From shawn@essential.org Mon Feb 2 23:05:52 2004 From: shawn@essential.org (Shawn McCarthy) Date: Mon, 02 Feb 2004 18:05:52 -0500 Subject: [Alerts] St. Louis County Petition Message-ID: <401ED7D0.8060607@essential.org> League of Fans supports Coalition Against Public Funding For Stadiums' petition to give St. Louis County taxpayers the right to vote on whether to subsidize Cardinals' new stadium (please forward this announcement to anyone who might be able to help) posted: February 2, 2004 Construction of New Cardinal Ballpark Begins The Fight is NOT Over! The 17 millionaires who own the St. Louis Cardinals have begun construction of their $387 million stadium, and there is nothing the Coalition Against Public Funding For Stadiums can do about stopping them from receiving taxpayer financing. But the taxpayers of St. Louis County don’t have to pay the bill. If they will support the Coalition’s drive to put a charter amendment on the Nov. 2 ballot, they can give themselves the right to vote on whether they will pay $110 million to retire a $45 million bond issue that was given to the Cardinal owners. If the Coalition can collect 25,000 signatures of registered voters in St. Louis County by July 30, it can put on the Nov. 2 ballot a charter amendment. If passed, the amendment will require a countywide vote before any county money can be appropriated to pay principal and interest on the bonds. At this point, county voters will have the power to vote against paying for the bonds, and save $110 million which can be spent on legitimate public needs. The Coalition needs volunteers to circulate its signature petitions, and it needs contributions to pay a professional signature collector $1 per signature. Contributions are not tax deductible. Checks can be sent to CAPFS, P.O. Box 2142, St. Louis MO 63158. Call (314) 771-8882, or email to stopballpork@juno.com. Also, go to the Coalition website at www.stopballpork.org ### Read the Talking Points on Ballpark Petition: http://www.stopballpork.org/article/articleview/51/1/1/ Vote Against the St. Louis County Ballpark Tax Increase: http://www.stopballpork.org/article/articleview/50/1/1/ ------------------------- ### ------------------------- Help spread the word! Send copies of this message to your friends and join the growing movement of people who are fed up with what the sports industry has become and want to do something about it. If you would like to add yourself to the "Alerts" list, sign up at http://two.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/alerts. Founded by Ralph Nader, League of Fans is a sports reform project working to improve sports by increasing awareness of the sports industry's relationship to society, exposing irresponsible business practices, ensuring accountability to fans, and encouraging the industry to contribute to societal well-being. To find out more about League of Fans, visit www.leagueoffans.org or write to info@leagueoffans.org. From shawn@essential.org Tue Feb 10 21:31:42 2004 From: shawn@essential.org (Shawn McCarthy) Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2004 16:31:42 -0500 Subject: [Alerts] Nader, League of Fans urge Baseball to adopt worker rights in licensing agreements Message-ID: <40294DBE.9050508@essential.org> Ralph Nader and League of Fans Urge Major League Baseball to Adopt Worker Rights Standards for Product Licensing Agreements In response to recent reports of poor labor practices in factories that produce "official" Major League Baseball licensed goods, Ralph Nader and the sports reform project League of Fans sent a letter to Commissioner Bud Selig and Players Association Executive Director Donald Fehr asking that they adopt internationally recognized worker rights standards as a condition governing all of their product sourcing and licensing agreements. The letter follows. ----- February 10, 2004 Allan H. "Bud" Selig Commissioner Major League Baseball Donald M. Fehr Executive Director Major League Baseball Players Association Dear Gentlemen: Recently, the worker and human rights organization National Labor Committee released a 60-page report detailing the labor practices of the Rawlings Sporting Goods Company (subsidiary of K2 Inc.) in Latin America as well as accounts of labor practices at other plants where Major League Baseball and Major League Baseball Players Association licensed products are manufactured. Highlighted in the report where first-hand experiences of several workers at the Rawlings plant in Turrialba, Costa Rica where the official baseballs for Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball and the NCAA College World Series are produced along with other goods and apparel. The worker injustices and human rights abuses outlined in the report are disgraceful. Your respective organizations must not ignore their roles in this exploitation and abuse of worker rights committed under Major League Baseball and Players Association product sourcing and licensing agreements. We cannot tell you that it comes as a shock to us that Major League Baseball properties do not have any workers rights guidelines in their licensing agreements. Baseball's