Another Arena, Another Rip-Off of Taxpayers
By Ken Reed
Washington D.C. taxpayers are about to get stuck paying $50 million of a $54.46 million, 5,000 seat, arena that will serve as a practice facility for the NBA’s Washington Wizards and be the home of the WNBA’s Washington Mystics.
The Wizards say they need the new practice facility in order to compete with other NBA teams for free agent talent. In addition to the practice facility, the agreement with the District allows the Wizards to spend $3 million on equipment and furniture for the facility.
Meanwhile, sports facilities for D.C. high schools and youth sports programs are abysmal, in many instances. For example, D.C. high schools have to leave the city to conduct major track and field events.
Nevertheless, the Mayor of D.C., Muriel E. Bowser, is 100% behind a new practice palace for the Wizards. (As former NBA great Allen Iverson would say, “Practice? We’re talking about practice? Practice?”)
Hey Mayor Bowser, what about giving a much-needed financial boost to the city’s police, firefighters, paramedics and other public services instead of this new facility for the rich? Or, what about using the money to improve D.C.’s public school system?
Ah, who cares about the needs of the city when the local billionaire owner asks for taxpayer money to build a country club to help attract multi-millionaire NBA free agents?
— 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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