Each month, we do a wrap up on a sports business story of interest from that month.  Previous features have been on the MLB trade deadline and coverage of the role of women in sports media.  This time our attention turns to the NFL.

There is no disputing that September 2014 was a tough one for American sports' strongest brand, the NFL.  At the forefront was the domestic violence case against Baltimore Ravens' Ray Rice and the ensuing (and ongoing) criticism of the handling of the investigation and punishment by the league and Commissioner Roger Goodell.


Also, serious charges were alleged against star running back Adrian Peterson related to child endangerment.  And several other NFL players were also subject to criminal investigations stemming from incidents over the last several months.

All of this negative publicity has created considerable backlash. Late night talk show hosts and Saturday Night Live have piled on.

Here are a few observations about what you can be learn from this tough month for the NFL:

Sports Are Under a Microscope  If you want to work in this industry, that is important to keep in mind.  In many instances the publicity that sports teams and leagues receive is a great asset.  But when negative stories break, that publicity can hurt.

Historically, that media scrutiny has led to some good outcomes for teams and American society.  The story of Jackie Robinson is one that is often mentioned as having moved race relations forward in the US, as depicted in last year's film.  And the "coming out" of NBA player Jason Collins last year again helped sports impact national dialogue.

As bad as the negative publicity has been this month, there is still a chance that sports leagues can take the lead in combating domestic violence, which would be an important contribution.

 

If a Story Impacts One League, It Is Sure to Impact Others  As the NFL has been embroiled in controversy, the NBA and MLB have also come under scrutiny about their policies related to domestic violence. This thoughtful piece from Howard Beck points out some shortcomings and inconsistencies in the way the NBA handles domestic violence incidents.

And Major League Baseball and its players' union are meeting to work toward revising and updating their domestic violence policy. 

 

Honesty Is the Best Policy  This statement has been repeated to the point of becoming trite.  But that does not mean it is not important....because it is.

And another common refrain is "those that don't know history are doomed to repeat it".

The ESPN report investigating the NFL's handling of the Rice incident has some theorizing that there was a cover up attempt by the league or the Ravens.

While that story line is likely to continue to evolve in the coming months, those who study history know that any unsuccessful cover up is often more hurtful to the organization or individuals than simply admitting the original crime or mistake would have been.

The end of the Nixon presidency and the Watergate Scandal are often cited as an example.  And in non-sports news this month the security breach at the White House was bad, but if there is evidence of a cover up that would likely be worse for the administration.

So in your own sports career always be honest.  With your boss.  With your customers.  With the media.  Or the consequences can be costly.