“League of Denial” Confirms NFL Has No Credibility on Concussion Issue
By Ken Reed
The evidence against the NFL on the concussion issue presented in the PBS Frontline documentary, “League of Denial,” is damning indeed.
Undoubtedly, the full truth would be even more damning. However, due to the NFL’s settlement of the concussion lawsuits brought by players, we’ll probably never know the full truth regarding the strategic lengths the NFL’s executives and owners went to in order to play down the concussion issue. If the lawsuit settlement is formally approved, the NFL will probably never have to reveal exactly what it knew and when it knew it.
Nevertheless, “League of Denial” provides a powerful case against the NFL. It’s no wonder ESPN bailed on the documentary project with PBS in order to protect its relationship with the NFL.
As Patrick Hruby writes in his review of the film:
“‘League of Denial’ makes clear that the NFL has treated brain damage as a legal problem first, a PR problem second and a health and safety problem a distant third. Protecting the sport’s popularity and profitability took precedence over protecting its participants.”
In addition to watching the film and/or reading the book of the same name by Mark Fainaru-Wada, Steve Fainaru, I strongly recommend perusing the articles and information on football and concussions on the “League of Denial” website.
— Ken Reed, Sports Policy Director, League of Fans
Sports Forum Podcast
Episode #22 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: Rethinking Sports Fandom with Author Craig Calcaterra – We discuss Calcaterra’s new book “Rethinking Fandom: How to Beat the Sports-Industrial Complex at Its Own Game” and explore new ways to be a fan in the year 2022.
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Episode #21 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: Chatting About a Broken Game With Baseball Writer Pedro Moura – Moura is a national baseball writer for Fox Sports. We discuss how and why the game of baseball is broken, what factors caused it, and offer a few thoughts on how to “fix” a great game.
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Media
"How We Can Save Sports" author Ken Reed appears on Fox & Friends to explain how there's "too much adult in youth sports."
Ken Reed appears on Mornings with Gail from KFKA Radio in Colorado to discuss bad parenting in youth athletics.
“Should College Athletes Be Paid?” Ken Reed on The Morning Show from Wisconsin Public Radio
Ken Reed appears on KGNU Community Radio in Colorado (at 02:30) to discuss equality in sports and Title IX.
Ken Reed appears on the Ralph Nader Radio Hour (at 38:35) to discuss his book The Sports Reformers: Working to Make the World of Sports a Better Place, and to talk about some current sports issues.
- League of Fans Sports Policy Director Ken Reed quoted in Washington Post column titled "What happened to P.E.? It’s losing ground in our push for academic improvement," by Jay Mathews
League of Fans is a sports reform project founded by Ralph Nader to fight for the higher principles of justice, fair play, equal opportunity and civil rights in sports; and to encourage safety and civic responsibility in sports industry and culture.
Sports & Torts – Ken Reed, Sports Policy Director, League of Fans – at the American Museum of Tort Law
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