Sunday, February 1, 2009

It's Super Bowl Sunday!

Well, it's Super Bowl Sunday - a major national event for civil society - and I feel obliged to blog about philanthropic themes in today's broadcast. Most apparent, of course, is the NFL's season-long partnership with the United Way to promote fitness among youth - Play 60. I've seen at least one related commercial already tonight promoting Play 60, and tonight's game ball was brought onto the field by a young boy who won the Play 60 contest. Since this kind of partnership is essentially a corporate social responsibility initiative, the cause certainly ties nicely to the mission of the NFL; and, considering the exposure among young people, a place where the NFL can have a positive impact. The website even solicits donations for its four philanthropic causes. I would be interested in seeing some kind of data on the number of kids who've participated this season and how the NFL measures the program's success.

Watch Colts number 21, Bob Sanders, teaching kids the importance of an active lifestyle.

Finally, for my fellow philanthropy geeks, I encourage you to look up the NFL's 990 nonprofit tax return if you haven't already ... but that's really a whole 'nother ball of wax ... we'll save that discussion for another time!

P.S. Did you see the end of that first half?!?! What is UP with that 100 yard touchdown interception? We're rooting for Arizona in this house, but it's not looking good...

1 comment:

LKM said...

I'm so glad I'm not the only that has already read over the NFL's 990! Ever since that first Law of Nonprofits class reading that mentioned the NFL, I was glued to Guidestar . . .