Over the past decade we have observed the growth and development of American professional sports leagues, both on the national scale and globally. The National Basketball Association (NBA) and National Football League (NFL) have both cleaned up their image through their participation in various environmental and community programs such as NBA Cares, NFL PLAY 60, NFL Green Team, and A Crucial Catch. Unfortunately, major legal and ethical situations have arisen which adversely affect each league in different ways. This paper details such social responsibility efforts mentioned above, as well as others, and aims to present the ethical and legal issues surrounding former Baltimore Ravens running-back, Ray Rice, and former Los Angeles Clippers owner, Donald Sterling.

NFL Issues: Over the years, many professional athletes have had legal issues. Some have been banned from professional sports, while others went to jail or got away with murder. At some point, however, a business needs to consider ethics. Even though it may not be the best financial decision, doing what is right is paramount. On February 15, 2014, at the Revel Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, pro-bowl running-back, Ray Rice, was arrested with his fiancée, Janay, on simple assault charges. On February 19th, a video emerged of Rice dragging his unconscious fiancée out of an elevator by her shoulders. The Ravens’ organization was quick to defend Rice, affirming that he is a man of good character. Rice married Janay Palmer on March 28th, just one day “after being indicted by an Atlantic County grand jury for third-degree aggravated assault”. He later pleaded not guilty to the charge and was admitted into a diversionary program. On May 23rd, the Ravens held a press conference, and for the first time since the incident, Rice spoke publicly with his wife at his side. Rice merely apologized for the “situation” that he and his wife were in, not for his actions that night. On July 24th, just before the start of NFL training camp, NFL Commissioner, Roger Goodell, handed Rice a lenient two-game suspension. This decision was highly criticized as many felt Rice just got a slap on the wrist. Following public outcry, on August 28th, “the NFL announced a new, harsher policy for domestic violence” that went into immediate effect. The policy states that a first offense will be punishable by a six-game suspension and that a second offense will result in a lifetime ban from the National Football League.
On the eighth of September, a second video emerged from TMZ that showed Ray Rice punching and knocking out his then-fiancée in a Revel Casino elevator. Shortly after the video was released, the Ravens’ organization terminated Rice’s contract, and Commissioner Goodell suspended Rice indefinitely. The league denied that it had seen the video of Rice hitting his fiancée until that day TMZ leaked it, September 8th. Commissioner Goodell stated that the league only saw the first video, back in February, which solely depicted Rice dragging (his then-fiancée) Janay out of the elevator. A day later, Brian McCarthy, the NFL’s Vice President of Communications stated that the league “requested from law enforcement any and all information about the incident, including the video from inside the elevator. (However), that video was not made available to us”. Many began to question if Roger Goodell was telling the truth and whether or not the NFL had pushed hard enough to get the video from New Jersey State Police. On September 10th, the Associated Press, referring to an unnamed law enforcement source, reported that the surveillance video from inside the elevator was indeed given to the NFL, completely invalidating the league’s statements. “The law enforcement official told the AP that in early April, he sent the video to an NFL executive. The official played a 12-second voicemail recorded April 9th from an NFL office number, the AP reported, in which a female voice confirmed that the video had been received. According to the AP, she expressed thanks and said, ‘You're right. It's terrible.’ ”. The Associated Press is respected as a news source. Many feel that the organization would not put their name on something if it was not true.
This situation sparked a huge debate and had many calling for the termination of Roger Goodell as commissioner of the NFL. It is absolute nonsense to believe that Goodell did not have access to this tape. If TMZ acquired it, the NFL definitely could have found a way to view the surveillance video. Considering the event that took place between Rice and Janay, it is ironic that a woman at the NFL confirmed receiving the video and would not do anything about it. All evidence points to the NFL having this information since April. The league had three months to watch the horrific video over and over again and determine what a suitable punishment would be. Ultimately, Rice was suspended for a mere two games on July 24th. While the new domestic violence policy is commendable, the NFL cannot change the magnitude of a failure such as this one. In should be taken into account that this new policy change was forced on Goodell; it was not something that he voluntarily wanted to introduce.
