Congress Looking to Ban "Pay for Patriotism" Military Salutes at NFL Stadiums

In May, it was revealed that NFL teams were paid almost $6 million by the Department of Defense for salutes to military and other advertising dressed up as things honoring the military. Now, Congress is ready to ban these “Pay for Patriotism” military salutes.

Republican Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona is spearheading the move, saying “[t]hanking our troops ought to be something more than a marketing gimmick, so I’m glad that Congress has agreed to put an end to these taxpayer-funded salutes.”

U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo of New Jersey is also quoted in the nj.com piece as saying “[i]t is my absolute belief that those sports teams and organizations who accepted taxpayer dollars for ‘paid-for patriotism’ now donate an equal sum to charitable groups that truly support our men and women in uniform.”

Now let’s talk about what this does and does not mean. Military organizations can still advertise with NFL and other sports teams, sponsor them, etc. What this would impact is paying teams for advertising but dressing it up as a military salute.

Conversely, teams can still independently choose to bring in military members for the photo opportunities that we have seen become prevalent. Congress just doesn’t want them to be publicly funded while giving the impression that the team is doing something out of the goodness of their heart. I agree with Flake that “thanking our troops ought to be something more than a marketing gimmick,” but nothing would prevent a team from realizing that a couple of thousand in tickets and travel costs is worth the advertising of supporting the military, in an era where teams make millions and actual advertising costs in the five to six digit range.