The idea that professional sports leagues are rigged has been around for a long time. However, with the rise of social media, these allegations have gained new life and become more widely discussed.
One of the most popular sports leagues to be called out as “rigged” is the NFL. But what does this mean? Can you actually prove or disprove this claim? Let’s take a closer look at this issue and see what evidence there is to support it.
The Definition of Rigging
First, let’s define what we mean when we say that something is rigged. According to Merriam-Webster, rigging means “to manipulate (something) in order to achieve a desired result especially: to tamper with or fix (a game or contest) so as to achieve an unfair or predetermined outcome.” In other words, if something is rigged, then it was purposefully manipulated by someone in order to ensure a certain outcome.
There are numerous theories about how the NFL could be rigged, ranging from referee bias towards certain teams to collusion between owners and players.
Some argue that games are fixed in order for teams with large markets (like New York or Los Angeles) to draw more revenue and attention than smaller market teams. Others suggest that certain teams are favored due to relationships between team owners and league officials.
Evidence of Rigging in the NFL?
The truth is that there isn’t much evidence that suggests that the NFL is actually being rigged in any way. While there may be some biases among referees and other officials, these biases tend to even out over time as different teams play each other throughout the course of a season.
Furthermore, any kind of collusion between owners would likely be uncovered by league investigators fairly quickly due to intense scrutiny from fans and media outlets alike.
Conclusion
While there may be some bias among referees or other officials in the NFL, there isn’t much evidence that suggests that games are being fixed or manipulated in any way in order to ensure a certain outcome.
This means that while you may feel like your favorite team got “screwed” on occasion, it probably wasn’t because of some kind of conspiracy it’s just part of playing sports! So next time someone tells you they think the NFL is rigged. you can confidently tell them otherwise!