Durbin calls for cancellation of ‘Friday Night Tykes’

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) called for the cancellation of an Esquire show “Friday Night Tykes.”

He said the show encourages “violent competitiveness” among child football players in Texas.

{mosads}“For the sake of America’s youth athletes, I call on you to immediately end this shameful, dangerous display on your network,” Durbin said. “With all we know about the risks of concussions in youth sports today, it is unconscionable to televise and celebrate the conduct of a league that directly endangers the health of children.”

Durbin sent a letter Thursday to Esquire Network President Adam Stotsky asking him to remove the new show from its line-up.

Durbin said football coaches on the show encourage 8- and 9-year-old children to deliver blows to the head and to play through injuries.

“Many school districts are making progress in reducing concussions by educating students, parents, and school personnel about how to recognize and respond to concussions,” Durbin wrote. “A show such as ‘Friday Night Tykes’ sends the opposite message and exploits these children for purely entertainment purposes.”

Durbin said he also asked the National Collegiate Athletic Association to implement a concussion safety and management plan that includes a strict “when in doubt, sit it out” policy.

Lawmakers have grown increasingly concerned about the long-term health consequences of repeated concussions.

Durbin has introduced the Protecting Student Athletes from Concussions Act, which would require that a student suspected of sustaining a concussion be removed from the game or practice for at least the rest of the day.