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Column: NFL should wear less pink and more purple

By WTOP Staff

JIM LITKE
AP Sports Columnist

The NFL’s idea of outreach to women was once described as “shrink it and pink it.” That is, taking the same stuff the league was already selling to men, scaling it to size and then splashing on a lot of pink dye.

That’s not enough anymore.

Fans will see pinked-out fields this weekend for the start of the NFL’s version of “Breast Cancer Awareness Month.” Keep in mind the league took in more than $9 billion last year from an audience in which women made up almost half (46 percent, or 93 million total viewers).

The NFL’s fourth annual campaign, dubbed “A Crucial Catch,” is a good cause to be sure. Like any runway show — albeit one with violent collisions– the participants will be accessorized head to toe. According to the league’s own inventory, that means pink “cleats, wristbands, gloves, sideline caps, helmet decals, captains’ patches, chin straps, shoe laces, skull caps, sideline towels, eye shield decals, quarterback towels and mouth guards.”

(OK, maybe not mouth guards, since players who agreed to wear them to endorse Crest toothpaste were allowed to opt out after corporate parent Procter & Gamble pulled out of the campaign in response to the league’s colossal bungling of the Ray Rice affair.)

Fans won’t be shortchanged, either. In addition to being handed pink rally towels in some stadiums, they’ll be treated to pink goal post padding, cheerleaders waving pink pompoms, special pink ribbon game balls and pink-ribboned caps for coaches, team personnel and officials.

You might think all that pink would translate into a lot of money.

Maybe, maybe not. Depends on who you ask.

The NFL donates 100 percent of the proceeds from the sale of pink merchandise and game-worn items through an auction on NFL.com. In 2009, the first year of the program, that meant a check to the American Cancer Society for $310,175; last year, it was for $1.86 million. It’s not a direct comparison, but the society’s campaign with the Walgreen’s chain — which offers customers a chance to add a donation when paying for their purchases — raises about $5 million annually.

The NFL has kicked in about $6.7 million total so far, and there’s no question their partnership with ACS has been increasingly effective at getting out the word. This year, in every NFL market, there will be free, on site-screenings and support staff to answer questions. The campaign has already provided 10,000 free screenings and educated another 72,000 women on its benefits. A survey last season found that 70 percent of the women who watched games during October got the message as well, and the number has been steadily climbing. But as far as tangible benefits that’s about it.

Cancer society spokeswoman Tara Peters says there’s no easy way to calculate the real value of putting that message in front of the audience that NFL games offer, which should be well north of 150 million viewers by the end of the month. There are sponsorship analysts who measure the impact of similar campaigns, and a few say there are better and perhaps more impactful opportunities out there.

October also happens to be “Domestic Violence Awareness Month,” though you’d be hard-pressed to find its symbolic purple ribbons amid the avalanche of pink. It’s also an effort that could benefit greatly from the NFL’s outsized reach, and in turn, restore some of the luster to the league’s image.

“The fight against breast cancer is obviously a very well-supported cause. Just look at how many events coalesce around the pink ribbon,” said Jim Andrews, senior vice president for the sponsorship firm IEG. “That makes the NFL just one of many corporations that are part of the effort. … But domestic violence is a cause that needs help, both in terms of organization and financial backing.

“Given the recent issues the league’s been dealing with, in terms of enlightened self-interest, that’s a cause the NFL could get behind and actually make a difference — imagine PSAs (public-service announcements) by some well-known players, a campaign to raise funds for local programs and shelters … If the NFL is serious about broadening their appeal to women, it’s an opportunity well worth looking into.”

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell seems to be doing just that. Two weeks ago, he named three outside consultants to help shape league policies on domestic violence and sexual assault. Last weekend, he spent three hours at the headquarters of the National Domestic Violence Hotline, following up on the league’s multiyear, multimillion-dollar pledge of assistance.

Be wary, though, any time the words “NFL” and “enlightened self-interest” appear in the same sentence. This is the same league, after all, that’s plowed plenty of money into a program designed to convince mothers, despite mounting evidence to the contrary, that there’s a way to tackle that makes football safer for their kids.

___

Jim Litke is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at jlitke@ap.org and follow him at Twitter.com/JimLitke.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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