Women comprise a significant portion of the NFL fan base, further substantiating how Goodell’s actions are inexcusable. The fact that he is still the commissioner is an absolute outrage. Goodell should have been morally conscious, or been made aware of the severity of the situation and the threat that it posed to the league. Instead of adopting a deontological approach, where the focus is on doing what is right, Goodell focused on doing what maximized societal welfare; in this case, society being the NFL. The concept of moral relativism in the NFL is also a huge concern. If the league truly cared about what was right and wrong, a wealth of players prior to Ray Rice would have been suspended or disciplined in other ways. The league didn’t seem to care that Rice knocked out his wife; rather they wanted to see him on the field as soon as possible. This case was clearly about self-preservation for the league, not about what is right or wrong. For Goodell it was never about integrity; it was about the league’s bottom line and how this situation could harm that. Goodell’s top priority as commissioner was (and is) to protect the game, yet he failed miserably and should have resigned or been fired by now.
Goodell acted in compliance by issuing a punishment to Rice, rather than adopting a values-based approach. Ultimately, Goodell did not do what was ethically or morally right until his cover had been blown. The league belief that this situation could be swept under the rug could not be further from the truth. Many applaud TMZ for leaking the video, regardless of the excess pain it may have caused Janay Rice, as it brought to light the deceptiveness and opportunistic ways of Commissioner Roger Goodell and the NFL as a whole. More recently, just last week, on November 28th, “a former U.S. District Judge ruled in favor of Rice’s appeal of his indefinite suspension by the NFL”. Rice can now be signed by any NFL team. Many would like to see him out of the league for some time as his reputation and image has been destroyed. This ruling only makes the NFL look worse and have many still asking, when will Roger Goodell be dealt with?

NBA Issues:
The National Basketball Association is not exempt from problems either. A recent issue involved former Los Angeles Clippers owner, Donald Sterling. Sterling was recorded while having a private conversation with his girlfriend/mistress, V. Stiviano. As per the audio clip, Sterling questioned her about “broadcasting” photos (of her) with minorities on Instagram and bringing Black people to Clippers games. Sterling also made other racist remarks throughout the conversation. It should be noted that this is not the first time Sterling has been labeled a racist. A lawsuit was filed in 2006 that “accused Sterling's rental company of refusing to lease Beverly Hills apartments to African-Americans and (for) turning away families with children from its properties”. Although these allegations were dismissed when Sterling paid close to three million dollars to settle, he obtained a bad reputation.
Having an owner of a team make such offensive comments in a predominantly African-American league, does not bode well for the NBA and its image. Shortly after the audio file went viral, some sponsors began threatening to leave the NBA, whereas others suspended their deals indefinitely. In addition, criticism was coming from fans on social media and even from the President! Newly appointed NBA Commissioner Adam Silver did not waste any time in issuing “one of the harshest penalties in U.S. sports history”. The commissioner banned Sterling from the NBA for life, fined him two and a half million dollars and encouraged other NBA owners to force Sterling to sell the team. This all took place just four days after the audio clip was released via TMZ. On May 20th, three weeks after the announcement by Commissioner Silver, the NBA “formally charged Sterling with: damaging the league and its teams with his racist comments, destroying evidence, and providing false and misleading evidence to an NBA investigator”. Sterling responded to this by suing the NBA for damages in excess of one billion dollars in U.S. District Court. “The suit alleges that the league violated Sterling's constitutional rights by relying on information from an ‘illegal’ recording that publicized racist remarks he made to a girlfriend”. Since then, Donald’s wife, Shelly Sterling, listened to offers to buy the team and eventually worked out a deal with former Microsoft CEO, Steve Ballmer, to acquire the team for two billion dollars. After a fight to stop the sale of his team in probate court, a Superior Court Judge ruled against Donald Sterling on July 28th. This allowed the sale of the Clippers to go forward. “The purchase agreement closed after a California court issued a written order affirming that Shelly, had the legal authority to sell the team on behalf of the Sterling Family Trust, the league