do not condemn them for trying to make money, I do call into question their efforts to prevent others from sharing in their success.

Does it diminish the NFL’s success if others share in it? It think not. In fact, I would suggest that if the NFL would be glad to share their success, it would benefit all involved. That is the principle of generosity. If I share my success, it becomes even more successful. If I hoard my success, one day it may be gone.

The Super Bowl is BIG business. And while I do not begrudge its success, I would call into question its apparent selfishness. As we watch and cheer the game, let us not be blind to the realities of life. Proverbs 18:1 says, “An unfriendly man pursues selfish ends; he defies all sound judgment.” Be careful NFL, for a business dependent on its fan base, you may one day wish you were more generous.

Your pastor,

Dude Garrett