Major League Losers: The Real Cost Of Sports And Who's Paying For ItA welfare system exists in this country that transfers hundreds of millions of dollars from taxpayers to individuals who hardly require government assistance. State and local officials, mesmerized by vague promises and starry-eyed visions of the future, cave in to ever escalating demands from the system's beneficiaries, without ever finding out whether the public is served by such policies. It's a scandal, really, and reform is long overdue if we are to rein in the abuses perpetrated by … America's professional sports franchises. Major League Losers is a clarion call that exposes the system by which American cities and states shell out scarce tax dollars to subsidize the expenses of wealthy team owners and their extraordinarily well-paid employees. New stadiums and arenas are built at public expense, but municipalities are regularly shut out from sharing in the profits they generate. Sweetheart deals, negotiated under the threat of a team leaving town, result in many owners receiving land, investment opportunities, luxury suites, prime office space, and practice facilities—all financed by the taxpayers.Mark S. Rosentraub, a leading analyst of the economic impacts of sports on urban areas, has studied the truth behind the claims routinely made by mayors, team owners, and the media, and he has discovered that major league sports have no more than a minuscule impact on the economy of a city or region. They produce few jobs, little tax revenue, and a negligible positive impact even on their own immediate neighborhood. In these times of tight budgets, Rosentraub shows that the current system wastes a colossal amount of public money that Americans cannot afford, and his pointed critique provides government officials and taxpayers with a clearer understanding of how cities can, and should, negotiate with sports franchises to protect the true public good. |
Contents
Why Are Sports So Important to So Many People? | 30 |
What Do Teams Really Mean | 129 |
How Do Governments Make Money | 179 |
Copyright | |
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Major League Losers: The Real Cost Of Sports And Who's Paying For It Mark S. Rosentraub No preview available - 1999 |
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attendance attract Ballpark in Arlington baseball team basketball benefits Blue Jays build Cavs Cincinnati city's Cleveland Indians club seats cost County Dallas Dallas/Fort Worth dollars dome earn economic development estimate exist Expos fans fees fiscal football Fort Wayne franchise Gateway growth Gund Arena income increase Indiana Pacers Indianapolis investment Jacobs Field Kiel Center lease Louis Louis's luxury seating major league major league baseball mayor ment metropolitan million MLB team Montreal move needed NFL team nomic number of teams parking payments payroll percent Pirates Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Pirates players playing facilities population private-sector professional sports professional sports teams profits public sector Rams receive redevelopment region residents restaurants revenues salaries season share sin tax Skydome spending sports leagues stadium or arena subsidies substantial suburban taxpayers team owners team's Texas Rangers ticket Toronto Wayne welfare