business practices tend to disregard such principles of human decency as getting in the way of higher profits. Nor are we surprised by the irony of the Players Association's strike fund being supported by royalties from products which might be made by third world workers stripped of their own rights. The irony is bitter. In the National Labor Committee's report, some of the above mentioned Rawlings workers, under condition of anonymity due to their fear of being fired or reprimanded, spoke out about: forced overtime; low wages with little chance of a raise; numerous workplace injuries, many of those permanent; extreme heat; a tense work environment with constant pressure to work faster and with speaking prohibited; locked bathrooms used only with permission; many temp workers fired and rehired every three months to eliminate the possibility of legal rights; and the inability to organize an independent union or to bargain collectively without fear of firing. In the January 25, 2004 New York Times article titled "Low-Wage Costa Ricans Make Baseballs for Millionaires," regarding the Rawlings plant in Turrialba, Costa Rica, it was reported that "Officials at Major League Baseball headquarters in New York referred questions about the plant to Rawlings." Mr. Selig, does this mean that Major League Baseball doesn't take interest in or have concern for what goes on in the facilities where exploited workers make your licensed goods? From the same piece, "The head of baseball's Players Association, Donald Fehr, said workplace injuries at the plant had not been brought to his attention." Mr. Fehr, now that these working conditions have been brought to your attention, what will the players union do to support justice for those workers? Gentlemen, we join in the National Labor Committee's call for Major League Baseball and the Players Association to: "... immediately adopt internationally recognized worker rights standards and effective enforcement mechanisms, as a core condition governing all of its product sourcing and licensing agreements." American consumers and baseball fans currently have no guarantee that any licensed Major League Baseball products are not being made under sweatshop conditions that violate basic human and worker rights standards. We ask that you demand guarantees, with confirmation from independent organizations through a transparent factory monitoring program, and provide full disclosure of the names and addresses of the factories used around the world to make your licensed goods. It's time for Baseball's leadership to do something virtuous. With the backing of mega-millionaire owners and millionaire players, the power and influence that your respective organizations wield could easily effect change for the benefit of thousands of hardworking human beings and their families, and guarantee internationally recognized worker rights standards in the factories where Major League Baseball and Players Association licensed products are manufactured. We look forward to your considered responses. Sincerely, Ralph Nader Shawn McCarthy League of Fans ### Read the National Labor Committee's report on working conditions at the Rawlings plant in Costa Rica where Major League Baseballs are produced (.pdf file): http://www.nlcnet.org/campaigns/rawlings/download.asp ----- Take Action! 1) Contact Bud Selig and Donald Fehr and urge them to include internationally recognized worker rights standards in Major League Baseball and Players Association licensing agreements. Allan H. “Bud” Selig Commissioner Major League Baseball 245 Park Avenue, 31st Floor New York, NY 10167 tel (212) 931-7800 fax (212) 949-8636 Donald M. Fehr Executive Director Major League Baseball Players Association 12 East 49th Street, 24th Floor New York, NY 10017 tel (212) 826-0808 fax (212) 752-4378 email: feedback@mlbpa.org 2) Refuse to purchase "official" Major League Baseball merchandise until worker's rights are recognized and respected by Baseball. Encourage others to do the same. ### League of Fans is a sports reform project working to improve sports by increasing awareness of the sports industry's relationship to society, exposing irresponsible business practices, ensuring accountability to fans, and encouraging the industry to contribute to societal well-being. Help spread the word! Send copies of this message to your friends and join the growing movement of people who are fed up with what the sports industry has become and want to do something about it. Add yourself to the "Alerts" list here: http://two.