The NFL knows the political score

Guest Commentary

By BY DAVE LEVINTHAL Minuteman Media

Posted: October 4, 2009 at 4:22 a.m.

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FAYETTEVILLE — The San Diego Chargers are hardly professional football's most prolific team, having advanced tojust one Super Bowl (XXIX, where they lost to San Francisco) in 43 years.

When playing politics, however, the Chargers are untouchable: Team owners, officials and players have combined to contribute more than $2.4 million to political candidates and committees since the 1990 election cycle, a Center for Responsive Politics analysis of federal campaign finance data indicates. That's nearly four times as much as the runnerup Houston Texans, whose associates have contributed more than $623,000 to federal candidates and committees during the past two decades.

As the 32-team National Football League begins its 2009 season, the Chargers and Texans stand among 20 clubs to donate more than $100,000 to federal political interests during that time, according to the Center's analysis. Executives and employees of the league itself also teamed together to contribute more than $322,000. Certainly, the interplay of football and government isn't anything new.

Several current and ex-congressmen - Tom Osborne, Steve Largent, Heath Shuler, J.C. Watts - are former professional players, as was Jack Kemp. And former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice once said her "dream job" would be NFL commissioner. But professional football's political activity has of late proved particularly notable, with various league and team executives, employees, and players donating more than $1.72 million to federal candidates and committees during the 2008 cycle alone.

That figure represents nearly a fourth of all football-related contributions during the past 20 years.

The NFL last year also created a political action committee - the Gridiron PAC - and opened an office in Washington, from which to better lobby lawmakers. Additionally, the NFL now employs two full-time staffers who track and lobby on labor law, media policy, illegal gambling, communications, and performanceenhancing drugs. The NFL's lobbying activity has increased considerably during the past two years, with expenditures on pace this year to reach $1.4 million.

The Gridiron PAC serves to bolster this effort. Since its inception last year, the PAC has contributed $63,500 to 19 different individuals through June 30. About two-thirds went to Democrats. Perhaps not surprisingly, monied team owners and their top executives are the most likely contributors among peopleassociated with professional football. In the Chargers' case, team owner Alex Spanos ranks as football's most prolific political bankroller. He alone has contributed more than $2 million to candidates and committees during the past two decades, almost all Republican.

Houston Texans owner Robert McNair, meanwhile, has donated more than $543,000 to candidates and committees since 1989. Other six-figure contributors include San Diego Chargers President Dean Spanos, Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder, New York Jets owner Robert W. Johnson IV, and former New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson.

Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney has individually only contributed a fraction of these amounts to political interests, but President Barack Obama earlier this year named him ambassador to Ireland. Rooney's son, Tom, is a Republican congressman representing Florida's 16th District.

While not at nearly the levels of team owners and executives, NFL players and coaches have also made tens of thousands of dollars of contributions in recent years.

During the 2008 election cycle, Obama received a number of them including from Atlanta Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez ($4,600), Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith ($2,300), Cincinnati Bengals safety Roy Williams ($2,300) and Indianapolis Colts defensive end Raheem Brock ($2,300).

Republicans haven't been sidelined either. Chargers coach Norv Turner gave $2,300 to GOP presidential nominee John McCain, while Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid contributed $2,300 to Republican presidential also-ran Mitt Romney. Other Romney bankrollers included Baltimore Ravens tight end Todd Heap ($2,300) and Buffalo Bills defensive end Ryan Denney ($2,300).

The Indianapolis Colts' all-universe quarterback Peyton Manning in 2007 cut a $2,300 check to Republican presidential candidate and former Sen. Fred Thompson. Manning also contributed $2,000 to George W. Bush in 2004.

And if NFL players are looking to financially support one of their own, a rookie option recently arose: Retired Bills and Steelers tight end Jay Riemersma announced he's running for Congress in Michigan as a Republican.

Dave Levinthal is the editor of The Center for Responsive Politics' Capital Eye Blog in Washington, D.C.

Opinion, Pages 5 on 10/04/2009

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