njury. This costs fans in the long run. Another ethical issue for athletes is media representation. Many athletes are given prime-time exposure in the media and use it to vent personal feelings on issues such as racism or behind-the-scenes issues like sports ownership. Social commentary or self-promotional shock aired in the media is unethical behavior on behalf of athletes because being a talented athlete does not necessarily make one an expert on social issues. Athletes have too much power and influence not to inject ethical responsibility into media statements.
The coaches and managers of the football team have numerous ethical obligations similar to players. This is true in terms of media representation and contract honest as with players. It is also true with respect to balancing obligations to owners, players, and fans. For example, coaches must often make a decision when a player is injured that can heave severe consequences on the player, the team, and the fans. With the case of Troy Aikman, former Dallas football quarterback, numerous concussions forced his early retirement. Aikman opted for retirement, but if he had not, at what point should coaches make the decision to end a player’s career in light of health-threatening injuries? Losing a valuable star athlete like Aikman can have serious consequences on the number of wins, fan support, and ticket/endorsement revenues. Yet, coaches must exhibit the highest ethical standards when trying to balance such different and often conflicting interests.
Owners of sports franchises often face ethical dilemmas with respect to media decision-making. For instance, some teams like the Chicago Cubs are owned by the same investors who own the Chicago Tribune. Ethical conflicts might arise with respect to biased media coverage. Further, a modern phenomena that the Lennox Lions will have to face is the growing number of teams who are opting to televise their games only...