Author Mark Leibovich: NFL maintains hold on American imagination

Despite many problems plaguing professional football, the NFL continues to have a "hold on the American imagination," author Mark Leibovich told a National Press Club audience Oct. 11.

In a discussion of his new book, “Big Game: The NFL in Dangerous Times," Leibovich said the appeal of football is that it is “a great reality show,” and fans never know what is going to happen next.

As a recent example of a surprise, he pointed to Vontae Davis, a defensive back for the Buffalo Bills, retiring at halftime of a game.

The NFL is in dangerous times, Leibovich said, because it has collided with politics and the culture wars. Sports have been a community tradition, a type of connective tissue. The ongoing controversy over the national anthem has been divisive instead of unifying.

When asked if the NFL will survive, Leibovich said the major problem could be health and safety issues. Medical science is working on being able to identify brain damage to current players. If it is found that brain damage occurs early in careers, it could lead to more athletes choosing other sports over football.

Leibovich, the New York Times Magazine’s chief national correspondent, is also the author of “This Town: Two Parties and a Funeral -- Plus, Plenty of Valet Parking! -- in America's Gilded Capital” and “Citizens of the Green Room: Profiles in Courage and Self-Delusion.”

Another challenge for pro football is potential labor problems in the next collective bargaining agreement. It is the only major sport without guaranteed contracts.

The NFL seems unprepared to deal with crises, according to Leibovich. For instance, the league had no idea how to deal with problems like former running back Ray Rice’s assault on his fiancée or President Donald Trump’s attack over some players kneeling during the anthem.

One of the unique aspects of pro football is that it is television sport, Leibovich said. Sixty percent of the league's revenue comes from television contracts. A team representative told him only 7% of NFL fans have attended a game. The vast majority watch football on TV.

Derek Wallbank, chairman of the Club board, interviewed Leibovich to facilitate the discussion.