announced.” On August 12th, 2014, Steve Ballmer was the new owner of the Los Angeles Clippers and the NBA was overjoyed that this had been finally accomplished. That said, lawsuits between the NBA and Donald Sterling were still ongoing. On October 20th, Sterling dropped a suit that alleged the NBA and his wife of fraud. Sterling still has an open anti-trust lawsuit with the NBA and wishes to question Commissioner Adam Silver, however many would agree that the biggest battle is over with. What Sterling said was not illegal; he did not break the law. He merely expressed his right to freedom of speech. Conversely, what he said was highly immoral and unethical. Given his position as an owner of an NBA franchise only added insult to injury. The fact that this man owned a team that not only has an African-American head coach, but several African-American players, and is a part of a league with various races and minorities speaks volumes about his character. The NBA prides itself on being a diverse organization, something that Donald Sterling vastly contradicts. There has been an ongoing debate over the recording, as it was from a private conversation involving only Sterling and Stiviano. Sterling attests that he should not be held accountable for his words because it was a private conversation that was illegally recorded. This causes us to consider whether there was then an ethical motive to leak the recording. Regardless of how the conversation was recorded and released, the beliefs expressed by Donald Sterling were unwittingly inherited by the National Basketball Association once the recording went public. The way that Commissioner Adam Silver acted on behalf of the NBA was one of ethicality and morality. The decision to force the sale of the team was absolutely necessary for a variety of reasons. The “image” that resonated from the audio file was one that had sponsors terminating their contracts with the league and players ready to boycott games; both pointing to a loss of millions of dollars in revenue. The prompt and austere measures taken by commissioner Silver ultimately instilled confidence to the league, its players, teams, owners, fans and all other parties involved that what is just would prevail. The success of the NBA in this battle, culminated in the sale of the Clippers to Steve Ballmer.

Social Responsibility:
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is essentially how a company or an organization has a positive effect on society. Delving deeper into the concept, CSR can be defined as a commitment by an organization to not only act in accordance with legal and ethical standards, but to be immersed in the community and environment in which it operates. It can be said that professional sport leagues rely on community support considerably more than other corporations do. After all, the people are the ones who purchase tickets, apparel, television packages etc. thus the image that these professional leagues emit is one of great importance. CSR has grown exponentially over the years. Both the National Football League and the National Basketball Association have established a variety of programs, all with a common goal of giving back to the community, as well as contributing to the benefit of society as a whole. In October of 2007, the NFL launched NFL PLAY 60, “a national youth health and fitness campaign designed to tackle child obesity and encourage young fans to be active for at least sixty minutes a day. In addition to national outreach and online programs, NFL PLAY 60 is implemented at the grassroots level through the NFL's in-school, after-school and team-based programs”. This program is great as it provides kids with a safe environment where they can be active and get to know others.
In addition to NFL PLAY 60, for the past six years during the month of October, the NFL has promoted Breast Cancer awareness by incorporating pink on its uniforms, team apparel and on stadium displays. According the NFL’s webpage, the campaign “A Crucial Catch” in partnership with the American Cancer Society, “is focused on the importance of annual screenings, especially for women who are 40 and older”. Since 2009, the first year of the campaign, the NFL has raised over seven million dollars for the American Cancer Society. It should be noted that the NFL does not profit from the sale or auction of game worn apparel/items; one hundred percent of the proceeds from the NFL’s Pink product sales go directly to American Cancer Society. One of the main arguments is that these proceeds do not go directly towards cancer research, whereas they provide for breast cancer education and awareness. Albeit finding a cure is the priority, donors must realize that their contribution allows others to have a better understanding of what breast cancer is and how to recognize it. This then allows others to seek preventative treatments which have unquestionably helped people live better lives.
