Irsay’s Twitter Lotto a League No-No?
Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay invited fans to guess who he’ll hire as the team’s next coach. On Twitter, Irsay wrote:
Predict new Indianapolis Colts Head Coach,win 2 Super Bowl Tics! 1 guess only,u must guess by midnight tonight EST,Abby’s hatpick! GOOD LUCK
On a lark, I went through the NFL bylaws, wondering if this sort of thing might be a problem. Lo and behold I stumbled onto Article IX, Section 9.1(C)(6), which states no owner or team employee may
[p]ermit or state in any game program, or by means of its public address system or otherwise, that it, he, or they, offer or agree, either directly or indirectly, to pay or give money or any other thing of value to any member of the public; neither shall any club or other person referred to in this Section 9.1 be permitted to participate at any time, directly or indirectly, in any lottery of any kind…
The rule goes on to exempt clubs that accept advertising from state lotteries and off-track-betting. But on its face, it would seem this rule prohibits Irsay from announcing a lottery for Super Bowl tickets. Having his assistant pick a name out of hat is a lottery, I would think, and the rule bans any non-state-sanctioned lottery.
I’d also point out this section of the NFL bylaws is labelled “PROHIBITED CONDUCT.” And for a league that takes perverse joy in enforcing the minutiae of its rules against mere players, it’d be funny if a high-profile owner just pissed all over what the bylaws consider a major rule.