Editor’s note: This article was written by Ben Fischer and first appeared in Sports Business Journal, the industry’s leading source of sports business news, events and data.
FILE – Josh Harris, Managing Partner of the Philadelphia 76ers stands on the court prior to Game 1 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Brooklyn Nets, Saturday, April 15, 2023, in Philadelphia. NFL owners unanimously approved the sale of the Washington Commanders on Thursday, July 2023, from Dan Snyder to a group led by Josh Harris and including Magic Johnson for a record $6.05 billion.
(AP Photo/Derik Hamilton, File)AP
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and other league executives say they want active players to participate in flag football’s Olympic debut at LA28, but views among those players’ employers — the league’s owners — are more guarded.
The inaugural Olympic medals in 5-on-5 flag American football will likely be awarded within days of NFL training camp opening in July 2028. While most NFL executives love the idea of the Olympics acting as a marketing vehicle for the upcoming season and the sport in general, an injury to a star player could recast an owner’s business prospects in a heartbeat.
When asked if he’d be comfortable with his own players taking that risk, New York Giants president and co-owner John Mara thought briefly and said, “Probably not.”
Four others who were asked about it during last week’s owners meeting in New York shortly after the IOC approved the sport for inclusion said they’d have to consider the subject more thoroughly. “There’s so many things to think through — we want to do whatever helps the sport,” said Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan. “Football will get global recognition; will the players like it? This is just two days old. We need to really think through a lot of the issues.”
NFL Executive Vice President Peter O’Reilly said the league sees a “desire and a path” to allowing active players…
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