Zirin’s Take on Detroit Nonsense Nails It
By Ken Reed
Politicians are so messed up, so misguided, that they can declare bankruptcy one day, and then approve millions of taxpayer dollars to build a sparkling sports palace for a wealthy team owner the next.
That’s not hyperbole, it actually recently happened in Michigan.
As The Nation sports policy columnist Dave Zirin so aptly put it:
“The very week Michigan Governor Rick Snyder granted a state-appointed emergency manager’s request to declare the Motor City bankrupt, the Tea Party governor gave a big thumbs-up to a plan for a new $650 million Detroit Red Wings hockey arena. Almost half of that $650 million will be paid with public funds.”
The right-wing spin masters love to claim that new stadiums and arenas revitalize cities, put people to work, and lead to economic booms. The evidence says the contrary.
Upon thorough analysis, rarely do these public stadium projects provide any positive financial impact for a city. The gross and net job gains are pathetically small. Roger Noll, a Stanford economist and expert on the economic impact of new stadia, emphatically believes that publicly-financed stadiums are not a net local benefit. (See previous League of Fans take on publicly-financed stadium projects)
Detroit provides a perfect case study on the economic impact — or lack thereof — of new taxpayer-built stadiums. Detroit built the Detroit Tigers’ Comerica Park and the Detroit Lions’ Ford Field. Each of these publicly-financed sports palaces was promoted as a way to turn Detroit’s fortunes around. Obviously, those new stadiums did very little to boost Detroit’s overall economic situation.
Michigan governor Rick Snyder should be ashamed of himself. He’s the most recent low-life politician in the public spotlight. After watching Detroit file bankruptcy and slash the city’s budgets for a multitude of city services, he approves $283 million in taxpayer money to go to a new sports palace for Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch, whose family is worth close to $3 billion.
We now have a leader in the politicians’ clubhouse for “warped priorities.” His name is Rick Snyder.
— Ken Reed, Sports Policy Director, League of Fans
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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