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'''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 was 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, demanded 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 [[SoFi stadium|Los Angeles stadium (SoFi)]] too, in new roads and in tax breaks totaling $100 million.<ref>https://buffalonews.com/news/local/pay-to-play-how-21-nfl-stadiums-have-been-financed/article_319a3686-0c28-11ec-a568-dbcbdd817498.html</ref>

In fact, there are an estimated hundreds of millions of dollars in indirect taxpayer subsidies for the new [[SoFi stadium|Los Angeles stadium (SoFi)]] too, in new roads and in tax breaks totaling $100 million.<ref>https://buffalonews.com/news/local/pay-to-play-how-21-nfl-stadiums-have-been-financed/article_319a3686-0c28-11ec-a568-dbcbdd817498.html</ref>

As explained below, [[Dem]]s gave a $1.1 billion handout to the billionaire owners of the Buffalo Bills in 2022 anyway.

As explained below, [[Dem]]s gave a $1.1 billion handout to the billionaire owners of the Buffalo Bills in 2022 anyway.

== Stadium subsidies ==

== Stadium subsidies ==

In 2022, the [[Democrat]]-arranged government subsidy of the Buffalo Bills planned new stadium, which is owned by a billionaire family, was the second largest in history and exceeded more than $1 billion government handouts to the wealthy owners:

In 2022, the [[Democrat]]-arranged government subsidy of the Buffalo Bills' planned new stadium, which is owned by a billionaire family, was the second largest in history and exceeded $1 billion in government handouts to the wealthy owners:

{{cquote|The deal, struck between [New York Democrat Governor] Hochul and the billionaire Pegula family that owns the team, will be the second-largest taxpayer contribution to a sports stadium in history. Of the project’s $1.4 billion in projected construction costs, New York’s government is putting up $850 million, or 60 percent of the total. Hundreds of millions of dollars more were inked for upkeep of the stadium throughout its 30-year lease, bringing the public’s total projected expense to be more than $1.1 billion.<ref>https://readsludge.com/2022/06/25/hochuls-stadium-swindle/</ref>}}

{{cquote|The deal, struck between [New York Democrat Governor] Hochul and the billionaire Pegula family that owns the team, will be the second-largest taxpayer contribution to a sports stadium in history. Of the project’s $1.4 billion in projected construction costs, New York’s government is putting up $850 million, or 60 percent of the total. Hundreds of millions of dollars more were inked for upkeep of the stadium throughout its 30-year lease, bringing the public’s total projected expense to be more than $1.1 billion.<ref>https://readsludge.com/2022/06/25/hochuls-stadium-swindle/</ref>}}

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.

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 have already paid $220 million for renovations to Ralph Wilson Stadium, for the Buffalo Bills' owners. Paul Brown Stadium for the Cincinnati Bengals left its home county broke. Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen 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 ==

"Italy’s most popular sport [soccer] received just $60m in subsidies from the government, which represents about 1/24 of the claimed losses" during the [[COVID-19]] pandemic, writes Forbes in Jan. 2022.<ref>https://www.forbes.com/sites/danieleproch/2022/01/14/in-the-wake-of-omicron-surge-serie-a-set-5000-fan-limit-in-stadiums-was-this-the-right-choice/?sh=7b26c7fd35c0</ref>

"Italy’s most popular sport [soccer] received just $60m in subsidies from the government, which represents about 1/24 of the claimed losses" During the [[COVID-19]] pandemic, writes Forbes in Jan. 2022.<ref>https://www.forbes.com/sites/danieleproch/2022/01/14/in-the-wake-of-omicron-surge-serie-a-set-5000-fan-limit-in-stadiums-was-this-the-right-choice/?sh=7b26c7fd35c0</ref>

== Abandonment of St. Louis ==

== Abandonment of St. Louis ==

== See also ==

== See also ==

*[[Unplug the NFL]]

*[[Unplug the NFL]]

==References ==

== References ==

{{reflist}}

{{reflist}}

[[category:NFL]]

[[category:NFL]]