NEW YORK (April 18, 2007) – Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher was fined $100,000 by the NFL for wearing a cap during Super Bowl media day that promoted a sponsor not authorized by the league.
NFL rules prohibit gear that advertises any product but a designated sponsor, league spokesman Brian McCarthy said.
Urlacher was fined for drinking vitaminwater and wearing a vitaminwater hat during the media session in Miami leading to the title game. Gatorade is the NFL’s official drink.
McCarthy said this is the first time such a fine has been levied. He added that $100,000 is the standard fine for such a violation at the Super Bowl. A violation during the regular season is $10,000. It is $50,000 at the Pro Bowl.
The fine recalls an episode involving Chicago quarterback Jim McMahon in the playoffs following the 1985 season, the previous time the Bears made the Super Bowl.
McMahon wore a headband that said “adidas” in a playoff game against the New York Giants, and then-commissioner Pete Rozelle fined him $5,000 because the shoe company was not an NFL sponsor. The following week, in the NFC title game against the Los Angeles Rams, McMahon wore a headband that read “rozelle.”
how bullshit is that. fuckin for not knowing what hat to wear… one thing is that hat will get more promotion by being fined then just him wearing it in an interview
motherfuckers can go out and act like criminals and don’t even get fines like that…thats ludacris! the NFL should be embarassed of themselves for this.
its says nowhere in company policy about the team shirt that i wear. its courtesy that i don’t. i’m not saying the fine isn’t justified but the amount… sure its a drop in the bucket to urlacher but compared to fines that deal with much more serious stuff, thats what makes it embarassing. be a thug, beat ur wife, get DUI and we’ll fine you 10,000 but wear the wrong hat on media day… 100K. NFL is just a stupid as nascar… make a big deal about someone not doing the right thing concerning a sponsor and give that other company more publicity than they already had. How many people do you think really cared what hat urlacher was wearing rather than what he was saying?
vitaminwater should DEFINITELY milk this publicity… throw out an urlacher flavour like they have with kasey kahne(sp?). Fuck, they already have a flavour called defense… just throw urlacher’s face on it.
I think the NFL is worse. But you hit it right on, how ridiculous is that. Screwing up a sponsor/apparell issue is a bigger deal to the NFL than drug use and/or criminal activity.
why do beverage companies think that just because you label your drink with some piece of shit player (r lewis) people will buy it more? i know that that tacky shit is the last thing i buy.
it works in pittsburgh cause steelers fans are fuckin gay and will buy anything with a player on it. i can honsetly say the only thing i’ve ever bought because of the person who endorsed it was some retro jordans and about 10 pairs of bo jacksons. id say i more often dont buy something because of the endorser.
i’ll give you that one, but its doesnt have well known competition… i’m talking like similar products, beer, sports drinks, tennis shoes, cell phones, etc… stuff like that… i mean i’m sure their are hillbillies that drink bud cuase its on jr’s car but speaking for myself it don;t make a lick of difference to me.
