Ratings Sway Rule Enforcement

Researchers argue that as the Kansas City Chiefs became a ratings engine in the Mahomes era, postseason officiating tilted in their favor. Sports supply a clean testbed—instant, transparent calls—showing how financial stakes can subtly bias enforcement. If true, it implies a general mechanism where dependence on star entities deforms neutral rule application. — It suggests regulators and referees alike may under‑enforce against revenue‑critical players, warning of soft capture wherever enforcement bodies rely on dominant firms or brands.