The NFL Players Association has come up with a new idea for babysitting the grown men that it is responsible for representing. Since professional football players can’t seem to figure out how to use their money and resources to stop putting their lives and careers in jeopardy, the NFLPA is hoping a partnership with Uber will help.
Uber is a technology firm that makes a smartphone app which is essentially a digital dispatcher for people who need a taxi sent to their location. According to the New York Times, the NFLPA will be incorporating Uber into its existing system, which allows players to call a service for a safe ride. The advantage Uber will bring is that players will not have to know their exact location, because the GPS on their phone will take care of that.
“This generation is more tied to having a mobile device,” NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith said. “If we can move to a world where we are using the phenomenon to increase the safety of our players, then the partnership with Uber is a no-brainer.”
Uber currently operates in 17 of 31 NFL cities, but certain cities like Miami and Houston have regulations that govern taxi companies that block Uber from entering their markets. The service will start next week, and players will begin with a $200 credit to encourage them to use Uber.
Drunk driving has been a major issue throughout the NFL for the past several years, which is amazing when you consider the money and services NFL players have at their disposal. In addition to systems like the one the NFLPA has in place for rides, teams also provide their own car services to keep players out of trouble.
Yet even after a Dallas Cowboys player killed his teammate while allegedly driving while under the influence, players continue to turn their noses up at the law. Will a partnership with Uber accomplish anything aside from bringing more money to the league? I wish it would, but excuse me for being skeptical.
H/T Darren Rovell
