52 pages • 1 hour read
The House of Wolves
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Background
Cultural Context: The National Football League (NFL)
Content Warning: The source text and this guide contain references to murder, violence, suicide, racism, sexism, and addiction.
The ownership structure of the NFL is unique among major professional sports leagues. Each of the 32 teams in the league is owned by private entities or families, with the exception of the Green Bay Packers, who are publicly owned by the city of Green Bay, Wisconsin. The individuals and families who own NFL teams have significant autonomy over their respective franchises, including decisions on hiring executives and coaches and drafting player contracts. Despite this autonomy, the NFL operates under a collective framework that requires cooperation and adherence to league policies and guidelines.
Ownership of NFL teams can be transferred through various means, most notably buyouts and family inheritance, as is the case in The House of Wolves. The character of Jenny Wolf may be inspired by Virginia Halas McCaskey, who inherited the Chicago Bears after her father’s death. McCaskey’s father had originally intended the team to go to her brother, but she inherited the team instead since her brother died before her father.
The NFL is governed by a commissioner who is appointed by team owners. The commissioner also serves as the organization’s chief executive officer and oversees league operations, enforces rules, and represents the NFL in negotiations with external entities. The team owners have the power to appoint and fire the commissioner. This structure is intended to ensure a balance between individual team control and collective league governance. As The House of Wolves shows, the commissioner is uniquely susceptible to corruption because of the power granted to the role.
Social Context: The #MeToo Movement
The #MeToo movement is a social movement intended to expose the prevalence of sexual misconduct in the US. This term was first used by American activist Tarana Burke in 2006 to raise awareness about the pervasive nature of sexual violence, especially against women of color. The term gained traction as a hashtag on social media in 2017 after actress Alyssa Milano encouraged women to use the phrase to share their experiences of harassment. The resulting wave of personal testimonies highlighted the systemic issue of sexual harassment in the entertainment history. As a result, many high-profile individuals were accused and convicted of sexual misconduct, including Harvey Weinstein and Bill Cosby. Beyond the entertainment industry, the #MeToo movement has expanded to address harassment and assault in a variety of sectors, including academia, the military, sports, and politics. Companies and organizations across the US have been prompted to reevaluate their policies regarding sexual harassment, implement stricter guidelines, and ensure safer environments for their employees.
Critics of #MeToo argue that the movement has created a “cancel culture” in which individuals accused of sexual misconduct are presumed guilty without due process. Critics argue that false accusations can have devastating effects on the accused’s personal and professional lives, even if the accused is not convicted. The House of Wolves contains criticisms of the #MeToo movement and features a female character who falsely accuses a man of misconduct in order to destroy his career.
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