With respect to environmental conservation, the NFL Green Team, formed in 2008 “works to share information about better practices at NFL facilities and help reduce environmental impacts at NFL facilities and events”. The National Resources Defense Council, abbreviated NRDC, is an environmental advisor to not only the NFL and NBA, but to all major professional sport leagues in the United States. “The NRDC serves as a guide to help pro sport teams implement eco-intelligent practices in their hometowns”. The NFL has been practicing environmental conservation for over fifteen years with its Super Bowl environmental program. “In each community where the Super Bowl is held, the NFL works with local partners to develop and implement a wide array of sustainability projects. This environmental program has five main initiatives: solid waste management, material reuse, food recovery, sports equipment and book donations, and greenhouse gas reduction”. Aside from the Super Bowl program, individual teams have started to implement Green design in their facilities. In November of 2010, the Philadelphia Eagles announced that their stadium, Lincoln Financial Field, would be fully powered through the use of solar panels, high wind turbines, and bio-fuel. Whether it is recycling papers and plastics during events or completely redesigning energy systems, the NFL continues to look for ways in which it can better the environment. The National Basketball Association is also involved heavily in the community. NBA Cares, established in October of 2005, “is a global community outreach initiative that aims to address education, youth and family development, health and wellness, as well as environmental protection. Since its inception, “the league and teams have raised over $242 million dollars for charity, provided more than three million hours of service, and built close to one thousand places where kids and families can live, learn or play in communities around the world”. Looking at the time NBA Cares was launched, it should come as no surprise to any basketball fan that this was less than a year following the “Malice in the Palace” incident. This Pacers-Pistons brawl, which took place on November 19, 2004, involved fans in the arena and ultimately led to five NBA players being charged with assault. Following this, the image of the NBA and its players took a dramatic turn for the worse. NBA commissioner, David Stern, knew this called for drastic changes; thus he acted swiftly. Stern stated publicly that the reason for creating NBA Cares was one of social responsibility, in that the league had an obligation to give back to the community. However, others around the NBA have said the real reason was to improve the league’s public image. Nonetheless, NBA Cares and its programs have only contributed to society in a positive way. The reason for its implementation at this point is irrelevant because the achievements of NBA Cares are what are of utmost importance.
Whereas the NFL has its PLAY 60 program, the NBA FIT program “encourages physical activity and healthy living through events, programs and products for children and families”. The program has three slogans which sum up its initiatives: Be Active, Eat Healthy, and Play Together. In partnership with Boys and Girls Clubs of America, the Special Olympics, the YMCA, and numerous other organizations, NBA players and coaches lead clinics with kids all over the world teaching them the game of basketball and how important healthy eating is, even at a young age. Branching off NBA FIT, another program the league is involved in is Basketball without Borders (BWB). This global program aims to unite young basketball players to help “promote the sport and encourage positive social change in the areas of education, health, and wellness”. With the help of FIBA (International Basketball Federation), the program has held camps in nineteen countries spread over five continents since its establishment in 2001! “The more shocking statistic is that there have been more than 2,200 participants from more than one hundred and twenty countries and territories”. Recognizing that basketball is a global sport, the NBA and its players and coaches have traveled all over the globe to share their knowledge and skills with young adults to help develop the next generation of professional basketball players.
An additional program that NBA Cares coordinates is “NBA Green”. This program strives to generate funds and promote awareness on protecting the environment. In partnership with the NRDC and Sprint, during each NBA season, one week is coined “Green Week”. Throughout the week, teams and stadiums incorporate green into their uniforms and displays. The league portrays its involvement in a variety of environmental initiatives, including recycling programs, service projects and educational pamphlets. This does not mean that the league only focuses on environmental conservation for one week; rather this is a presentation and culmination of the players, teams, and league’s year-long efforts. These are just a few of the programs that NBA Cares is in charge of. The organization also has “Hoops for Troops”, a program committed to assisting servicemen/women, whether past or present, and their families; in addition to giving out a monthly and year end Community Assist Award to the NBA player who goes above and beyond in giving back to the community. The goal of corporate social responsibility is to contribute to the well-being and development of society. The actions of Donald Sterling and Ray Rice have ultimately tainted the image of both organizations involved. Both Roger Goodell and Adam Silver as commissioners of their respective leagues were faced with immense issues. From an ethical standpoint, Silver took action whereas Goodell took no action. Silver’s moral awareness and ethical judgment of the situation involving Donald Sterling allowed him to issue a prompt and severe decision, just four days after the recording was made public. Though the battle was arduous, the NBA ultimately won in that Sterling has been banned from the league and was ultimately forced to sell his team. Comparing this to the Ray Rice situation, the same cannot be said for the actions of Commissioner Goodell, who acted in his (and the league’s) best self-interest. He issued a mere two-game suspension to a man who knocked his fiancée out cold, only to drag her out of an elevator like a rag doll. The unwavering denial that the NFL did not have access to the second video, even after an NFL executive confirmed receipt of the video in April is ludicrous. The reputation and image of the league, regardless of its involvement in the community and with charitable organizations, has been forever tarnished. Parents do not want to send their kids to community events or clinics where professionals are a part of a league that does not enforce punishment of domestic violence. The reputation of the NFL has been sabotaged because of its colossal failure to render the correct decision in the Ray Rice case, regardless of its contributions to the community and society as a whole.

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