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/alerts www.leagueoffans.org From shawn@essential.org Fri Mar 12 23:55:45 2004 From: shawn@essential.org (Shawn McCarthy) Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2004 18:55:45 -0500 Subject: [Alerts] GOOD SPORTS / BAD SPORTS (3/12/04) Message-ID: <40524E01.4070001@essential.org> -------------------------------------------------- GOOD SPORTS / BAD SPORTS League of Fans - March 12, 2004 -------------------------------------------------- GOOD SPORTS - Wahconah Park ----- BAD SPORTS - Major League Sweatshops -------------------------------------------------- * GOOD SPORTS * - Wahconah Park Built in 1892 in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, Wahconah Park still stands as a historic minor league baseball landmark. It was almost lost to the corporate welfare for stadiums epidemic that has swept through the country over the past 15-plus years. Focusing on what the major sports leagues have been able to get away with, it’s virtually impossible to give due time to the 113 minor league baseball stadiums built with taxpayer dollars since 1985. Though Wahconah Park remains, Pittsfield has lost its team to the new stadium craze. But a great thing is happening. A partnership, led by best-selling author and former New York Yankee pitcher Jim Bouton, had their plan approved this week to purchase an independent league baseball team to play at a renovated Wahconah Park at no cost to taxpayers. The plan also includes: (1) no sale of the naming rights to Wahconah Park; (2) maintenance and repairs to be performed by the partnership; and (3) use for "other family and community activities on dates and at times when no event has been scheduled by the club," with only the proceeds from sales for partnership events to go to the partnership. Bouton’s plan finally won out over a ramrod proposal from developers and local politicians to build a new $18.5 million taxpayer-funded stadium that: (1) the people of Pittsfield voted against three times; (2) included eminent domain land takings and the removal of people’s homes; and (3) was heavily lobbied for by the media conglomerate-owned newspaper, the Berkshire Eagle (the only daily in Pittsfield), which owned land a new stadium was to be built on and stood to benefit financially. The Berkshire Eagle’s conflict of interest became a major issue due to its incompetent reporting and repeated failures to disclose their parent company’s interest in the situation. ----- Read about the Wahconah Park story in Jim Bouton’s book “Foul Ball: My Life and Hard Times Trying to Save an Old Ballpark.” http://www.foulball.com/ Bouton's group to invest $1.5M in Wahconah Park Berkshire Eagle - March 9, 2004 http://www.berkshireeagle.com/Stories/0,1413,101~7514~2005260,00.html ...”Applause followed the five-member commission's unanimous vote, which was taken after city officials and the principals of Wahconah Park Inc. presented details of the eight-page agreement to the panel and an audience of about 40 people gathered at Springside House on North Street.”... NOW Transcript: Bill Moyers talks to Jim Bouton, author of "Foul Ball" PBS - November 28, 2003 http://www.pbs.org/now/transcript/transcript_bouton.html ...”MOYERS: You were up not just against the newspaper but a newspaper that had a stake in the opposing plan. BOUTON: Right, right. THE BERKSHIRE EAGLE not only owned the property on which the new stadium would be built. The property was polluted. They never told the people that it was polluted. And they had an economic interest in the outcome of it because it would enhance the value of their property, plus relieve them of the liability of a cleanup. That would have passed to the people of Pittsfield had they voted for a new stadium.”... Wild Pitch American Journalism Review - February/March, 2004 http://www.ajr.org/Article.asp?id=3550 ...”it illustrates how corporate civic activism can entangle a newsroom and raise doubts about a newspaper's credibility, particularly when the news organization is financially involved in a project and does not disclose every detail to its readers.”... The Saga Unfolds American Journalism Review - February/March, 2004 http://www.ajr.org/article.asp?id=3549 ...”October 4, 2001: The Pittsfield Parks Commission unanimously rejects Bouton's proposal in favor of a rival proposal by Jonathan Fleisig, owner of a dormant independent minor league team, to play at Wahconah Park, but leaves open the possibility of a new stadium. June 2003: Bouton self-publishes "Foul Ball," which chronicles his fight to save Wahconah Park against entrenched powers. November 24, 2003: After two money-losing seasons at Wahconah Park, Fleisig announces he will move his Berkshire Black Bears away from Pittsfield, citing "unrelenting" criticism of him and his team.”... Bouton blasts Brooklyn builder Field of Schemes - January 14, 2004 http://www.fieldofschemes.com/news/archives/000350.html “Best-selling author and former big-league pitcher Jim Bouton visited the Brooklyn bar Freddy's this morning, to support residents threatened with eviction to make way for developer Bruce Ratner's proposed Nets arena, and help expose what he called ‘America's most costly hostage crisis.’”