DC – The stadium that keeps on spending
“The Washington Nationals stadium deal may be finalized, but … oh, who’m I kidding? Stadium deals are never final until the last shovel of dirt is overturned…. The team is now demanding that the city agree to build aboveground parking for the stadium’s luxury-suite holders, instead of building underground lots…. if you’re still hoping that the city will see a windfall from that ‘ballpark entertainment district,’ … you’d better hope that people can find entertainment in looking at parked cars….
In related news, the D.C. Sports and Entertainment Commission has already blown through $9.4 million of the project’s $19.3 million in contingency funds in the first month of construction.”
In more stadium-related spending shenanigans, the Associated Press reported that DC Mayor Anthony Williams (the man most responsible for the District’s colossal corporate welfare stadium giveaway) has made a supplemental appropriation request to the DC Council, which includes $750,000 for an “Office of Baseball.”
Even the Washington Post Editorial cheerleaders for the publicly-subsidized stadium see this as waste:
“Does the District really have to have a $750,000 ‘Mayor’s Office of Baseball’ to handle duties already performed by the DC government and its agencies and special entities such as the DC Sports and Entertainment Commission?… City leaders, by now, should have learned the folly of playing Santa Claus with taxpayers’ money. The council should say no.”
There will be a public hearing next Monday, June 12, at 2:30 p.m. before the Council Committee of the Whole. Anyone wishing to testify should call Chairman Cropp’s office, 724-8032. Remember, Mrs. Cropp has said many times on the campaign trail and elsewhere that not one penny of taxpayers’ money is going into the stadium.
Sports Forum Podcast
Episode #22 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: Rethinking Sports Fandom with Author Craig Calcaterra – We discuss Calcaterra’s new book “Rethinking Fandom: How to Beat the Sports-Industrial Complex at Its Own Game” and explore new ways to be a fan in the year 2022.
Listen on Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Anchor and others.
Follow on Facebook: @SportsForumPodcast
More Episodes on Apple Podcasts; Spotify; Google Podcasts; PocketCasts; & Anchor
Episode #21 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: Chatting About a Broken Game With Baseball Writer Pedro Moura – Moura is a national baseball writer for Fox Sports. We discuss how and why the game of baseball is broken, what factors caused it, and offer a few thoughts on how to “fix” a great game.
Episode #20 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: Coaching Youth and High School Sports Based On What’s Best for the Athlete’s Holistic Development – We chat with long-time youth, high school and college basketball coach Jim Huber.
Episode #19 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: Capturing the Spirit of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League with Anika Orrock – We discuss the hoops AAGPFL women had to jump through to play the game they loved as well as the long-term impact and legacy they have in advancing sports opportunities for girls and women.
Episode #18 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: Talking about the 50th Anniversary of Title IX and the Lia Thomas Controversy with Nancy Hogshead-Makar – Hogshead-Makar is a triple gold medalist in swimming, a civil rights attorney and CEO of Champion Women.
Episode #17 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: Talking Sports With Legendary New York Times Sports Columnist Robert Lipsyte – We chat about Lipsyte’s amazing career and some of the athletes he covered.
Media
"How We Can Save Sports" author Ken Reed appears on Fox & Friends to explain how there's "too much adult in youth sports."
Ken Reed appears on Mornings with Gail from KFKA Radio in Colorado to discuss bad parenting in youth athletics.
“Should College Athletes Be Paid?” Ken Reed on The Morning Show from Wisconsin Public Radio
Ken Reed appears on KGNU Community Radio in Colorado (at 02:30) to discuss equality in sports and Title IX.
Ken Reed appears on the Ralph Nader Radio Hour (at 38:35) to discuss his book The Sports Reformers: Working to Make the World of Sports a Better Place, and to talk about some current sports issues.
- League of Fans Sports Policy Director Ken Reed quoted in Washington Post column titled "What happened to P.E.? It’s losing ground in our push for academic improvement," by Jay Mathews
League of Fans is a sports reform project founded by Ralph Nader to fight for the higher principles of justice, fair play, equal opportunity and civil rights in sports; and to encourage safety and civic responsibility in sports industry and culture.
Sports & Torts – Ken Reed, Sports Policy Director, League of Fans – at the American Museum of Tort Law
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