 |
According to the ruling issued by NFL
commissioner Roger Goodell, Philadelphia Eagles’ quarterback Michael
Vick will be suspended for the first six games of the NFL season.
However, the NFL has positioned itself to profit from a player who will
not be eligible to play until close to Halloween.
Hours
after the Philadelphia Eagles announced the signing of Vick to a
two-year contract worth $5.7 million, the league’s official website
[NFL.com] placed Vick’s Eagles’ jersey on the front page. The jersey
colors included green, black, and white. Replica jerseys were priced at
$79.00 and authentic jerseys could be purchased for $259.00. Moreover,
fans can even order a dog jersey with Vick’s name and number on it.
According to Brian McCarthy of the NFL Shop, Vick’s jersey will be a top selling jersey by September.
As
a business, the NFL must market its players to remain a viable product.
However, Roger Goodell should be criticized for blatantly taking
advantage of Vick for the league’s own economic gain. If Goodell
sincerely suspended Vick for six games to send a message, he would not
have allowed Vick’s jersey to be sold until he was fully reinstated.
This situation proves that stern messages presented by Goodell can be
trumped by the underlying desire to gain money. So as Vick endures more
punishment from the rulings implemented by Goodell and the NFL, the
league will continue to make money off of his name as he sits at home
and waits to complete the asinine suspension.-amir shaw
