Time for the Government to drop the NFL's 501(c) status

Does it bother anyone else that one of the most profitable industries in this country is considered non-profit?

Here's what I know. When I buy an NFL jersey. I pay tax on it. When I buy a ticket, I pay tax on it. So why does the NFL not have to pay taxes?

Maybe some civic majors in here can give me a good reason, because I just don't get it.

Agree. Pull their antitrust exemption along with MLB's while we are at it at well.

Don't forget that NFL owners can get lawmakers to vote on taxes that fund eight hundred million dollar stadiums.

Wait what? How the hell is the NFL a non profit?

Lawyers.

good ol' loopholes...

Saving corporations money for decades.

I believe that the NFL gets 501c3 status in exchange for not running games on Friday nights.

At first blush, it seems horribly out of whack, especially if they receive that status in exchange for not running games on Friday nights. "We'll claim you don't earn any money if you don't broadcast over the high school teams full of players who are competing to join your ranks."

But I'm not sure it's as bad as people assume. Owners, coaches, players, etc., still get taxed on earned money. And it's not like the teams can earn a whole bunch of money and add to what they pay the players. The excess in the league either goes to charity (as with fines, etc.,) or to salaries/earnings (which are taxed as such.) Kind of a "meh" argument once you factor that in.

^ not true about donations

There was a recent article that most of NFL's donations goes to....the NFL. They donated money to the HOF.

They have over $800million in the coffers. Goodell makes $25million plus. The teams are increasing in value making the owners richer.

It should most definitely be taxed as normal. MLB dropped their status awhile back

Found the article. Very surprised ESPN doesn't publish this kind of info (sarcasm)

http://deadspin.com/non-profit-executiv ... 1506720930

Isn't it something like the nfl itself is nonprofit but the teams themselves are still taxable?

Msfann":uxwyamjt said:

Isn't it something like the nfl itself is nonprofit but the teams themselves are still taxable?

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The teams themselves are for-profit corporations. The governing body isn't 501(c)(3), they are 501(c)(6). Tax exempt status comes in many forms.

It actually makes sense that they are. However, the fact that they are a non-profit that makes billions upon billions of dollars of 'not profit' is certainly questionable. I've heard tax revenue from ending their non-profit state could exceed $91m.

Well, admittedly I am not as smart as NFL people, but, even I know that if they lose their exemption, they will just add the tax bill to tickets, parking, merchandise etc. Circular argument at best.

seedhawk":23j58msz said:

Well, admittedly I am not as smart as NFL people, but, even I know that if they lose their exemption, they will just add the tax bill to tickets, parking, merchandise etc. Circular argument at best.

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Meh, not too worried about that considering that all those things you talked about are directly attributed to the already for-profit corporation of each team.

The NFL makes money off merchandising/television and the profit will only be marginally less.