So there are Mormon athletes in every sport that compete professionally, and do so whenever their leagues require them. It's part of the deal and they feel blessed and fortunate to have the opportunity. It's my biased opinion, but it seems like they are able to showcase their athletic abilities and make some big money, while still carrying themselves well and being fine private representatives of the church (not public reps, like nametag missionaries).

We're talking: Jimmer, Ziggy Ansah, Eric Weddle, Bryce Harper, Jabari Parker, Jeremy Guthrie (last year's WS game 7 starter for the Royals, but having a tough time this year), the Kemoeatu bros, Ainge, Steve Young, Bruce Summerhays, and a hundred more.

Then you also have a few elite Mormon athletes who live the Sabbath very strictly, to the point that they do not compete to get paid on Sundays at all. Here are two examples:

Sid Goings -- legendary rugger, for whom the practice and game schedules were re-written to avoid Sundays.
https://www.lds.org/youth/video/from-rugby-pitch-to-mission-field?lang=eng

Eli Herring -- Olineman who was drafted and turned down a seven figure multi-year NFL contract to be a school teacher.
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865627580/20-years-later-blessed-Herring-believes-he-made-right-decision-not-to-play-in-NFL.html?pg=all

We believe that the Bible teaches the Sabbath should be a different, more holy day, and so as a church we follow that. We also believe that Christ had some of his harshest rebukes for those people who used religious guidelines (especially regarding the Sabbath) as a stick to beat people up with. So when we allow each other as church members to follow that commandment --or not -- in their own way, it's not that we don't care about it, but that we also recognize and value their own self-determination.

A few years back, my local congregation had an evening meeting scheduled in addition to the usual morning meetings. This happens maybe every other month or so. However, this evening happened to be the evening of the Super Bowl, and the timing coincided precisely with kickoff. It did seem a little heavy-handed, but certainly followed our doctrine. Interestingly, one of the speakers in the meeting was an NFL player at the time; Pro-Bowler in fact. While it wasn't the topic of the meeting to talk about appropriate Sunday endeavors, the implication was that if a guy who actually participates in the NFL for a living can turn it off and step away when needed, then the rest of us can certainly do so as well.