Many NFL athletes reacted this past Sunday to President Donald Trump’s recent criticisms of players who kneel for the national anthem by kneeling themselves — or remaining in their locker rooms until “The Star-Spangled Banner” was over. Many within the organization also publicly came out against the president, including NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

Trump, meanwhile, has reaffirmed his position on Twitter, which could lead to further backlash from the league. In that battle, however, it is the government who has an edge — financially, at least.

Close

[lz_ndn video=33038004]

Prior to 2009, players were not required to be on the field for the playing of the national anthem. During former President Barack Obama’s presidency, however, that changed — and a “Paid Patriotism” program was installed across the NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA and MLS. From 2012 to 2015, the government paid $53 million to pro sports organizations on marketing and advertising.

The government paid $53 million to pro sports organizations for marketing and advertising.

Another report, from NJ.com, revealed that from 2011 to 2014, 14 individual NFL teams received a combined $5.4 million dollars — primarily from their state’s National Guard units — to honor troops and have color guard units on the field before their games in an effort to recruit people to the military. Arizona Republican Sens. John McCain — a U.S. Navy vet, of course — and Jeff Flake called on these programs to end in 2015, equating it to false patriotism.

If the government is unhappy with the way the NFL is currently conducting itself, it could pull this funding and more, which would result in a loss of millions of dollars per year for the league.

The government could also make moves to use recent events as a reason to finally end one of the biggest scams in pro sports: taxpayer-funded stadiums.

Related: Celebrity Hypocrisy in the Age of Anthem Protests

In January, it was announced the state of Nevada would be using $750 million in taxpayer funds to help the Oakland Raiders build a stadium in Las Vegas as a part of the team’s relocation. This bill and others to the country’s workers means the United States has spent nearly $7 billion in taxpayer money over the past two decades to not only build 19 new NFL stadiums, but also to renovate three more.

The theory presented by billionaire NFL owners to get local cities and states to pay massive amounts of money upfront for their projects is an extreme form of trickle-down economics and crony capitalism that supposedly promises long-term economic growth for an area.

Who do you think would win the Presidency?

By completing the poll, you agree to receive emails from LifeZette, occasional offers from our partners and that you've read and agree to our privacy policy and legal statement.

Unfortunately, this does not appear to be true. Most “jobs” created by stadiums, in fact, are part-time and low-wage positions like cashiers, custodians, ushers, parking attendants, ticket takers and security guards. With only 10 home games per year for most NFL teams (two preseason, plus eight regular season), there is not much work to be had for these people — even factoring in the occasional concert.

“NFL stadiums do not generate significant local economic growth.”

“NFL stadiums do not generate significant local economic growth, and the incremental tax revenue is not sufficient to cover any significant financial contribution by the city,” said Roger Noll, a senior fellow at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research, in a 2015 report.

Regardless of the impacts, many would argue zero taxpayer money should be going to a sports league, especially at a time when so many Americans are suffering financially.

Related: These Celebrities Are Speaking Out Against National Anthem Protests

Additionally, if teams are not happy with the market around them, they can leave and not deal with the consequences. When the St. Louis Rams abandoned their city and relocated to Los Angeles in 2016, they left behind a crippling $144 million in taxpayer debt on The Dome at America’s Center. Though it opened in 1995, the stadium now has no long-term tenants — and provides virtually no economic upside for the area.

All of this funding for the NFL could be justifiably stripped from the organization with reasonable laws and regulations. While it may be the most popular professional sports league in the country, the NFL does not run the country — nor has it portrayed a very positive message to many Americans lately.