TIME magazine said the National Football League has sought legal action against rapper Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam, or otherwise known as M.I.A., for brandishing her middle finger briefly during a 2012 SuperBowl performance, which was broadcasted live. The magazine is calling the amount being sought by the league it the most absurd thing ever at $16.6 million, recalling that the highest fine it imposed on someone within the league is $100,000 on Detroit Lions' Ndamukong Suh for delivering a brutal chop block against John Sullivan.
According to NFL's lawsuit, the amount of money it is seeking from the British recording artist is for breach of contract at $1.5 million and the value of her screen time in advertising dollars, which is at $15.5 million.
TIME said that the lawsuit filed by NFL to an artist was ludicrous considering that the artists who had performed before created more bigger and louder controversies than her middle-finger flashing. M.I.A. cited in a response obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, said the NFL did not seek legal claim against Michael Jackson when the Prince of Pop repeatedly grabbed his crotch during a 1993 Super Bowl halftime performance of "Billy Jean." TIME also noted that the sports league did not go after Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson, who were involved in Super Bowl halftime's biggest controversy. In a 2004 joint performance, Timberlake exposed Jackson's right breast by ripping of a piece of her clothing. The magazine also cited another controversial Super Bowl performance, which is of Prince playing "Purple Rain" in the rain with a purple guitar while turning the guitar into a phallic object numerous times.
M.I.A. said in her counter suit that the lawsuit filed by the NFL was some sort of punishment for challenging the sports league. The league, said TIME, is already lucrative enough to not pursue a lawsuit against a recording artist who is not that rich unlike her co-performer Madonna. Moreover, the magazine said the sports league failed to implement their five-second show delay policy to ban future graphic content. TIME wrote in its report that at the very least, NFL should demand restitution instead for M.I.A.'s irresponsibility.
