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  • #1

    NFL Subsidies

    http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/...payers/309448/

    I'm as big of a sports fan as many people but I have a huge issue with this. When you consider how much money is being cut out of education, necessary infrastructure funds, etc., how can states or cities justify these kinds of subsidies? When you factor in just how much money the NFL (and its teams) make and how much it costs to go to a game, it gets even worse.

    What's even more interesting is how many of the people that support these kinds of programs are the same people that say that the poors should pull themselves up by the bootstraps.
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  • #2
    I'm perplexed at the non-profit status; the rest seems like a more ordinary kind of wrong.
    "My in-laws are country people and at night you can hear their distinctive howl."

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    • #3
      I felt the same way when my state started building taxpayer-funded sports stadium for rich sports team owners. There was a lot of public outcry against it, but the response was basically, "Fuck you, we're doing it anyway!"

      Whatever happened to "Power of the People?" Maybe it never existed in the first place.
      --- I want the republicans out of my bedroom, the democrats out of my wallet, and both out of my first and second amendment rights. Whether you are part of the anal-retentive overly politically-correct left, or the bible-thumping bellowing right, get out of the thought control business --- Alan Nathan

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      • #4
        Originally posted by MadMike View Post
        I felt the same way when my state started building taxpayer-funded sports stadium for rich sports team owners. There was a lot of public outcry against it, but the response was basically, "Fuck you, we're doing it anyway!"
        Yep, I remember that too. Both the Pirates and Steelers threatened to leave town if they didn't get their way. 3 Rivers (which opened in 1970, both teams played there) wasn't great, but it wasn't the dump that they made it out to be. So it came down, and two new stadiums were built. Stadiums...that were justified with raises to sales taxes in the surrounding counties (at least that's what happened in the Pittsburgh area). Never mind that 3 Rivers wasn't even paid for. We're *still* paying off that debt, and now we have shitloads more due to the new stadiums, parking lots, and the infamous "tunnel to nowhere" under the Allegheny. That tunnel? That thing cost a *billion* dollars, and because it's part of the subway system's "free zone," it will never pay for itself.


        What pissed off most people here, is that even though we got a nice new convention center (attractive for business), the largest part of the money raised went to those damn stadiums. Locally (I can't speak for the rest of the state), there's always money available to throw at the sports teams. There doesn't seem to be any ever to fix our roads, our buses, certain agency buildings (check out the health clinic the next time you're in Oakland--it's a shithole), our schools, libraries, etc. All of those things are an afterthought.

        At least we somewhat got even when the stadiums were forced through. By then though, the damage was done. The city was on the hook for stadiums it couldn't afford, and nearly went bankrupt Quite a few people involved with that fiasco--including then-mayor Tom Murphy--got thrown out of office.

        Our priorities in this country are *so* fucked up

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        • #5
          This, folks, is how George W. Bush got rich. He was a failure as an oilman.

          However, his dad's political connections helped him make the deals to build sports stadiusm at public cost, to be privately held and he got to pocket a big part of the revenue as a reward.

          He even helped seize private property from owners who didn't want to sell for the stadiums. It's a disgrace.

          He used the bankroll and the business connections to make his own jump into politics. His underhanded work with sports set the stage for him to become President.
          Good news! Your insurance company says they'll cover you. Unfortunately, they also say it will be with dirt.

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          • #6
            It's also why the NHL is still pushing so hard to expand in the Sun Belt and doesn't want to expand into Canada. The pro teams we do have up here aren't as subsidized as the teams (all pro teams) are in the States which is part of the reason the NHL tried to get out so badly. The teams we do have up here are basically blackmailing the governments to try and get similar perks up here, to varying degrees of success.

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            • #7
              Originally posted by Panacea View Post
              He even helped seize private property from owners who didn't want to sell for the stadiums. It's a disgrace.
              That's one thing I forgot. When PNC Park and Heinz Field were built, entire neighborhoods were demolished under "eminent domain." That is, the city and county had them declared "blighted" and outright seized the properties. People who had lived there for years suddenly found themselves evicted and receiving practically nothing in return. Anyone want to guess what the surrounding properties are worth now?

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Jetfire View Post
                It's also why the NHL is still pushing so hard to expand in the Sun Belt and doesn't want to expand into Canada. The pro teams we do have up here aren't as subsidized as the teams (all pro teams) are in the States which is part of the reason the NHL tried to get out so badly. The teams we do have up here are basically blackmailing the governments to try and get similar perks up here, to varying degrees of success.
                They've been pushing into the US for years because Bettman is a greedy little hobgoblin and Canada is a smaller market. So he started moving Canadian teams south for the $. Much to the ire of Canada. The problem is he's been just tossing teams at cities that really couldn't give a shit and its starting to crumble. Teams are moving back to Canada and more than a few of the ill fated US expansion teams are struggling.

                I mean for fuck sakes he put a team in the desert ( Phoenix Coyotes ) and they're struggling pretty badly. They already went bankrupt once and the owner tried to sell the team back to Canada but the NHL wouldn't let him. The NHL blocked every deal that would move the team and took over the team themselves. But the team is doing so badly that their current lease states if they lose more than 50 million over the next 5 years they get moved.

                The Nashville Predators are in a similar boat. There's been some attempts to move them to Canada due to their financial woes, but the deals were blocked by the NHL. Even some of the older US teams like the Devils aren't in great financial shape. The Thrashers already got moved back to Canada as the Winnipeg Jets and I'm sure Quebec would like the Nordiques back as well.

                As for the NFL, I don't know what the hell its problem is. It has subsidies and sweetheart TV deals. The NHL actually has to rely on ticket sales. Whereas the NFL TV rights are the most expensive in the country. As in, the most expensive of ANYTHING on TV. Not just of any sport, but of anything period. Yet they still want subsidies? Fuck em ;p

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