I would say as far as the players go, some are happy but the majority are just grist for the mill. Like Spotify, Taylor Swift gets the big money while smaller bands you listen to all the time get pennies.
You just keep making my arguments for me.
exhibit B
And yes the NFL could care less what the fan thinks. As long as you slurp the koolaid and buy the merch they do not care. Monetize that dopamine
There is pricey and then there are hidden fees. I would imagine this falls under the latter. Look at who is buying and who is selling. You and the State are buying. How many layers of contractors are there?