BANNED: Super Bowl Gun Commercial
Set to dominate the airwaves on February 2, the NFL has been gearing up for the celebrated Super Bowl. In preparation, companies submit commercial advertisements months in advance. Daniel Defense, a gun dealer, did just this, only to receive a rejection from FOX that stated, “Unfortunately, we cannot accept your commercial in football/Super Bowl spots due to the rules the NFL itself has set into place for your company’s category.”
This may lead readers to wonder what the content of Daniel Defense’s ad actually was, but the clean-cut commercial simply focused on citizen’s fundamental rights to personal protection. The NFL, however, has created a detailed list that highlights their prohibited advertising categories, which of course includes the controversial firearm. Furthermore, the NFL states, “Firearms, ammunition or other weapons are prohibited; however, stores that sell firearms and ammunition’s (e.g., outdoor stores and camping stores) will be permitted, provided they sell other products and the ads do not mention firearms, ammunition or other weapons.”
When these guidelines are taken into context and Daniel Defense’s ad is reviewed, the commercial does not violate the NFL’s strict firearm ad regulations. Why? Because Daniel Defense sells other non-firearm related products, such as clothing and apparel and the commercial itself focuses on personal protection, not mentioning ammunition, firearms or weaponry.
While critics highlight that the end of Daniel Defense’s advertisement included a logo of the DDM4 rifle, Daniel Defense was quick to offer a replacement and offered an American flag or wanted the words “Shall not be infringed” to appear on the screen. However, the NFL responded with yet another non-negotiable rejection.
Critics of the NFL’s decision are quick to note that in 2012, Daniel Defense was permitted to run an advertisement that highlighted manufacturing firearms and even included a brief clip of Larry Vickers firing a weapon. Additionally, the NFL regularly accepts advertisements that feature violent video games and movies, which are apparently considered acceptable by NFL standards.
This leads many critics to wonder why the NFL is suddenly insistent on controlling the airwaves, especially when it comes to concealed carry, protection and the Second Amendment. Could this perhaps be a push by legislative politicians to further control and censor airwaves, hoping that Americans will soon forget the importance of preserving the freedoms and rights that were so aptly bestowed upon them by the forefathers of our great nation? By doing so, the NFL is also violating another important amendment: the First Amendment and the right to Freedom of Speech.
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