League of Fans

Founded by Ralph Nader, League of Fans is a sports reform project working to improve sports by increasing awareness of the sports industry's relationship to society, exposing irresponsible business practices, ensuring accountability to fans, and encouraging the industry to contribute to societal well-being.

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Alerts is League of Fans' email announcements list. Alerts provides news, information, the actions of League of Fans and/or Ralph Nader regarding sports issues, and calls-to-action for subscribers. All email updates are either selected or written by League of Fans.

Actions!

League of Fans is motivated by people, just like you, who are upset with what has become of our sports and would like to make a difference. We work with concerned citizens, sports fans, civic groups and communities to increase awareness of the sports industry's relationship to society, influence a broad range of issues in sports at all levels and encourage the cooperative capacities that make the "sports powers-that-be" capable of helping, not just dominating, our society and culture.

News / Resources

We often think of sports as outside the realm of everyday citizen concern. But the many benefits to society that sports can provide are sometimes undermined by a different set of values, often based on the quest for higher and higher profits at the expense of fans, taxpayers, communities, culture and social justice.

Your Role

Get Involved! Your involvement will improve sports for communities and fans, and encourage the sports industry to better contribute to societal well-being.

Ralph Nader's letter to the New York Times' sports editor regarding the distortion of meaning of his letter to NBA Commissioner Stern


Neil Amdur, Sports Editor
New York Times
229 West 43rd Street
New York, NY 10036

Dear Editor:

In his June 10th column, Harvey Araton is remarkably undisturbed by the exceptionally bad officiating during Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals between the Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles Lakers, in contrast to many of his colleagues' highly critical judgments.

To make this point, however, he did not need to distort the clear meaning of my letter to NBA Commissioner David Stern asking for an official review of the referees' performance in that crucial game. I observed that if such a public review were not undertaken to assess their performance and clear the air, there would be more suspicions, distrust and distaste among the fans.

I did not champion the conspiracy theorists, as Araton wrote. Indeed, I referred to Michael Wilbon's column in the Washington Post denouncing the incompetent officiating while he expressly discounted any conspiracy theories.

Sincerely,

Ralph Nader

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Ralph Nader and League of Fans' letter to NBA Commissioner David Stern regarding egregious officiating (6/4/02)