It stopped being a "game" many, many moons ago when the NFL lobbied Congress for the antitrust exemption, if not earlier. It's big bidness now, just ask the owners and their lawyers, the coaches, athletes and their respective agents.
It is a game in the respect that if you do not like what they do then quit watching and buying their junk. Nobody makes you buy or watch.
It is a game in sense that nothing they do will affect me or the majority of Americans outside losing money on stupid bets or throwing hissy fits when your teams loses and you have to accuse the other one of cheating to stroke your pride and effects of your smack talk.