Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

This article examines the divergent ways player conduct is governed within the NFL and Major League Baseball and presents a hypothesis that might explain the differences.  It surveys the governing principles of participant comportment within both sports and asserts that while Major League Baseball is, and has been since the game’s inception, ruled largely in this regard by informal custom, the NFL eschews such an approach in favor of the formation, application and regular updating of formal, positive law.  As for why these different governing approaches exist, this article posits that the answer can be found within the origins of …