why do we have tax funded baseball?
This huge line of motorcycle cops was hanging around in front of the hotel where all the Major League Baseball players were staying, so they could escort the buses to the stadium. Why was that necessary?
July 10, 2007
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Major league sports players are a giant royal family in this country.
Comment by K — July 11, 2007 @ 4:22 pm
Weird that you touch on this subject. My route to and from work takes me by the Milwaukee Brewers stadium. I was driving by the other day and I was wondering where the money to pay the traffic cops at the exits comes from? If it’s not coming from some sort of event fee that the owners pay the city for every home game, I think people have a reason to gripe.
At the same time, the All Star game brings plenty of cash to the hosting city. It’s a horse a piece, in this case.
Someone once told me that, historically, civilizations are ripe for collapse when their heroes become the likes of sports stars. Seems we’re ripe for the plucking…
Comment by Lyle_S — July 15, 2007 @ 9:00 pm
<a href="http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/06/11/BAGVUQD2GS1.DTL" Here is a little more info on the cost.
From just this little article it is hard to say for sure, but it sounds likethey haven’t included all the real costs to the city, such as how much time was lost for workers like me who sat in traffic because streets were closed all over downtown. This wasn’t clear to me: the local police were billing $500,000, but sheriffs, coast guard, ATF, and homeland security details only added another $200,000, or were those costs not included at all? Either way, the math isn’t adding up.
I would like to know the percentage of money Major League Baseball earns the city versus itself. And remember, citizens (tax payers specifically) give MLB the opportunity to earn that money.
One last question. Does the SF MOMA get equal funding as the Giants?
Comment by Rolston — July 16, 2007 @ 9:47 am
I can’t speak to the logistics of event security detail but if the authorities are undercharging for their services, they’re idiots, plain and simple.
What ‘funding’ do you think the SF Giants are getting aside from revenues? DO you guys have a stadium tax out there? If so, I’d be highly surprised if it wasn’t a tax passed by voter referendum. The people get what the people want and they pay for what they want. Is the sports (and entertainment industry in general) ridiculously well compensated? Of course they are. But the average Joe’s like you and me that keep coming back for more.
Comment by Lyle_S — July 16, 2007 @ 7:42 pm