Flashback: NFL teams score $7 billion in taxpayer subsidies on stadiums

Watchdog.org ^

[GreenHornet]

If running and maintaining an NFL stadium was a profitable venture, the teams would insist on building and operating the stadiums themselves.

[poconopundit]

I would rather watch replays of great past games than watch just about any current game.

Maybe the public could be paid back in rights to download videos of past games.

I assume no federal dollars are going to these stadiums.

The local governments should get tough and demand they be paid back (long term loan) for their stadiums.

In any case, respect for the taxpapers and national anthem should part of the contract. They lose their license to use the stadium if they violate that.

The public needs to get tough with these wealthy athletes and owners living off the public trough.

[freedumb2003]

The ONLY thing L.A. ever did consistently and correctly was not only refuse to tax for NFL teams but to insist the NFL pay for the privilege.

It took a long time but LA got its 2 originating teams back (the Chargers started in L.A.). And no tax $$ from the taxpayers, based on everything I could find.

Too bad I don’t live there anymore — I went to a few Rams games back when (as well as some Raiders games).

[grania]

Federal funding for stadiums is of course appalling. What has to change with that is the way the game is played in DC. State and local funding is even MORE appalling. It's funded by things like cigarette taxes, and smokers can't even smoke inside them. These stadiums provide entertainment that a large percentage of the population can't afford to attend. On the state, county, and local level, every day we are faced with ways the money should be spent. Maintaining roads and community policing are the most obvious.

I'm sick of the "it's good for the economy" argument. What's good for the economy is for governments to do what they're supposed to do and leave everything else to private enterprise.

[freedumb2003]

San Diego lost all my respect when they took Jack Murphy off the stadium way.

Before Murphy, SD was a sports backwater. He almost single-handedly built pro sports there.

It is fitting it become a sports backwater again for that massive insult to their own history and a man who loved SD much more than it loved him.

[Kozy]

Actually since the Qualcomm naming rites has expired, the stadium is being called Jack Murphy Stadium again.

[freedumb2003]

>>Actually since the Qualcomm naming rites has expired, the stadium is being called Jack Murphy Stadium again.<<

Has that happened or is it planned?

Either way it was still an insult.

[bgill]

No business should get tax payer incentives. None.

[straps]

Wrong as rain tax payer incentives are good to use if the taxpayers gotto vote on there use. My city uses them to a good degree it has made my city the home of many aerospace repair companies and we have no airport its in 2 other cities so there is good use age when the city fathers use it to garner more jobs for the locals......

[stylin19a]

The Patriots built the impressive Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts, but it came at a hefty price tag to taxpayers: $72 million. Through the government, we funded 17 percent of the stadium’s total cost.

This stadium build was touted as 100% owner (Robert Kraft) financed and it was. The state did kick in for infrastructure (roads etc...) improvements, and the team got a deal from the town of foxboro for parking fees and property taxes .

not so fast on calling your congress critter. The kick-ins are mostly at the state and local level and the stadiums are seldom single use.

[oldtech]

Must agree. There is no reason the American taxpayer should be subsidizing football stadiums. Just think of the many areas of business where is a real NEED for their products & services & that are not being subsidized. The NFL can stand on their own or fall on their own & it has no business being subsidized.

[EasySt]

I have always been vehemently against taxpayer subsidies for stadiums and sports.

Now, even more so.

[Bikkuri]

major league football

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