Opinion | NFL’s right-wing mentality likely to test coronavirus restrictions as Roger Goodell signals league will push ahead ‘as planned’
- National Football League doesn’t start until September but league was already forced to hold draft remotely as commissioner forgoes salary
- America’s Red and Blue state divide will be showcased as the NFL tries to balance revenue expectations with public health restrictions
The commissioners of the four major sports leagues in North America – the National Basketball League, the National Football League, the National Hockey League and Major League Baseball – all have very distinct personalities.
Adam Silver, the NBA’s commissioner is a well-respected, astute and diplomatic leader.
Gary Bettman, the NHL’s commissioner, has a reputation for being a shrewd negotiator, hated by players and fans, but loved by owners.
The MLB’s Rob Manfred, in charge since 2015, has largely gone about trying to speed up the game to make it more fan-friendly, which has been received with mixed results.
And then there is Roger Goodell, the NFL’s head honcho since 2006. Goodell in many ways typifies the politics of the NFL, a league built on blue-collar, red state fan-bases for the most part. One deeply entrenched within traditional American values, and one sometimes openly at odds with progressive ideals.