... -------------------------------------------------- * BAD SPORTS * - Major League Sweatshops United Students Against Sweatshops defines "sweatshops" as “factories that exploit people with wages that leave families hungry, bust unions, have unsafe working conditions, and show a brazen disregard for human rights and dignity.” Our major sports leagues, like some other American companies, sometimes take advantage and profit from contracted factories who use sweatshop labor to make their licensed goods. They do this while demanding enforceable laws and harsh penalties to protect their own trademarks and products. Why don’t our major sports leagues respect human and worker rights in the factories that manufacture their licensed products? The National Labor Committee has produced a series of investigative reports highlighting what our major sports leagues have been up to regarding sweatshops. ----- NBA Caught (Again) Selling Slave Labor Goods National Labor Committee http://www.nlcnet.org/campaigns/nba/ “A month after the NBA admitted in the New York Times that it had seriously erred in selling NBA "I Love This Game" sweatshirts made under slave labor conditions in Burma, the NBA is at it again, selling more sweatshirts made in Burma.” Toys of Misery 2004 National Labor Committee and China Labor Watch http://www.nlcnet.org/campaigns/he-yi/he-yi.shtml “Production: “Bobblehead” dolls of major league players, produced under licensing agreements with the NFL, NBA, MLB, NCAA, NASCAR and the Collegiate Licensing Company.” Baseball Workers Cry Foul: Rawlings Produces Pro-League Baseballs in Costa Rican Sweatshops National Labor Committee PDF file: http://www.nlcnet.org/campaigns/rawlings/download.asp ...”Major League Baseball owners have no worker rights protections, standards or guidelines in their global sourcing guidelines. And the Baseball Players Association is financing its strike fund from royalties made on the backs of sweatshop workers paid pennies an hour across the developing world, who are making their products.” Ralph Nader and League of Fans urge Major League Baseball to adopt worker rights standards for product licensing agreements - February 10, 2004 http://www.leagueoffans.org/rawlingsletter.html ..."We cannot tell you that it comes as a shock to us that Major League Baseball properties do not have any workers rights guidelines in their licensing agreements. Baseball's business practices tend to disregard such principles of human decency as getting in the way of higher profits."... Major League Baseball's response to Ralph Nader and League of Fans' letter urging Major League Baseball to adopt worker rights standards for product licensing agreements - February 25, 2004 http://www.leagueoffans.org/rawlingsletterresponse.html ...”I am sure you understand that we are not in a position to actively regulate the practices of each and every separate company with which we do business. Commissioner Selig has asked me to contact Rawlings to make inquiry about the issues you have raised. I will do so promptly.”... League of Fans - Sweatshops Action! http://www.leagueoffans.org/sweatshopsaction.html ----- *Take Action!* 1) Contact Bud Selig and Donald Fehr and urge them to respect human rights by including internationally recognized worker rights standards in Major League Baseball and Players Association licensing agreements. Allan H. “Bud” Selig Commissioner Major League Baseball 245 Park Avenue, 31st Floor New York, NY 10167 tel (212) 931-7800 fax (212) 949-8636 Donald M. Fehr Executive Director Major League Baseball Players Association 12 East 49th Street, 24th Floor New York, NY 10017 tel (212) 826-0808 fax (212) 752-4378 email: feedback@mlbpa.org 2) (From the National Labor Committee) Ask NBA Commissioner David Stern to Do The Right Thing David Stern Commissioner National Basketball Association 645 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10022 tel (212) 407-8000 fax (212) 754-6414 Ask Commissioner Stern to: - Stop using slave labor; - Get the NBA out of Burma; - Remove the NBA sweatshop goods made in Burma from your store and give them away to inner city charities; - Disclose the names and addresses of the factories the NBA uses around the world to make your goods - demonstrate to the American people that the NBA has nothing to hide; - Guarantee that all future NBA production will be conditioned on strict adherence to internationally recognized human and worker rights standards. ------------------------- ### ------------------------- GOOD SPORTS / BAD SPORTS is an email bulletin of recent news items and suggested actions regarding issues in the world of sports. It goes out regularly to League of Fans "Alerts" listserv subscribers. Help spread the word! Send copies of this message to your friends and join the growing movement of people who are fed up with what the sports industry has become and want to do something about it. If you would like to add yourself to the "Alerts" list, sign up at http://two.