NFL to Run Anti-Domestic Violence PSA During 2015 Super Bowl Following Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson Abuse Cases; New Ad Airing for New England Patriots & Seattle Seahawks Match

The NFL will run a 'No More' anti-domestic violence PSA during the 2015 Super Bowl match up between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks. It comes after a year where the NFL has been rocked by abuse scandals, including the Ray Rice elevator incident where the Baltimore Ravens running back knocked out his then-fiancee, and the Adrian Peterson child abuse trial, where the Minnesota Vikings running back pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor reckless assault charge. The NFL have been running 'No More' domestic violence ads all season -- featuring celebrities and former NFL players -- but this marks the first time an anti-domestic violence ad will be shown during a Super Bowl. 

#NOMORE talks to @Rollingstone about our new domestic violence & sexual assault PSA for the Super Bowl https://t.co/RmK2GQZNg2

— NOMORE.org (@NOMOREorg) January 27, 2015

The ad is reportedly based on an actual 911 phone call: it features a woman pretending to order a pizza as she's not able to speak openly in her own house, but who instead dials 911 and tries to communicate with the operator. The melancholic ad shows a domestic situation in disarray -- dishes piled in the sink, an unmade bed, a hole punched in the wall, and a broken picture of a woman next to a garbage can -- as we hear the phone call being made.

This chilling PSA will be the first to address domestic violence during the Super Bowl https://t.co/N55KR549Bf

— HuffPost Sports (@HuffPostSports) January 27, 2015

As The Huffington Post say, this will be the first ani-domestic violence ad to air during a Super Bowl.  

The No More series of advertisements have been running throughout the NFL's 2014-15 season  with former NFL footballers such as Joe Montana, Chris Carter and Bart Scott alongside celebrities like Hilary Swank, Jemima Kirke and Courtney Cox. The Wall Street Journal spoke to the NFL's new marketing chief Dawn Hudson about the series.

As Deadline report, Hudson told the WSJ that "This is us trying to do the right thing," and that the series of ads that have run so far "haven't gottten weird reactions."

The series comes as, say Deadline, "the league was battling the "perception" it does not take seriously the charges of abuse perpetrated by its players."

No More Director Virginia Witt told Rolling Stone "We hope this No More PSA will bring Americans together - on a day families and friends spend together - in the effort to end domestic violence and sexual assault,"

The magazine also report that the NFL "donated both airtime and funds to produce the commercial to the ad agency Grey New York."