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Vanity: Is the NFL Risking Its Tax-Exempt Status Engaging in Political Activity?
VANITY

Posted on 09/25/2017 4:47:21 PM PDT by TigerClaws

The NFL is now a 'non-profit' corporation. Goodell gets paid $40 million+ a year. The League takes in $9.5 billion. Taxpayers have footed the bill for $7 billion in stadiums to play the games.

Are they risking that non-profit status via political activity?

See the links below for more info:

“In my mind, the NFL doesn’t fit very well [into 501(c)(6) status]” Hackney says. “They do some good things with charity, but the majority of what they do is promote the brand of the NFL and the 32 teams.”

http://www.witf.org/news/2014/10/why-is-the-nfl-a-nonprofit.php

In return for its favored tax-status, a charitable nonprofit promises the federal government that it will not engage in “political campaign activity” and if it does, IRS regulations mandate that the charitable nonprofit will lose its tax-exempt status. This prohibition against political campaign activity (defined as “supporting or opposing a candidate for public office”) is SEPARATE from lobbying or legislative activities, which charitable nonprofits ARE permitted to engage in, although knowing the rules is important, as limitations apply.

https://www.councilofnonprofits.org/tools-resources/political-campaign-activities-risks-tax-exempt-status


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Government; Politics/Elections; Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: dayofthevanities; nfl; stopthevanities; vanitieswillkillus
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To: madison10

Thanks for the response.

If I ask a question on FR, I actually expect someone that knows more than I do to respond! Appreciate it.

I think the straight up corporate welfare via tax breaks (state and local) and the free use of the stadiums is how we pull the plug on the NFL.

They work for us. They’ll do what we tell them to do if we squeeze them where it counts — $$$.


21 posted on 09/25/2017 5:04:29 PM PDT by TigerClaws
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To: TigerClaws
Vanity: Is the NFL Risking Its Tax-Exempt Status Engaging in Political Activity?

Liberals always threatened Churches. It's time the NFL had it explained to them why shutting up about politics was where they should have stayed.

22 posted on 09/25/2017 5:05:44 PM PDT by DiogenesLamp ("of parents owing allegiance to no other sovereignty.")
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To: oblomov
Why do they deserve an antitrust exemption?

In my view, no organization should be exempted from antitrust laws, including the government itself.

Exactly.

23 posted on 09/25/2017 5:07:00 PM PDT by DiogenesLamp ("of parents owing allegiance to no other sovereignty.")
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To: TigerClaws

They gave it up in 2015. According to USA, it was because of the flak over Goodell’s salary!

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2015/04/28/nfl-tax-exempt-status-roger-goodell-drop-salary/26543647/


24 posted on 09/25/2017 5:08:23 PM PDT by Freedom56v2 (Freeper formerly known as bushwon ;))
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To: TigerClaws; Kahuna; Pilgrim's Progress; Lurking Libertarian; escapefromboston; ...

After more than 70 years as a tax-exempt operation, the NFL said Tuesday that its league office will relinquish its tax-exempt status and file as a taxable entity instead.

This was in 2015.


25 posted on 09/25/2017 5:08:47 PM PDT by sparklite2 (I'm less interested in the rights I have than the liberties I can take.)
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To: All

Thanks for the info and responses!

From a fellow FR member:

NFL Sponsor Contact
Anheuser-Busch http://contactus.anheuser-busch.com/contactus/budCA/contact_us.asp
Barclaycard US https://www.barclaycardus.com/servicing/headerLinks?handleContactUsPhone=
Bose https://www.bose.com/en_us/contact_us.html
Bridgestone https://www.bridgestonetire.com/customer-care/contact-us
Campbell’s Soup Company https://www.campbells.com/connect/
Castrol http://www.castrol.com/en_us/united-states/about-us/contact-us.html
Courtyard Marriott https://www.marriott.com/marriott/contact.mi
Dairy Management, Inc. (Fuel Up to Play 60) https://www.dairy.org/contact-us
Dannon http://www.dannon.com/feedback-form/
Extreme Networks http://www.extremenetworks.com/contact/
FedEx http://www.fedex.com/us/office/customersupport/index.html
Frito-Lay https://cu1.pepsico.com/fritolay
Gatorade https://cu.pepsico.com/gatorade
Hyundai Motor America https://www.hyundaiusa.com/contact-us.aspx
Mars Snackfood http://www.mars.com/global/about-us/contact-us
Microsoft https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/contactus/
Nationwide https://www.nationwide.com/contact-us.jsp
News America http://www.newsamerica.com/contact-us/
Papa John’s http://www.papajohns.com/contact-us/
Pepsi https://cu.pepsico.com/pepsi
Procter & Gamble https://us.pg.com/contact_us
Quaker https://cu.pepsico.com/quaker
Verizon https://www.verizonwireless.com/support/contact-us/
Visa https://usa.visa.com/contact-us.html
USAA https://www.usaa.com/inet/pages/ContactUsBank
Last but certainly not least don’t forget to tell the NFL themselves that you are boycotting them and don’t forget to mention that you are contacting advertisers and sponsors to tell them you’re boycotting their products and services until they sever ties with the NFL! http://www.nfl.com/contact-us;


26 posted on 09/25/2017 5:09:56 PM PDT by TigerClaws
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To: Lurking Libertarian

But the NFL is allowing one of its rules to be violated for political purposes.


