We’ve reached the two-minute warning, if you will, of the 2024 presidential campaign, the near-conclusion of our long slog of an election season, the end of a grueling, bruising competition.

By the end of Tuesday night, we may know whether Kamala Harris or Donald Trump will coach the American attack – offense, defense and special teams -- for the next four years.

But for the collection of men and women who own National Football League franchises, the race for the White House is just another contest, this one on a different surface than artificial turf.

According to a USA Today review of Federal Election Commission filings, NFL owners contributed at least $28 million to federal political candidates and causes during the 2023-24 political cycle.

That’s seven times the amount the group donated during the 2020 period.

Obviously, when you generate the kind of revenue the NFL does – an estimated $20 billion last year – you’ve got cash to throw around. And with that cash come influence.

That these captains of industry are so willing and able to invest in the partisan realm speaks volumes about the freedom we enjoy. These folks get their hands dirty helping to mold democracy.

And make no mistake: they shovel a lot of dirt. A major reason that the investment of these owners is so much higher than four years ago is that one of those executives shoveled much more this time than the rest.

When Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen died five years ago, control of the club was sold to a group that includes members of the Walton family, which owns retail behemoth Wal-Mart.

Rob Walton, the eldest Walton son, gave more than $16 million of his own fortune, during that cycle, while his daughter, Carrie and son-in-law Greg, have given $1.2 million themselves.

They’re not the only owners forking over big bucks to be part of the political process. Falcons owner Arthur Blank and Carolina owner David Tepper gave more than $2.5 million each, while Jets owner Woody Johnson contributed $1.8 million in that round.

While some of the NFL money went exclusively to Gridiron PAC, a league-created organization designed to lobby congressmen and senators, the bulk of those donations went to Republicans and right-leaning causes.

Indeed, USA Today reported that 83 percent of campaign contributions went to conservative candidates, political action committees and related organizations.

Most of Tepper’s money, for instance, went to former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley’s presidential run, while Johnson, who was appointed ambassador to Great Britain by Trump, made all his contributions to the former president.

Meanwhile, Blank, a co-founder of Home Depot, made donations to Democratic candidates, including Harris, whom he has formally endorsed. And Steelers owner Art Rooney II also has given to the vice president’s campaign.

There’s a better than decent chance that we won’t know who will emerge victorious from this year’s campaign for a few days or longer. It’s a big difference between politics and sports, where the winner is known immediately.

We will however know who one group of winners will be: the NFL owners. And they’ll be unbeaten from this election to the next one and the next one.

And that’s how I see it for this week. You can reach us via email with your questions and comments at Sports at Large at gmail.com. And follow me on Threads and Twitter at Sports at Large.

Until next week, for all of us here and for producer Spencer Bryant, I’m Milton Kent. Thanks for listening and enjoy the games.

We’ve reached the two-minute warning, if you will, of the 2024 presidential campaign, the near-conclusion of our long slog of an election season, the end of a grueling, bruising competition.
By the end of Tuesday night, we may know whether Kamala Harris or Donald Trump will coach the American attack – offense, defense and special teams -- for the next four years.
But for the collection of men and women who own National Football League franchises, the race for the White House is just another contest, this one on a different surface than artificial turf.
According to a USA Today review of Federal Election Commission filings, NFL owners contributed at least $28 million to federal political candidates and causes during the 2023-24 political cycle.
That’s seven times the amount the group donated during the 2020 period.
Obviously, when you generate the kind of revenue the NFL does – an estimated $20 billion last year – you’ve got cash to throw around. And with that cash come influence.
That these captains of industry are so willing and able to invest in the partisan realm speaks volumes about the freedom we enjoy. These folks get their hands dirty helping to mold democracy.
And make no mistake: they shovel a lot of dirt. A major reason that the investment of these owners is so much higher than four years ago is that one of those executives shoveled much more this time than the rest.
When Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen died five years ago, control of the club was sold to a group that includes members of the Walton family, which owns retail behemoth Wal-Mart.
Rob Walton, the eldest Walton son, gave more than $16 million of his own fortune, during that cycle, while his daughter, Carrie and son-in-law Greg, have given $1.2 million themselves.
They’re not the only owners forking over big bucks to be part of the political process. Falcons owner Arthur Blank and Carolina owner David Tepper gave more than $2.5 million each, while Jets owner Woody Johnson contributed $1.8 million in that round.
While some of the NFL money went exclusively to Gridiron PAC, a league-created organization designed to lobby congressmen and senators, the bulk of those donations went to Republicans and right-leaning causes.
Indeed, USA Today reported that 83 percent of campaign contributions went to conservative candidates, political action committees and related organizations.
Most of Tepper’s money, for instance, went to former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley’s presidential run, while Johnson, who was appointed ambassador to Great Britain by Trump, made all his contributions to the former president.
Meanwhile, Blank, a co-founder of Home Depot, made donations to Democratic candidates, including Harris, whom he has formally endorsed. And Steelers owner Art Rooney II also has given to the vice president’s campaign.
There’s a better than decent chance that we won’t know who will emerge victorious from this year’s campaign for a few days or longer. It’s a big difference between politics and sports, where the winner is known immediately.
We will however know who one group of winners will be: the NFL owners. And they’ll be unbeaten from this election to the next one and the next one.
And that’s how I see it for this week. You can reach us via email with your questions and comments at Sports at Large at gmail.com. And follow me on Threads and Twitter at Sports at Large.
Until next week, for all of us here and for producer Spencer Bryant, I’m Milton Kent. Thanks for listening and enjoy the games.

Sports at Large is a weekly exploration of the issues and people who play and watch sports. SaL goes behind the headlines and stats to find the how and why, and the ways in which sports intersect with and influence our daily lives. SaL features interviews and commentaries from professionals and fans a like to tell a more complete story. One person described it as ----a thinking fan's guide to sports.----

Sports at Large

Sports at Large is a weekly exploration of the issues and people who play and watch sports. SaL goes behind the headlines and stats to find the how and why, and the ways in which sports intersect with and influence our daily lives. SaL features interviews and commentaries from professionals and fans a like to tell a more complete story. One person described it as ----a thinking fan's guide to sports.

Sports at Large is a weekly exploration of the issues and people who play and watch sports. SaL goes behind the headlines and stats to find the how and why, and the ways in which sports intersect with and influence our daily lives. SaL features interviews and commentaries from professionals and fans a like to tell a more complete story. One person described it as ----a thinking fan's guide to sports.

Advertisement