NFL Halftime Pay to Play

[Gothampc]

I never realized that music acts that played the Super Bowl played for free. To ask them to pay to sing is asking too much.

Or maybe we should adopt this policy for Broadway. Next time I go to see Patti LuPone, I hope she is paying for me to listen to her.

"The National Football League doesn't usually pay the act that performs at halftime during the Super Bowl. But in a twist this year, the league has asked artists under consideration for the high-profile gig to pay to play, according to people familiar with the matter."
Link

[Brian07663NJ]

Is everyone aware that the NFL enjoys non-profit status?

"The entire league sees a reported $10 billion in annual revenue..."

"This decision has saved the NFL uncounted millions in tax obligations, which means that ordinary people must pay higher taxes, public spending must decline, or the national debt must increase to make up for the shortfall. Nonprofit status applies to the NFL’s headquarters, which administers the league and its all-important television contracts. Individual teams are for-profit and presumably pay income taxes—though because all except the Green Bay Packers are privately held and do not disclose their finances, it’s impossible to be sure."

"However, individual teams get significant tax breaks and assistance -- whether money to help construct stadiums, abatements of property taxes, long-term low-cost loans, and even payments to keep teams where they are."

SO...the NFL seems a bit greedy to charge the half time act to perform.
I could only wish that ALL performers tell the NFL to "stick it" but unfortunately there will always be some acts that will pay for the exposure.

complete CBS News article

[Gothampc]

"Is everyone aware that the NFL enjoys non-profit status?"

I guess we have to accept that if theaters and the Metropolitan Opera and other arts institutions are non-profit than sports can be also.

[darquegk]

Athletics IS an art. A spectator event and show of prowess. It's only because of their extraordinarily high profile in current culture that it is seen as separate from (sometimes superior to) the other arts.

To the ancient Greeks, the two were indivisible. Today, they're seen as separate, sometimes even as enemies.

[Sutton Ross]

The National Felons League makes enough money, they don't need additional anything.