[max]

Getting back on topic.

Tolerance, inclusion, equality, non-discrimination... these are all things that I believe the vast majority of fans fully support.

Then, there's woke tokenism and overkill, such as this:

Don't get me wrong. If the NFL thinks this type of marketing will enhance and enlarge its fan base, more power to them. For me, though, this is just pandering and virtue signaling. But, hey... that seems to be "in" these days, is it not?

If anyone thinks Goodell and all the owners who run the NFL are now moral leaders of america, I've got a bridge in Brooklyn I'll sell you.

[St. Loser Fan]

Getting back on topic.

Tolerance, inclusion, equality, non-discrimination... these are all things that I believe the vast majority of fans fully support.

Then, there's woke tokenism and overkill, such as this:

Don't get me wrong. If the NFL thinks this type of marketing will enhance and enlarge its fan base, more power to them. For me, though, this is just pandering and virtue signaling. But, hey... that seems to be "in" these days, is it not?

Yes it is pandering. No more than when the NFL panders to the military, cancer survivors or whatever else they think will sell the product.

[AvengerRam]

Yes it is pandering. No more than when the NFL panders to the military, cancer survivors or whatever else they think will sell the product.

And that is precisely the issue... is this just target marketing like the campaigns you are describing, or is this mere virtue signalling with no expectation of an impact on the bottom line?

Understand... I don't really care. The NFL can do what it wants. I'd say, though, that if I were a member of the LGBTQ community, an Ad like the one I posted would have exactly ZERO impact on the amount of football I watch and the products I purchase.

[St. Loser Fan]

And that is precisely the issue... is this just target marketing like the campaigns you are describing, or is this mere virtue signalling with no expectation of an impact on the bottom line?

Understand... I don't really care. The NFL can do what it wants. I'd say, though, that if I were a member of the LGBTQ community, an Ad like the one I posted would have exactly ZERO impact on the amount of football I watch and the products I purchase.

But that’s the issue. You might be projecting your feelings as a straight white male.

Maybe the ad does speak to some segment of the LGBTQ community. Maybe the ads will irritate some because they see it as pandering. Who knows?

In the end, that ad wasn’t meant for you or me.

[AvengerRam]

But that’s the issue. You might be projecting your feelings as a straight white male.

I don't identify as "white." I'm Jewish, and I can assure you that those who consider their white skin to be a primary identifier do not regard me as one of them.

If the NFL, in the wake of recent acts of anti-Semitism, put a YouTube video up saying "Football is Jewish," I'd find it trite and pointless.

In the end, that ad wasn’t meant for you or me.

So? That means I can't have an opinion?

[max]

I don't identify as "white." I'm Jewish, and I can assure you that those who consider their white skin to be a primary identifier do not regard me as one of them.

If the NFL, in the wake of recent acts of anti-Semitism, put a YouTube video up saying "Football is Jewish," I'd find it trite and pointless.

So? That means I can't have an opinion?

I get what you're saying. It was eye opening to me when my daughter, who is white like me, married a jewish guy, who looks white like me. She told me how things changed for her when her named changed. She felt it when she would go into stores and say her name.

[Elvis]

And that is precisely the issue... is this just target marketing like the campaigns you are describing, or is this mere virtue signalling with no expectation of an impact on the bottom line?

Understand... I don't really care. The NFL can do what it wants. I'd say, though, that if I were a member of the LGBTQ community, an Ad like the one I posted would have exactly ZERO impact on the amount of football I watch and the products I purchase.

I have no idea what virtue signaling is except that it's meant as a pejorative.

But i think there is a point here.

The NFL knows there are fans who will be turned off by this stuff. (For some reason our demographic here at RFU includes a lot of them.)

Whether it's leaning into gay pride, social justice, whatever it is that certainly alienates some fans, the NFL has decided it's worth it. Maybe they think those fans aren't going anywhere or that they're expendable but this is a business decision.

Hard to imagine owners like Jerry Jones or Stan Kroenke thinking about ways to change society with their franchises. The owners, as a group, think it's good business.

And i tend to agree but i'm not a fan who is put off by these things. If anything it adds to my experience as a fan. And i'm guessing i'm not alone...

[AvengerRam]

I have no idea what virtue signaling is except that it's meant as a pejorative.

To me, virtue signaling is the public display or expression of righteous social viewpoints with little or no actual substance behind the display.

The NFL knows there are fans who will be turned off by this stuff. For some reason our demographic here at RFU includes a lot of them.

Really? I have not noticed people being turned off by this stuff. There are many, myself included, who think its mere pandering, but that doesn't equate to being "turned off by this stuff." Its not like anyone is going to watch less football because of these campaigns (at least, nobody I'm aware of has indicated they would react that way).

And i tend to agree but i'm not a fan who is put off by these things. If anything it adds to my experience as a fan. And i'm guessing i'm not alone...

I think that, perhaps, you're misinterpreting the criticism. Speaking for myself, these things don't detract from my experience as a fan. They have no impact at all.

The NFL is a huge organization and, independent of its marketing and efforts to expand its audience, has an enormous capacity to do good in the world. I do think that there have been initiatives in which the NFL, its teams and players have taken action that has been truly charitable and impactful. A YouTube video with the tagline "Football is gay," in my opinion, does not qualify and is, as I define it, mere virtue signaling.

[/zn/]

I have no idea what virtue signaling is except that it's meant as a pejorative.

But i think there is a point here.

The NFL knows there are fans who will be turned off by this stuff. (For some reason our demographic here at RFU includes a lot of them.)

Whether it's leaning into gay pride, social justice, whatever it is that certainly alienates some fans, the NFL has decided it's worth it. Maybe they think those fans aren't going anywhere or that they're expendable but this is a business decision.

Hard to imagine owners like Jerry Jones or Stan Kroenke thinking about ways to change society with their franchises. The owners, as a group, think it's good business.

And i tend to agree but i'm not a fan who is put off by these things. If anything it adds to my experience as a fan. And i'm guessing i'm not alone...

Nope you're not alone.

[max]

To me, virtue signaling is the public display or expression of righteous social viewpoints with little or no actual substance behind the display.

Really? I have not noticed people being turned off by this stuff. There are many, myself included, who think its mere pandering, but that doesn't equate to being "turned off by this stuff." Its not like anyone is going to watch less football because of these campaigns (at least, nobody I'm aware of has indicated they would react that way).

I think that, perhaps, you're misinterpreting the criticism. Speaking for myself, these things don't detract from my experience as a fan. They have no impact at all.

The NFL is a huge organization and, independent of its marketing and efforts to expand its audience, has an enormous capacity to do good in the world. I do think that there have been initiatives in which the NFL, its teams and players have taken action that has been truly charitable and impactful. A YouTube video with the tagline "Football is gay," in my opinion, does not qualify and is, as I define it, mere virtue signaling.

Totally onboard here.

But people have different world views. Ours apparently align. Yet, clearly different than others.

So I’ll keep watching and tolerate other viewpoints that I find illogical as long as they tolerate my “illogical” viewpoints. When that becomes a problem and I’m forced to either accept something that goes against my principles or abandon the NFL, I’ll leave quietly.

Thankfully, we’re not there yet.