| Line 1: |
Line 1: |
| | '''Stop the NFL subsidies''' is a campaign to stop the subsidies to billionaire owners in the [[NFL]] who demand taxpayer subsidies that loot local communities and foment addiction to watching the game. | | '''Stop the NFL subsidies''' is a campaign to stop the subsidies to billionaire owners in the [[NFL]] who demand taxpayer subsidies that loot local communities and foment addiction to watching the game. |
| | | | |
| − | In 2022, the wealthy owners of the [[Buffalo Bills]] and the [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]], each of which were eliminated early in the playoffs, demand massive taxpayer subsidies to build new stadiums that would enrich the team owners. | + | In 2022, the wealthy owners of the [[Buffalo Bills]] and the [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]], each of which was eliminated early in the playoffs, demand massive taxpayer subsidies to build new stadiums that would enrich the team owners. |
| | | | |
| | In arguing against a subsidy for a new stadium for the Bills, whose family owners are worth billions of dollars, one commentator points out: | | In arguing against a subsidy for a new stadium for the Bills, whose family owners are worth billions of dollars, one commentator points out: |
| | {{cquote|Five NFL stadiums have been built in the past decade. The one in Los Angeles, a $5 billion palace, was built for the Rams and Chargers with private money. The other four, built for the Vikings, Falcons, Raiders and 49ers, involved taxpayer subsidies ranging from $114 million (Santa Clara, CA) to $750 million (Las Vegas).<ref>https://www.investigativepost.org/2022/01/25/the-pegulas-should-pay-up/</ref>}} | | {{cquote|Five NFL stadiums have been built in the past decade. The one in Los Angeles, a $5 billion palace, was built for the Rams and Chargers with private money. The other four, built for the Vikings, Falcons, Raiders and 49ers, involved taxpayer subsidies ranging from $114 million (Santa Clara, CA) to $750 million (Las Vegas).<ref>https://www.investigativepost.org/2022/01/25/the-pegulas-should-pay-up/</ref>}} |
| | In fact, there are estimated hundreds of millions of dollars in indirect taxpayer subsidies for the new Los Angeles stadium (SoFi) too. | | In fact, there are estimated hundreds of millions of dollars in indirect taxpayer subsidies for the new Los Angeles stadium (SoFi) too. |
| | + | |
| | + | == Stadium subsidies == |
| | + | |
| | + | As TheStreet explains, "Thirty of the league's 31 stadiums were built with it and new stadiums in Atlanta, Minneapolis and Santa Clara are getting a whole lot of it."<ref>https://www.thestreet.com/opinion/the-nfl-doesnt-discriminate-against-money-12692833</ref> Erie County and New York State has already paid $220 million for renovations to Ralph Wilson Stadium, for the Buffalo Bills owners. Paul Brown Stadium for the Cincinnati Bengals left their home county broke. Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen to paid for $130 million of CenturyLink Field's costs, while taxpayers were left on the hook for an additional $300 million. |
| | | | |
| | == Subsidies in Europe == | | == Subsidies in Europe == |