junder13
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- Jun 25, 2009
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First off, I know I will get flamed for this thread. I haven't seen anyone else say anything like this so, for me, it is worth it just to make a stand.
I have been an avid sports fan for most of my life but lately I have purposely been following less and less the last year. Eventually I may not even call myself a sports fan (although I love participating in active sports still). Here are my reasons (and I'll try to be brief):
1) Everyone and their mother watches sports and idolizes athletes now. The amount of time and money that goes into this form of entertainment will long-term be negative for the country. It's no coincidence the nation's test scores have been dropping dramatically the last 20 or so years. We used to be in the top 5 worldwide and are now below the median scores in math. To put that in perspective, we're one of the lowest scoring developed nation countries in the world. Do you think the top industries in the world are going to continue hiring US employees and even being headquartered in the US in 18 years when our intelligence level (as measured by standardized testing--granted, not a perfect correlation to intelligence but a very important indicator, nonetheless) is on par with most third world countries? To top it off, state budgets continue cutting costs in education yet that rarely hits teacher salaries due to union contracts. Thus, the funding cuts are occuring in the very crucial areas typically (books, foreign language, art, development programs, etc).
2) The blind-eye treatment of seemingly universal preferential treatment of athletes at the collegiant level (and high school, too, really). The bottom line: it's all about the bottom line. The NCAA only acts when it's hand is forced. There is little accountability as well. These are generalities but I am trying to be as concise as possible so I will leave this point as a overly general one.
3) professional sports are the most tax-incentivized industry in the entire country. Not only do most cities get held ransom for tax revenues to build a new stadium at the threat of leaving the city but businesses also are becoming the majority stakeholder in professional sports (and major division collegiant sports too). Businesses can buy season tickets and write them off for taxes and use said tickets for "entertaining clients". In my experience in the corporate world in New York and other cities this typically results in C-level execs getting free tickets. I would be willing to bet that almost all luxury boxseats for professional sports teams are tax-incentivized business purchases. Now for those of you who say what's wrong with that, consider how this has unfairly raised the price of tickets for all major sports and priced out the blue collar fan. You should not have to be a C-level exec or business owner to be able to afford tickets. If the tax write-off were gone (ie, one of thousands of "tax loopholes" in our vastly unfair tax system) then you would immediately see a deflationary environment in sports entertainment--for ticket prices, concessions, parking, player salaries', etc. It's grossly disproportionate the salary growth of C-level execs and athlete salaries relative to the average citizen. Tax incentives and loopholes are at the heart of both.
4) College sports should no longer receive tax exemption status if they continue to hold athlete standards below other students admitted and enrolled into school. I would hope to see a push for a development or minor league in football and basketball (the current one is a joke), similar to baseball, and end this discussion of compensating athletes. The benefits received are over-the-top as it is. For those of you who say well the Athletic Department is self-funded...you are right...for a small percentage of schools that is. I think that's also a sad reflection of our society how important sports have become (and I'm referring to myself too, as a one-time overly avid sports fan). We've become like the mindless mob in Rome, demanding more gladiator games in the midst of the pending fall of the empire. How little did the semi-democratic state seem to care as long as they were entertained...
5) Major sports are too big now for colleges or even the NCAA to self-regulate. The failures to discipline in a timely and evenly manner have been proven time and time again. This country needs to increase the level of importance placed on education at all levels (K-12) and demand higher institutions do the same if they are to receive (1) financial aid and funding from the state for public institutions, and (2) if they are to have eligibilty for student loans for any student who attends the university. The "student athletes" who don't maintain the same degree of academic intregrity as other students are expected to maintain should no longer be admitted and incoming athletes should be required to maintain the same level of academic achievement as the average admitted student if full or partial scholarship is to be awarded. Then, to enforce such rules, the FBI or some similar agency should watch for improper benefits under the table. Anything paid to athletes unclaimed (which, of course they would be unclaimed) should be treated as felony tax evasion. The ones who make unmarked payments to said athletes should be receive equal or greater consequences. Again, a minor league system should be developed so that athletes have other options than attending a university under the guise of "student-athlete".
6) Lockout talks. Enough said. What could put off fans more than squibbiling billionaires and millionaires? If the industry didn't have their tax incentives to lure businesses, if owners didn't have the ability to hold cities ransom for partially tax-funded new stadiums (even if the current stadium is still not paid off--new/old Meadowlands, new/old Dallas stadium, San Diego very soon, etc, etc), this industry would be in a drastically different place.
In summation, I find it hard to be enthusiastic about sports (although I want to be still) nowadays. It was easier when I didn't know the dirty details behind the athletes and the structure of the entertainment sports industry as a kid. Now that I do, on principle alone, I find it almost impossible to not only support, but follow.
I am sure I am in a considerable minority with this opinion but nevertheless it is how I feel. The scandals in sports will only continue to grow over time. Eventually as the discrepancy between blue collar workers and the athletes wages continue to grow I believe others will start to feel the same. If people even knew of how tax-subsidized the industry was (and that does not trickle down to the city's economy to the extent of the tax sheltering occuring so don't even try that) then others would agree with me today. Irrespective, I don't think our economic "recovery" will be permenant and the lockouts that will eventually be avoided in an effort to maintain the status quo fandom will still lead to others joining my rank. In the end though, unless the tax loopholes are closed nothing will really change. I don't think that will happen until campaign reform occurs b/c the lobbyists for the entertainment, banking, defense, and energy industries are too far embedded in our political structure. Only an economic near collapse or currency crisis will ever result in significant change. I believe this will eventually happen and austerity measures will be forced (ala Greece currently).
