Who can resist a football player in pink? As October rolls around, the NFL prepares to deck every player, cheerleader, and fan out in pink as part of the league’s Breast Cancer Awareness initiative that lasts throughout the month. While the pink helmets, gloves, and cleats may only be available to the football players, NFL fans do have the opportunity to purchase pink jerseys, t-shirts, hats, and so on from the NFL’s website.
Although the product description on every cancer-awareness attire claims that “100% of the NFL’s proceeds from Pink product sales go to the American Cancer Society,” this may not be entirely true. According to a Business Insider article, “a shockingly small amount of fans’ money is actually going towards cancer research.” After ESPN’s Darren Rovell obtained data from the NFL, the public was finally made aware of what percentage of their purchases truly went to cancer research. Let me break it down for you:
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The NFL takes a 25% royalty from the product’s wholesale price (which is typically half of the retail price)
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Of that 25% cut, 90% is donated to the American Cancer Society
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Of all the money that the ACS receives, only about 71% of donations go towards cancer research and programs
The end result? Only about 8% of customers’ money that is spent on NFL’s pink merchandise is actually going towards cancer research.
I don’t know about you guys, but I feel robbed. I truly thought that spending my money on attire meant that I was making a decently sized donation to the ACS. However, when I bought that pink NY Giants t-shirt last year for $34, only about $2.70 actually went to cancer research.
Obviously, my whole perception about the ACS’ GoPink campaign has completely changed because of these recent findings. While the argument can be made that the NFL is helping to raise a priceless amount of awareness among fans across the country, I only see this as a marketing and media ploy for both the NFL and the American Cancer Society.
So, as we move into the month of October, I urge everyone to be aware about how much of your donations truly go towards cancer research at whichever cancer charity you choose to donate to. As for myself, I know that I feel more comfortable handing over a check that will directly benefit and make a difference in a present or future cancer patients’ life instead of letting it be divided again and again into a miniscule amount of money. We are supposed to be supporting the people – victims, survivors, and those who have yet to be diagnosed – not an organization’s event-of-the-month. Ask questions, do research, and support the cause this month.
Sources:
https://tribkiah.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/nfl.jpg
http://img1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140422183707/glee/images/f/fd/Wait-what.gif