After much deliberation and argument between myself, I have decided to take a slightly "Michael Moore" approach to this article.......... so here goes.
As you begin reading this article the Pittsburgh Steelers will be running onto the field against the Green Bay packers.
The most anticipated Super Bowl in history, will be considered a triumphant homecoming of the NFL to its spiritual home by the NFL administration. Heralded by record crowds all season, bigger fan memberships and massive record deals selling the TV broadcasting rights.
Players are earning tens of millions of dollars and owners are laughing all the way to the merchandising bank.
Never has life been so good for the NFL community, Right? Well not exactly. It's fitting that the two teams in the Super Bowl are from towns of real working class Americans. It's also a great coincidence that the two teams playing, are the only teams left in the NFL that are named after industrial trades, the "Steelers" and the "Packers".
If you look below the surface of the NFL Super bowl, you quickly realise that all is not well. Both of these industry driven cities are in turmoil, following the Global Financial Crisis. Unemployment has shot through the roof, and house repossessions are a dime a dozen.
It's a unique situation where the NFL community is throwing around hundreds of millions of dollars each year. And yet the American community who is the backbone that generates the revenue for "participants" of the greater NFL system, is struggling.
I'm suffering a real moral quandary as wether to scribe, that the NFL provides some much needed relief for those that are suffering each weekend, and the Super Bowl is a magnified version of this relief.
Or on the other hand, is that the NFL is one of the organisations that is the problem. If the fans are the real owners of the game. Thus their support of the game is what drives up future revenue opportunities. Should it not be investing back into the community?
If the NFL can find a way to really give back to those in the community who are hurting, are they not protecting their future investments? Not to mention the great PR, and tax benefits that would be created for a company that would pay exorbitant luxury taxes.
Above all, what about the plain social obligation to the communities that supports the NFL year after year? Whatever happens this morning, there will be a couple of hours where people hurting all around America will enjoy a much celebrated American pastime. But I ask you as you read to spare a thought for those suffering after the game, as the NFL shuts shop for another year, and forgets about those that make the game viable.