27 posted on 09/25/2017 5:11:43 PM PDT by justa-hairyape (The user name is sarcastic. Although at times it may not appear that way.)
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To: TigerClaws

What is the basis for their non profit status? Special consideration? Something stinks.


28 posted on 09/25/2017 5:13:50 PM PDT by Sasparilla ( I'm Not Tired of Winning.)
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To: Sasparilla

Apparently they gave it up (see above responses).

Basis was they were a trade organization.


29 posted on 09/25/2017 5:14:17 PM PDT by TigerClaws
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To: TigerClaws

No. Penalties can only happen if they are enforced. Government has been and continues to give the middle finger to most of America.


30 posted on 09/25/2017 5:16:18 PM PDT by CatOwner
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To: TigerClaws

What???? Why is the NFL tax exempt?????!?!!!!


31 posted on 09/25/2017 5:18:30 PM PDT by ViLaLuz (2 Chronicles 7:14)
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To: TigerClaws

No.. because the same Democrats that wanted to revoke the NFL’s anti-trust exemption are the same ones who approve of this anti American BLM bull$hit. Think Blumenthal and Booker.


32 posted on 09/25/2017 5:21:21 PM PDT by usafa92 (Donald J. Trump, 45th President of the United States)
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To: ViLaLuz

They WERE tax exempt as a trade organization.

They gave it up after the big press on Goodell’s $42 million a year salary questioned it.

See above responses.

Thanks!


33 posted on 09/25/2017 5:23:54 PM PDT by TigerClaws
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To: TigerClaws

Why is the military (jet overflights, military bands) at NFL games at this time? I don’t see why we should waste taxpayer and military resources on these ingrates.


34 posted on 09/25/2017 5:24:08 PM PDT by grumpygresh (When will Soros be brought to justice? Crush the vermin, crush the Left.)
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To: TigerClaws

The NFl is non-profit, but it is a non-profit association composed of the teams. The teams themselves is the location of the activity the controversy is about, not the “league”, so it’s non-profit status is not in jeopardy over what the teams allow.


35 posted on 09/25/2017 5:24:24 PM PDT by Wuli
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To: grumpygresh

Military was paying for them to honor dead servicemen as well.


36 posted on 09/25/2017 5:25:58 PM PDT by TigerClaws
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To: Wuli

It is not non-profit anymore...

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2015/04/28/nfl-tax-exempt-status-roger-goodell-drop-salary/26543647/


37 posted on 09/25/2017 5:29:32 PM PDT by Freedom56v2 (Freeper formerly known as bushwon ;))
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To: All

38 posted on 09/25/2017 5:29:53 PM PDT by TigerClaws
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To: TigerClaws
I don't know about tax exempt status, but from what I understand the NFL itself is a big shell company, it makes very little actual money as a corporate. The individual companies it oversees, on the other hand, make a ton. But I think they pay taxes. So it may be a tempest in a teapot.

One comment on politics in the NFL. Roger Goodell screwed up so badly by not cracking down on Kaepernick that he established the principle in the NFL that to say "boo" about players taking knees or raising black power fists is the same as racism. And let's face it, when blacks are given a chance to complain about being victims many will simply never stop. But the NFL made itself powerful to stop them. So it became a wound that wouldn't clot, the bleeding would simply never end.

Trump actually gave them a way out. This weekend I heard all about how patriotic the players are, how they really love America and the flag and how now they are just protesting the President's mean words (what a meanie!). That's the spin. And guess how they do it? By standing during the National Anthem (arms linked, sure, but on their feet).

So the NFL managed to spin this as [1] the players are all true patriots who love the military (note: not the cop though, haven't heard boo about them in all the spinning) and [2] that they are really just protesting a tweet by standing in unity (standing being the operative word).

Now if Goodell wasn't an incompetent boob I would expect that by next week the word would go out and there would be no, zip, zero protests and it would all be over. Whew, thank you Mr President! But, alas, he is a completely incompetent boob and so they will all be kneeling with arms linked before this is over.

By the way, I note that the players broke Jerry Jones. He went out and took a knee (literally) with them. The players are running the league now and Goodell not only let it happen, he forced it on the owners with his stupidity. They are truly doomed.

39 posted on 09/25/2017 5:38:29 PM PDT by pepsi_junkie
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To: Lurking Libertarian

The NFL fully supports these demonstrations and not others - that is supporting political speech and tantamount to the NFL approving of this speech.

The NFL is in violation of the law and should lose its nonprofit status.


40 posted on 09/25/2017 5:41:15 PM PDT by Skywise
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