Let them eat (king) cake.
The NFL is staying the course to bring football to Paris for the first time, which has become extremely complicated in light of protests and domestic unrest in France. The New Orleans Saints will “host” the Pittsburgh Steelers at Stade de France on Sunday, and there are serious security questions from players surrounding the event.
Dani Watt, wife of Steelers pass rusher T.J. Watt said “tell me how this one makes sense,” in response to a report about her husband playing in Paris despite the unrest. Cam Heyward also chimed in on the issue, saying “NFL likes money” when asked about the decision to hold the game in a potentially dangerous environment which requires security briefings for players.
France as a whole has been rocked by widespread unrest as anti-government protests across the country turned violent. Over 500,000 people turned out to march against the surging cost of living, which looters then used as cover to start riots. Storefronts were smashed across the country, cars burned, widespread looting occurred, and over 2,000 people were arrested by police. What began as a protest by high school students last month, arguing for better school conditions and education funding, morphed as various labor groups and farmers joined alongside the students and turned the focus of the protests away from education, and into a broader anti-government rally focused on inflation.
Athletes like NBA superstar Victor Wembanyama have come out to support the students in their protests.
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is adamant that footage being shown around the world doesn’t reflect all of France, but rather, “We have chaos that is very much localized in certain urban areas.” It just so happens that Paris is one of those localized urban areas, and the NFL is marching right into it. What makes this even more concerning is that the NFL game at Stade de France is precisely the kind of event French citizens are protesting, with the NFL entering an undisclosed agreement with French officials to host games in the nation, which is expected to be funded by millions of taxpayer dollars. It comes at a time when citizens are already angry about misplaced government spending.
Gayle Benson, owner of the Saints, took part in an emergency meeting on Tuesday to discuss security issues surrounding the game, and she was satisfied with the NFL’s plan to keep teams safe.
Still, the truth is that nobody knows exactly what will happen on Sunday. The NFL is banking heavily on the game taking place in Saint-Denis, just north of Paris, hoping that the geographic distance will dissuade protesters from disrupting the game. However, Saint-Denis is populous in its own right, being home to 150,000 people. In addition, protesters have been ensuring their message is heard by disrupting events, and blockading the entrance of the Louvre, preventing tourists from entering.
At least the NFL can rest easy knowing that nothing has ever happened to out-of-touch billionaires in France who are pressing on like the concerns of average citizens are meaningless.