Now we truly hit a holy grail…Professional sports in America. We cheer the teams on, we tout the scholarships the athletes get, and we ooh and ahhh at huge new stadiums. But what do the locals get out of it? If there are established neighborhoods, often the houses go up in price. (Gentrification.) But if it a poor neighborhood, often the city buys up those properties, forces them out, etc., entire areas have been displaced. http://commons.clarku.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1016&context=idce_masters_papers The purpose of this research is to examine the role of athletic stadiums in the gentrification of minority neighborhoods. New athletic stadiums have increasingly been constructed in low- and moderate- income areas with high minority populations, and results in the displacement of that community’s longstanding residents. This paper uses Census and American Community Survey (ACS) data as part of a case study of the Washington Nationals Stadium in Washington DC; the data shows that within a few years of construction, the community that previously boasted an affordable housing stock and a high low-income minority population is replaced with high-income, white professionals. This paper investigates what happens to the original population and, specifically, their housing when these stadiums are constructed, and makes development recommendations for ways to preserve neighborhoods." Turner neighborhood in Atlanta is a typical history. https://www.thenation.com/article/stadiums-ruin-neighborhoods/ http://www.creativeloafing.com/news/article/13069936/the-stadium-effect The Georgia Dome "This is the fourth time we've built a stadium in a poor black neighborhood," says Larry Keating, a professor emeritus at Georgia Tech's College of City and Regional Planning. "That's wrong. And that tells people in those neighborhoods you don't count, just get out of my way. That's real ugly. That's a real punch in the nose." So any beneficial aspects..jobs, etc, are not going to lower income residents. On top of this all taxpayers are hit with Federal support for new stadiums. Estimated to be between 3.5 and 7 billion dollars. Taxpayer cost http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/nfl-new-stadiums-public-funding-how-much-atlanta-san-diego-minnesota-los-angeles-033116 https://www.brookings.edu/blog/brookings-now/2016/09/09/top-10-biggest-federal-subsidies-for-pro-stadiums-hint-the-yankees-are-1/ The main problem is; only locals with new stadiums experience any benefit from the new stadium. Towns that have hosted the Super Bowl have not always fared so well (same with the Olympics) https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2015/01/25/super-bowl-host-cities-economic-impact/22324109/ “But the costs aren't always clearly defined. Minneapolis, for example, will host 2018 Super Bowl. The host committee's budget will not reflect what was most crucial to securing the game: the state legislature approved nearly $500 million in public funds to help build a $1 billion stadium for the Minnesota Vikings that indirectly enriches the NFL. Yet Minneapolis Super Bowl host committee faced competitive bidding process and learned the truth about hosting the modern-day Super Bowl. You get the big game, you get the big bill.” Read that again. Public funds given to build a new super stadium, to even compete for the Super Bowl, and those stadiums are only used a few days of the year, The NFL makes the money, long term, on these publicly funded venues. It is surely true that most families, never mind those of us on the lower end of the income spectrum, are not going to be going to a game anytime soon, at ticket prices this high. Cost of tickets https://www.vividseats.com/blog/2017-nfl-pricing-preview here’s a hint $100 to $300 And the Super Bowl? https://seatgeek.com/events/super-bowl “The NFL controls distribution of Super Bowl tickets. Historically, the two participating teams each received 17.5% of the tickets, and another 5% goes to the host city. The remaining teams in the league split 34.8% of the tickets evenly. The secondary market is the best place for fans to realistically purchase tickets. Generally speaking, the average Super Bowl ticket costs between $2,500 and $3,000, but that price varies depending on the particular matchup and when the tickets are purchased. Super Bowl XLIX between the Seahawks and the Patriots was an exception to this rule, with tickets averaging $4,314. For Super Bowl XLVIII the Seahawks-Broncos tickets averaged $2,536 on the secondary market. Tickets for Super Bowl XLV went for an average of $3561, largely due to the matchup between the Packers and the Steelers. Super Bowl XLVII, featuring the Ravens and 49ers, went for $2,478, and the Giants-Patriots rematch the previous year went for $2,993.” Only 5 percent comes back to the host city, I doubt that even covers the security costs. Some planners have tried much harder; Cleveland for instance; they have a multipurpose stadium. At least with more days of use, there is prospect of more employment, etc,..and this has been typical of other sports…sharing the resources. No, we have treated the NFL as a national idol, and football players as those who serve the gods. We have raided the US treasury to continue the gilding of this sport. And if poorer communities get trashed, if an average kid never has a hope of seeing a game, if areas where stadiums close become derelict, then the price for suburbanites and locals to enjoy a game, or watch a game, or bet on a game, seems much too high. This has all come to a head with the protests during the National Anthem. And let us be clear, those participating might claim it to be about police officers murdering unarmed people of color, but it is a thrust at the US as an evil and tyrannical country. It is only possible because of TV coverage, because let’s face it, if any of us were stupid enough to display such behavior at work, we would be fired, It’s not a 1st amendment issue at all. And yes, official at every level have participated, but not in killing citizens. In promoting the NFL, at all costs. I have come to the conclusion that the NFL owes low income neighborhoods, especially near their stadiums, a great deal of support. Money for programs to help education, remove urban blight and build decent low income housing, and seeking ways to improve employment in the area. Remove the aspects that encourage criminality and you remove at least some of the chance of police/civilian interactions. Involvement in drug rehabilitation programs might also help. If they won’t cough it up, they should be taxed to provide a fund. And by the way, so should the players. Their lavish lifestyles come from this horrific league and government abuse. |
Faith and ReasonA grandma's perspective on a few things.. Archives
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