Flame away or say whatever. I have said my piece/peace. I wanted it to be out there in case anyone else agrees.
I have been an avid sports fan for most of my life but lately I have purposely been following less and less the last year. Eventually I may not even call myself a sports fan (although I love participating in active sports still). Here are my reasons (and I'll try to be brief):
1) Everyone and their mother watches sports and idolizes athletes now. The amount of time and money that goes into this form of entertainment will long-term be negative for the country. It's no coincidence the nation's test scores have been dropping dramatically the last 20 or so years. We used to be in the top 5 worldwide and are now below the median scores in math. To put that in perspective, we're one of the lowest scoring developed nation countries in the world. Do you think the top industries in the world are going to continue hiring US employees and even being headquartered in the US in 18 years when our intelligence level (as measured by standardized testing--granted, not a perfect correlation to intelligence but a very important indicator, nonetheless) is on par with most third world countries? To top it off, state budgets continue cutting costs in education yet that rarely hits teacher salaries due to union contracts. Thus, the funding cuts are occuring in the very crucial areas typically (books, foreign language, art, development programs, etc).
2) The blind-eye treatment of seemingly universal preferential treatment of athletes at the collegiant level (and high school, too, really). The bottom line: it's all about the bottom line. The NCAA only acts when it's hand is forced. There is little accountability as well. These are generalities but I am trying to be as concise as possible so I will leave this point as a overly general one.
3) professional sports are the most tax-incentivized industry in the entire country. Not only do most cities get held ransom for tax revenues to build a new stadium at the threat of leaving the city but businesses also are becoming the majority stakeholder in professional sports (and major division collegiant sports too). Businesses can buy season tickets and write them off for taxes and use said tickets for "entertaining clients". In my experience in the corporate world in New York and other cities this typically results in C-level execs getting free tickets. I would be willing to bet that almost all luxury boxseats for professional sports teams are tax-incentivized business purchases. Now for those of you who say what's wrong with that, consider how this has unfairly raised the price of tickets for all major sports and priced out the blue collar fan. You should not have to be a C-level exec or business owner to be able to afford tickets. If the tax write-off were gone (ie, one of thousands of "tax loopholes" in our vastly unfair tax system) then you would immediately see a deflationary environment in sports entertainment--for ticket prices, concessions, parking, player salaries', etc. It's grossly disproportionate the salary growth of C-level execs and athlete salaries relative to the average citizen. Tax incentives and loopholes are at the heart of both.
4) College sports should no longer receive tax exemption status if they continue to hold athlete standards below other students admitted and enrolled into school. I would hope to see a push for a development or minor league in football and basketball (the current one is a joke), similar to baseball, and end this discussion of compensating athletes. The benefits received are over-the-top as it is. For those of you who say well the Athletic Department is self-funded...you are right...for a small percentage of schools that is. I think that's also a sad reflection of our society how important sports have become (and I'm referring to myself too, as a one-time overly avid sports fan). We've become like the mindless mob in Rome, demanding more gladiator games in the midst of the pending fall of the empire. How little did the semi-democratic state seem to care as long as they were entertained...
5) Major sports are too big now for colleges or even the NCAA to self-regulate. The failures to discipline in a timely and evenly manner have been proven time and time again. This country needs to increase the level of importance placed on education at all levels (K-12) and demand higher institutions do the same if they are to receive (1) financial aid and funding from the state for public institutions, and (2) if they are to have eligibilty for student loans for any student who attends the university. The "student athletes" who don't maintain the same degree of academic intregrity as other students are expected to maintain should no longer be admitted and incoming athletes should be required to maintain the same level of academic achievement as the average admitted student if full or partial scholarship is to be awarded. Then, to enforce such rules, the FBI or some similar agency should watch for improper benefits under the table. Anything paid to athletes unclaimed (which, of course they would be unclaimed) should be treated as felony tax evasion. The ones who make unmarked payments to said athletes should be receive equal or greater consequences. Again, a minor league system should be developed so that athletes have other options than attending a university under the guise of "student-athlete".
6) Lockout talks. Enough said. What could put off fans more than squibbiling billionaires and millionaires? If the industry didn't have their tax incentives to lure businesses, if owners didn't have the ability to hold cities ransom for partially tax-funded new stadiums (even if the current stadium is still not paid off--new/old Meadowlands, new/old Dallas stadium, San Diego very soon, etc, etc), this industry would be in a drastically different place.
In summation, I find it hard to be enthusiastic about sports (although I want to be still) nowadays. It was easier when I didn't know the dirty details behind the athletes and the structure of the entertainment sports industry as a kid. Now that I do, on principle alone, I find it almost impossible to not only support, but follow.
I am sure I am in a considerable minority with this opinion but nevertheless it is how I feel. The scandals in sports will only continue to grow over time. Eventually as the discrepancy between blue collar workers and the athletes wages continue to grow I believe others will start to feel the same. If people even knew of how tax-subsidized the industry was (and that does not trickle down to the city's economy to the extent of the tax sheltering occuring so don't even try that) then others would agree with me today. Irrespective, I don't think our economic "recovery" will be permenant and the lockouts that will eventually be avoided in an effort to maintain the status quo fandom will still lead to others joining my rank. In the end though, unless the tax loopholes are closed nothing will really change. I don't think that will happen until campaign reform occurs b/c the lobbyists for the entertainment, banking, defense, and energy industries are too far embedded in our political structure. Only an economic near collapse or currency crisis will ever result in significant change. I believe this will eventually happen and austerity measures will be forced (ala Greece currently).
Flame away or say whatever. I have said my piece/peace. I wanted it to be out there in case anyone else agrees.
