On April 2, 2013, a multi-billion dollar legal action took place from over 4,000 former NFL players who are suing the NFL for the neglect and concealment from the long term consequences of the head injuries suffered from the game. The lawyers for the league not only denied the players accusations, but they classified the issue as a labor dispute rather than a problem that needs solved. The players' attorneys combated this by claiming the league had "glorified and "monetized " violence without regard for the consequences. David Frederick, the players' lead lawyer stated "The league knew or should have known that these repeated blows to the head caused significant neurological injury "(lexisnexis.com). This legal case is yet to be resolved but it is the most extreme motion toward the head injury dilemma yet. The NFL's national revenues underpinned by lucrative television rights now exceed $9 billion, making it the richest sports league on earth. The final decision made will have a huge impact for good or bad on what the future holds for the sport. .
NFL fans love the dangerous side of the sport and for many that is the only reason they spend their time watching it. A member of the NFL board Mike Shoener said, "We understand the sport is dangerous, but if you prefer something safer watch soccer." This may sound cruel and insensitive, but in some ways he is right. Critics demand ongoing fights to protect players, but these demands strike at the heart of the game's appeal. The biggest threat to the NFL is not that hard core fans will turn from the NFL, but that the marginal fans that are on the fence of whether they like it or not will continue to watch it with the danger of the sport. It will be a sad day when parents urge their kids not to watch professional football due to danger. The last thing the NFL wants is for their games to be looked at as an R rated movie. Barely half a century ago boxing was the second most popular sport after baseball, and for many reasons, most violence related, it has gone downhill.
