The branding rules relate to clothing and shoes — and they’re very detailed rules. The NFL usually cracks down hard on those violations because their merchandising partners pay a fortune in licensing fees to have their logos on the players’ uniforms. If the NFL signs a $25 million licensing fee with Nike (for example) and then they don’t act quickly and harshly to protect Nike’s exclusive branding contract, they could face legal penalties and may even be forced to give all the money back.
Fair enough. But didn’t I hear that the US Government pays the NFL for something having to do with the national anthem and military promotion?
Is it different then?