There’s a fairly big event in D.C. on Saturday. And the NFL is involved.
John Ourand of Puck reports that the NFL is sponsoring a “Kids Zone” on the National Mall before the military parade that coincides with someone’s birthday but that totally isn’t being held that day because of it.
Ourand explains that the league’s involvement in the event “caught several D.C. types by surprise.” Even though the league has a history of supporting the military (especially when paid to do so), it’s an extremely political event at an extremely political time in the country.
The NFL is the only brand, per Ourand, featured on the map for the festival being held in honor of the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary.
The gesture comes at a time when the NFL is trying to strike a delicate balance with the current administration. For example, the NFL remains committed to DEI efforts, but it scrapped its May accelerator program aimed at promoting workplace diversity. Last month, the Commissioner and Commanders owner Josh Harris appeared in the Oval Office for a press conference announcing that the 2027 NFL draft will be held on the National Mall — and Goodell smiled and nodded through a variety of unrelated comments from the person who works there, including an AI image of the pope and the supposed reopening of Alcatraz.
And while the league has avoided any mean tweets or targeted executive orders (so far), the “big, beautiful bill” has a big, bad wolf of a tax provision regarding a tax break associated with the purchase of an NFL franchise. But the league is also trying to build a new Commanders stadium in D.C., and support from the administration has been critical.
Bottom line? With the country more polarized than ever, the NFL is trying to thread an ever-shrinking needle. The overriding goal is to avoid a revolt from customers who oppose the current administration’s policies and practices and to escape the wrath of Saturday’s birthday boy by at all times thinking happy thoughts.
English (US) ·