In a case to be argued this week -- as the playoffs are beginning -- before the United States Supreme Court, the NFL is attempting to establish the principle that the playing field is the only venue within which the teams compete and that for all other purposes they are part of a single economic entity.
Not sure this explains it, but I did find this:
In a case to be argued this week -- as the playoffs are beginning -- before the United States Supreme Court, the NFL is attempting to establish the principle that the playing field is the only venue within which the teams compete and that for all other purposes they are part of a single economic entity.
https://www.primerus.com/article/nfl-attempts-convince-supreme-court-its-teams-are-not-competitors-except-playing-field