Ralph Nader Calls For the Establishment of a National Sports Commission
Nader Says Commission Would Develop National Sports Policy and Code of Ethics and Protect the Interests of Players, Fans, Taxpayers, and Other Sports Participants at All Levels
League of Fans Calls for Special Committee to Determine the Feasibility and Parameters of Such a Commission
Ralph Nader announced today that his League of Fans organization is working toward the establishment of a National Sports Commission to develop an integrated national sports policy and provide an important coordinating mechanism for sports in this country.
“Currently, sports organizations have free reign in the United States,” said Nader. “In effect, monopoly is our form of sports regulation. As such, professional sports franchise owners, league commissioners, and other power brokers are the de facto crafters of sports policy in this country — which too often is based on win-at-all-costs (WAAC) and profit-at-all-costs (PAAC) ethos. Significant sports reform in this country, given the plethora of recurring scandals, will be extremely difficult without a dramatic change in how this country’s overarching sports policy is developed. A National Sports Commission, made up of commissioners representing all sports stakeholders, would be a positive step forward.”
The League of Fans believes a National Sports Commission would be ideally positioned to develop a national sports policy and a national code of sports ethics, conduct research and analysis on contemporary sports issues, serve as an arbitrator and regulator in clearly defined areas, and be a clearinghouse for all sports stakeholders in the country.
Ken Reed, the League of Fans sports policy director, said the United States is one of the few countries in the world that doesn’t have a national, government-sponsored-or-endorsed sports commission, sports ministry, or some other entity that plays a significant role in the development of the country’s sports policy.
“Our professional sports leagues have long operated as taxpayer-subsidized monopolies, free from the natural regulation of a competitive marketplace, and for the most part, free from any anti-trust concerns,” says Reed. “That fact is troublesome in its own right and leads to abuses of fans and other problems. However, the most pernicious effect of allowing wealthy sports franchise owners and other sports powerbrokers, who have a vested economic interest, to basically set the country’s sports policies and priorities is that it’s seldom in the best interests of all sports stakeholders — or the games themselves. The negative ramifications of policies set in this fashion trickle all the way down to sports at the youth and community levels.”
Reed pointed to the recent NFL, and current NBA, work stoppages, along with the out-of-control, greed-based conference realignment frenzy in NCAA Division I sports, as examples of what happens when there’s no coherent, integrated sports policy in this country that takes into account the interests of key sports stakeholders and what’s best for the sports themselves.
The League of Fans contends a National Sports Commission would have broad-based, bipartisan support.
Conservative Michael Novak has called for a “semipublic, partly governmental and partly private” National Sports Commission with “clearly specified powers of regulation, arbitration, research and supervision” in the sports realm.
Bruce Svare, a professor at the University at Albany, SUNY, and founder of the National Institute for Sports Reform, has said, “The establishment of a National Sports Commission is a must if we are to make any headway in our desire to reform sports to benefit all of our athletes and all of our citizens.”
The League of Fans believes the first step is to create a special committee, authorized by Congress, to examine the feasibility, viability, and potential impact of a National Sports Commission. The special committee would be comprised of sports leaders from all levels of sports, members of Congress, fans, athletes, and other stakeholders, including taxpayer groups. This group would also be charged with developing potential roles and responsibilities for the Commission.
The announcement came in conjunction with the release of the League of Fans’ ninth report, “It’s Time to Establish a National Sports Policy,” from its Sports Manifesto. The full report is available at the League of Fans website.
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.
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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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