Anheuser-Busch 'Increasingly Concerned' With NFL's Handling Of Off-Field Incidents
by Chris Lingebach
WASHINGTON (CBSDC) — Anheuser Busch — the beer-manufacturing giant responsible for Budweiser, Bud Light, Michelob, Natural Light and Rolling Rock, among many others – a major NFL sponsor, released a statement Tuesday voicing extreme disappointment in the league's handling of recent off-field incidents.
No specific incident was mentioned:
- Not the league's multiple suspensions of Ray Rice, after failing to obtain security footage of Rice punching his fiancée in the face in a casino elevator, footage which was later leaked to the public;
- Not the league's handling of Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, who was indicted for the abuse of his child;
- Not the league's handling of Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy, who has yet to be suspended after being found guilty on charges of domestic violence and threatening his ex-girlfriend;
- And not the intense scrutiny under which commissioner Roger Goodell has fallen for overseeing the NFL's handling of all three incidents.
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And yet, here's the statement from Anheuser-Busch, first reported by CNBC:
"We are disappointed and increasingly concerned by the recent incidents that have overshadowed this NFL season. We are not yet satisfied with the league's handling of behaviors that so clearly go against our own company culture and moral code. We have shared our concerns and expectations with the league."
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Multiple owners have voiced strong support for Goodell in the last week, after Goodell publicly admitted to not having seen all the security footage of the Ray Rice assault prior to administering punishment.
However, public disapproval from a leading sponsor sends an extremely concerning message to other sponsors, and if money begins disappearing from owners' pockets, so to could that support for Goodell.
Houston Texans running back Arian Foster offered his honest reaction on Twitter.
Lol ok, alcohol company. RT @darrenrovell: NFL beer sponsor, Anheuser-Busch, issues strong statement pic.twitter.com/TCEbA4s5Q1
— Arian Foster (@ArianFoster) September 16, 2014
Selling poison on that high horse.
— Arian Foster (@ArianFoster) September 16, 2014
Domestic violence and alcohol damn near synonymous.
— Arian Foster (@ArianFoster) September 16, 2014
Everybody is just riding the media wave. There has been tons of dv cases throughout the years where was all this support then? Its political
— Arian Foster (@ArianFoster) September 16, 2014
Anytime it's starts to tinkering with their bottom line, then they act. Now they're concerned.
— Arian Foster (@ArianFoster) September 16, 2014
I'm sure everyone agrees 100% with their employers. 100% of the time.
— Arian Foster (@ArianFoster) September 16, 2014
(Read the full statement here.)
