The NFL’s Pink Publicity Stunt Isn’t About Fighting Cancer .

As it does every October, the NFL is set to “go pink” this Sunday to show support for the American Cancer Society’s efforts to find a cure for breast cancer. But make no mistake: The NFL will not contribute one dime to breast-cancer research in this campaign.

Instead, the NFL “billionaires’ club”—the team owners—will require all of their players and coaches to be political showpieces.

The NFL says it has raised “nearly $15 million” for awareness and screening programs since 2009, much of it from the sale of “pink” merchandise. That’s about $2 million a year from an organization with some $12 billion in annual revenue. But strip away the orchestrated messaging of altruism—and the relatively small amount of money it raises for awareness and screening efforts—and the go-pink campaign is part of a calculated effort to attract more women to become football fans while offering a rose to those concerned about domestic violence.