The NFLPA Can Make A "Let Us Play" Ad, But The Networks Don't Have To Let It Play

The NFLPA released an ad for its "Let Us Play" campaign, and CBS won't run it during Saturday's Texas-America All-Star game. Could this be what the NFLPA, which is better at internetting than most teenagers, had in mind to begin with?

Here's the ad:

In rejecting the NFLPA's ad from the game that NFLPA sponsors, CBS told George Atallah, assistant executive director of external affairs for the NFLPA, that they "didn't want to get involved with the labor negotiations." Atallah suggested to that CBS College Sports Network's decision "is clearly indicative of the relationships the networks have with the league." He is alluding, of course, to the fact that CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN, and DirecTV will all continue to pay their NFL contracts in 2011, even if the (very likely) lockout means that those networks aren't showing any games.

Sure, there is a more impressive social media campaign going on elsewhere in the world this week, with more important consequences at play, but the NFLPA's hashtagging efforts are building real, tangible support for its players. From the raised finger salute back in September to today's eruption of disbelief and First Amendment offenses on Twitter and elsewhere, they've played it right — especially if the original point was not getting played at all.

National Football League Players: CBS Rejected Let Us Play Ad [Advertising Age]