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The NFL is America’s sport. There is no denying that.
Since the release of the footage of Ray Rice striking his wife Janay Rice captured America's attention, the NFL has taken much heat from the media and pretty much every person who has a pulse.
It doesn't help that in the time since the video's release, four other players have been involved in domestic violence issues or are in the middle of domestic violence cases. Carolina Panthers Greg Hardy was charged for domestic violence back in July, before asking for a new trial, and San Francisco 49er Ray McDonald was arrested at the end of August for the same thing but was never charged. Then Minnesota Vikings star running back Adrian Peterson entered the fold as he was indicted for child abuse on his 4-year-old son. And now Arizona Cardinals running back Jonathan Dwyer was arrested and charged with aggravated assault on his wife.
It has created an image that reflects poorly on the NFL, as the league prides itself on its social standing and ability to change lives. With this latest turn of events, people are outraged (and rightly so) by the fact that the NFL is only taking domestic violence seriously because of the release of the Ray Rice video. Had it never been released, would we even be talking about this? Probably not.
But is is fair that we single out the NFL for behaving badly? Is it fair to be disappointed in the NFL for not representing the values of our society - or, perhaps more accurately, for taking skills celebrated on the field (chiefly, doing violence to one another) and bringing them off the field? After all, while the NFL is in particularly bad standing right now, every sports league has issues.
This got us thinking about whether there’s a chance for any sport or professional sports league to be a true force for good. Lately, we have written profiles of several soccer-based organizations seeking to lead on important social issues. From Grassroot Soccer, looking to eliminate the stigma of HIV/AIDS in Africa (and in the process the disease itself), to Charity Ball, aiming to provide young people in developing countries with soccer as an outlet to stay out of trouble. This brings us to our question, can soccer become the leader for social change in America? Below, we take a look at both sides of the issue.
Yes: The Case For Soccer As An Agent Of Positive Change
Soccer is a low income sport. It is also the world's sport. There are plenty of organizations that use soccer as an agent for social change. There is Street Soccer USA, the U.S Soccer Foundation, Street Football World, Charity Ball, Grassroots Soccer and many more. All of these organizations have one thing in common, which is creating social change through the "beautful game." Whether it’s getting kids back in school, preventing HIV/AIDS, creating leaders and role models, or improving the lives of low income and homeless youth, these organizations are all using the sport for good causes.
Charity Ball is a organization that provides soccer balls to underprivileged communities around the world. (Photo:@teamcharityball | Twitter)
Some of these are worldwide, while others are just in the United States. Across the board, the sport of soccer has been a catalyst for social change because it is so easy to organize. You only need a ball and some space to play. The American population has a closer relationship to the game than any other sport. For instance, a recent Nielsen survey on sports participation revealed that there are over 35 million individuals who actively play soccer in the US out of a base of 60 million enthusiasts and fans. In other words, 50%+ of people who consider themselves soccer fans play the sport. This relationship is unlike any other sport. Yes, the NFL has a much larger fan base, but soccer fans are much more immersed in the lifestyle and community. Therefore, you could argue soccer has the capacity to reach deeper into communities and effect change.
Grassroots soccer is an organiztion that uses soccer to bring awareness to HIV and AIDS. (Photo:@Grassrootsoccer | Twitter)
Finally, on the surface at least, the MLS doesn’t have the same issues that the NFL has. Specifically, when it comes to players putting themselves in criminal situations, the MLS is lower than any other league. Author Justin Peters estimated that at one point "21 of 32 NFL teams...had employed a player with a domestic violence or sexual assault charge on his record," and that "2 percent of rostered NFL players in 2012 have been charged with an intimate violence crime." Money, the socio-economic backgrounds of players, and/or the pure violence of football culture could all be factors into why those numbers are what they are, but they paint a grim picture about the league.
No: Why Soccer Faces Many Of The Same Issues
On the other end of the spectrum, you could argue that soccer has more issues than the NFL. After all, when you look at the criticisms that FIFA takes, the NFL looks like a trophy model for social correctness. Racism is all over the sport and no matter what measures are taken, players, fans, and managers from all over the world engage in racist behavior on a seemingly constant basis. Mario Balotelli, Dani Alves and plenty of other players have suffered racial discrimination during games from opposing and even home fans. FIFA tries to address the issue, but there hasn’t been much of an improvement - especially in Europe.
What about gender discrimination and sexism? The women’s World Cup is going to be played on artificial turf despite the well known negative effects the surface has on players bodies and the disapproval of the players. It is the first time a senior World Cup, men’s or women’s, has ever used artificial turf surfaces, and the players’ main argument is pretty simple: FIFA would never use artificial turf for the men’s World Cup. Sexism has deep roots with FIFA. Up until 2013, there was no female representation on FIFA’s executive committee. Today there is still only one female member.
The working conditions in Qatar is one of the most controversial stories in the soccer community. (Photo:@postsports | Twitter)
Then there is the MLS, who accepted a reported $80 million from City Football Group, owners of Manchester city for the right to add an MLS team in New York. But human rights and gay rights issues are swirling around those in control of the City Football Group.
And what about players and coaches match fixing? Just recently a match bettor said he fixed over 80 games, which included big matches at World Cups and other tournaments. Match betting became such a concern that it was a large point of emphasis in the World Cup last summer. There was even an instance of match fixing in the tune up matches before the World Cup.
Lastly, look no further than the debacle that is the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. A situation that is flooded with controversy that includes bribing and the deaths of thousands of workers (slaves) building new stadiums in cities that don’t even exist. What about all of those social issues?
The arguments for both sides are legitimate. Athletes are under a microscope more than ever in today’s media environment. The amount of exposure they receive is unchaining. The NFL has the ability to provide social change in a big way, yet their efforts are being overshadowed by poor decision making. One thing is certain, sports do have the ability to change lives, and soccer has countless of organizations worldwide that try to do just that. With the increase in soccer's popularity in America and the MLS’s relative lack of controversy, perhaps soccer can be the league that provides a compass for other sports.
