Sports leagues should not be taking care of Americans

Photo of Steelers head coach, Mike Tomlin, providing food for local Pittsburg families

Photo courtesy of Karl Roser / Pittsburg Steelers

Nowadays, it is inevitable to hear breaking news and discourse regarding sports. With constant updates on scores and buzz around professional leagues, there’s always something to talk about. However, one thing that never seems to garner much attention is all the work these teams do off the court. 

Charity events, food donations and involvement in their respective communities take a back seat to the game itself. Even something as small as a single play in a game can lead to free food and charity towards city residents and fans.

The New York Jets partner with McDonald’s for their “Sacks for Big Macs,” which, according to their website, rewards fans with a “free Big Mac if they make a two-dollar purchase after the Jets sack an opponent.” Many teams across all major leagues have partnerships with corporations that reward fans with free food or discounts if a player records a certain amount of one stat or misses a certain amount of another. This can be huge for underprivileged families who rely on these rewards to feed their families.

Philip Lindsay, a former running back for the Denver Broncos, grew up in Denver and recalled how former star quarterback Tim Tebow’s reign won free McDonald’s for Denver residents in an NFL Films episode.

“He helped a lotta kids because, back in that time, McDonald’s had a thing where every time the Broncos win, you get a free Big Mac. Well, you know kids, growing up when you don’t have the money like that, you’re banking on that. And they were winning, they were winning consecutively too, so we were getting free Big Macs every week!”

While a free burger here and there may not seem like a lot, food insecurity is still a huge issue in America. According to a 2022 study by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), food insecurity affects over 44 million Americans. A free meal supplied by the accomplishments of a local team can be a huge deal to those affected by food insecurity. Better yet, most teams run a promotion like this with a partnering fast-food chain, making the benefits of their deals widely accessible to fans. For example, The New York Yankees hold the Chick-fil-A Double Play, and the New York Mets partner with McDonald’s to give away free beverages if they score more than five runs.

Do an internet search for “Sports Teams Giving Out Turkeys,” and not only will you find results of major league organizations giving back, but also players individually giving back to their local communities. Collegiate, professional and retired athletes across all levels often come together to ensure their communities are cared for. They ask for nothing monetary in return; it’s simply to take care of the fans and communities that support them each time they take the field.

Moreover, most teams and leagues raise money and supplies to give back to their communities year-round. Each season, the NFL Foundation donates over 500 million dollars to support community impact foundations and organizations. The MLB has its own list of supported charities and auctions of game-used equipment and merchandise to donate. The NBA Foundation aims to give back through community programs and grants. This year, they plan to award over 119 million dollars in grants across all the league’s markets. 

While all the charity work and donations to their fans are great, it’s not solely the teams’ responsibility to provide for their community. They do these acts out of the goodness of their hearts when it should be the government assisting with raising funds for community outreach and food insecurity.

According to a 2023 study from the USDA, 13.5% of U.S. households struggled to provide food at all times for all household members. The federal government does have programs such as SNAP (formerly food stamps) and many other programs that provide short term benefits. Yet, even with all the government’s resources, sports leagues still manage to do more than their part for everyday people by investing in community outreach programs. 

Major league foundations assure that their supporters will have the resources they need to live their lives. The NBA Foundation’s mission statement aims to “drive economic opportunity in the Black community through employment and career development by funding programs that generate successful transitions from school to meaningful employment for Black youth.” While it’s an amazing thing that the NBA invests in its market’s communities, it’s something that should be done by the governing bodies of those communities.

Governing bodies need to step in and take care of issues that they are far more suited to solve than athletic leagues. While charity work is amazing, sports teams and leagues shouldn’t be the first line of defense against economic and societal struggles.