And that makes giving taxpayer money to millionaires for their own private business acceptable because?
I heard David Samson for years on Miami sports talk radio claiming poverty and that the Marlins lost money. It turned out to be a huge lie.
“Baseball’s a game for billionaires but we are simply millionaires and that’s why we need taxpayer money.” - David Samson (paraphrase).
F*ck him and anyone else who thinks they can use the public treasury to fund their private businesses.
Sez you, yet someone else who has no clue. That you don't understand baseball financial statements or operating costs or believe other people who don't know what they're talking about means nothing.
They actually WERE losing money. They tried to capitalize on 2003 by spending in '04 and '05 (Delgado) and still no one showed up, so Loria was forced to cut back. He got tired of losing money.
They have always had the worst deal in all of pro sports in a crappy football stadium, but finally got a real baseball stadium built after 20 years of trying by every owner since day one. Loria got it done, he actually cares about baseball.
Don't get me wrong, I think that sports teams should pay their own way, but that doesn't change the fact that they can rent-seek because municipalities want to retain franchises.
And so they did.