Here's How Much the Pentagon Paid Sports Teams for Military Tributes

You know the scene -- a stadium full of 60,000 thankful fans gives a standing ovation as the Jumbotron shows members of the military, or an active-duty soldier shows up to surprise her family in a touching on-field reunion. But most fans may not be aware of one key detail: These are paid advertisements by the US Department of Defense, and taxpayers are footing the bill.

A joint oversight report released by Sens John McCain (R-AZ) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ) found that roughly $6.8 million in taxpayer-funded marketing contracts with professional sports teams since 2012 have included "paid patriotism" events. "Unsuspecting audience members became the subjects of paid marketing campaigns rather than simply bearing witness to teams' authentic, voluntary shows of support for the brave men and women who wear our nation's uniform," the two stated in the introduction to the report. "It is hard to understand how a team accepting taxpayer funds to sponsor a military appreciation game, or to recognize wounded warriors or returning troops, can be construed as anything other than paid patriotism."