The answer to the original question comes down to a storyline which generates interest and therefore clicks and viewership which generate revenue.

The NFL is a soap opera for men. Think about all the time spent discussing and deconstructing the Ingognito flap lat year. How much money was made by espn and NFLN telling and rebelling that story. And the consumers ate it up.

The NFL wants these story lines, it's good business. We want these story lines, generally, it's entertainment.

Personally, though, I don't care who Sam likes to be intimate with and I watch none of such coverage. I do want Manziel to succeed because I want a good villain to root against. It's entertainment.