Published on 25 Aug 2017
Let’s talk about “sports”—that thing where we gather around to watch a muscular stranger put a regulation-size ball in a specific location.
Why are taxpayers forced to pony up cash for athletic ventures that don’t benefit them? Franchise owners routinely extort massive stadium subsidies through threats of relocation and fake promises of economic revitalization. Universities jack up student rates to subsidize athletic programs that should be self-sustaining. And the Olympics is economically devastating to every municipality foolish enough to get suckered by one of the oldest scams around.
Mostly Weekly host Andrew Heaton explores the sports phenomenon and why we should quit throwing other people’s money at it.
Links, past episodes, and more at https://reason.com/reasontv/2017/08/25/stop-subsidizing-sports
Script by Sarah Siskind with writing assistant from Andrew Heaton and David Fried.
Edited by Austin Bragg and Siskind.
Produced by Meredith and Austin Bragg.
Theme Song: Frozen by Surfer Blood.
August 27, 2017
Stop Subsidizing Sports!
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I agree that sports never deserve tax payer money. But, governments never seem to use their tax ability to provide relief for those same hand out money grubbers. Like any form of corporate welfare, they can take their ball and go elsewhere. And while there are advantages (no matter what Reason says) they usually get outweighed by the subsidy costs.
To avoid that, local and provincial governments could provide tax incentives, vice tax dollars, to attract or keep teams. Make owners pay out of their own pockets, but provide tax breaks over time. If you have zero tax income from an organization, then allowing them to keep their own money during startup makes sense. They get the local economy benefits, and the team can keep revenues at the start. Gradually build up the tax income by rolling back the breaks over time. Eventually you have an established team making money, and the government taking in tax dollars.
The biggest problem is the possibility of some schmuck in another city forking over hard earned tax payer dollars instead. You can’t fix that locally, not at all.
In the end, politicians really don’t give a flying **** about spending other people’s money. None of them, any stripe, left or right.
Comment by Dwayne — August 27, 2017 @ 14:50
This kind of race-to-the-bottom mentality afflicts many municipal politicians. Hence that classic, true-to-life scene from The Simpsons Monorail episode:
Lyle Lanley: The name’s Lanley. Lyle Lanley. And I come before you good people tonight with an idea. Probably the greatest… Aw, it’s not for you. It’s more of a Shelbyville idea.
Mayor Quimby: Now wait just a minute! We’re twice as smart as the people of Shelbyville! Just tell us your idea and we’ll vote for it!
Comment by Nicholas — August 28, 2017 @ 13:16