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/alerts Founded by Ralph Nader, League of Fans is a sports reform project working to improve sports by increasing awareness of the sports industry's relationship to society, exposing irresponsible business practices, ensuring accountability to fans, and encouraging the industry to contribute to societal well-being. To find out more about League of Fans, visit www.leagueoffans.org or write to info@leagueoffans.org From shawn@essential.org Tue Apr 6 15:23:19 2004 From: shawn@essential.org (Shawn McCarthy) Date: Tue, 06 Apr 2004 10:23:19 -0400 Subject: [Alerts] A Chill Wind Blows Through Cooperstown Message-ID: <4072BD57.5040609@essential.org> In the Public Interest By Ralph Nader April 1, 2004 One year ago, following Major League Baseball's opening week and the second week of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon were denied an appearance at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. Robbins and Sarandon, amongst many others, were planning to attend the Hall's fifteenth anniversary celebration of the classic baseball film "Bull Durham," in which they both starred and at the filming of which the couple first met. But the celebration was canceled by the Baseball Hall of Fame President, Dale Petroskey, because Robbins and Sarandon used their social consciences and their sense of activism to question the reasons for our country going to war. Petroskey, a former assistant press secretary to Ronald Reagan, wrote a public letter to Robbins announcing his decision to call off the event, explaining: "The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum - and many players and executives in Baseball's family - has honored the United States and those who defend our freedoms. ... We believe your very public criticism of President Bush at this important - and sensitive - time in our nation's history helps undermine the U.S. position, which ultimately could put our troops in even more danger. As an institution, we stand behind our President and our troops in this conflict." Robbins wrote in his response to Petroskey's actions: "I had been unaware that baseball was a Republican sport. I was looking forward to a weekend away from politics and war to celebrate the fifteenth anniversary of 'Bull Durham.' I am sorry that you have chosen to use baseball and your position at the Hall of Fame to make a political statement. ... As an American who believes that vigorous debate is necessary for the survival of a democracy, I reject your suggestion that one must be silent in a time of war." In a moment of almost unanimous solidarity, baseball fans, sportswriters, political columnists and citizens from across the country, both for and against the war, expressed their anger with calls, letters, emails and columns of protest directed at the Baseball Hall of Fame president. During a lonely time for those who opposed the President's policies amongst relentless pro-war propaganda from the mainstream media, Petroskey must have been especially "shocked and awed" that using baseball to make a political statement following its opening week and invoking patriotism in his reprimand of Robbins and Sarandon backfired. Major League Baseball even disavowed any connection to Petroskey's actions. Whether or not Petroskey's decision was the result of Republican Party connections, as some have suggested, is unclear. Nevertheless, he used the Baseball Hall of Fame as an instrument to punish public figures who did not support the President's war policy. Petroskey is part of the cultivation of fear that penalizes people for expressing dissenting political views. This was just one in a series of public assaults on celebrities who had spoken out against the war. Public figures who questioned the reasons for going to war were labeled traitors, un-American and unpatriotic for demonstrating the dissent that millions of Americans were feeling. Tim Robbins spoke of the cultivation of fear at a National Press Club luncheon in Washington, D.C. just a week after the Baseball Hall of Fame canceled the "Bull Durham" celebration, observing: "A chill wind is blowing in this nation. A message is being sent through the White House and its allies in talk radio and Clear Channel and Cooperstown. 'If you oppose this Administration there can and will be ramifications.' Every day the airwaves are filled with warnings, veiled and unveiled threats, spewed invective and hatred directed at any voice of dissent. And the public ... sit in mute opposition and in fear." A year later, criticisms of the President and suspicions surrounding the invasion of Iraq expressed by Robbins and Sarandon are being advanced by a growing number of people. Our nation was sent to war based on faulty and false information on a platform of fabrications and deceptions. What questions would have been raised if people like Robbins and Sarandon gave up their right to speak in opposition? What if they submitted to Petroskey's apparent position that criticism of the President should be suspended in times of war? Would we know nearly as much as we do now about the war? As the new baseball season begins, let us remember the scar left on the game at this time last year as an opportunity to thank the people, like Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon, who recognize the value of dissent in a free society and who have the courage to speak out even with much to risk given the political environment. As Robbins concluded in his response to Petroskey: "Long live democracy, free speech and the '69 Mets; all improbable glorious miracles that I have always believed in." ### http://www.leagueoffans.org/cooperstowncolumn.html From shawn@essential.org Fri Apr 30 23:47:52 2004 From: shawn@essential.org (Shawn McCarthy) Date: Fri, 30 Apr 2004 18:47:52 -0400 Subject: [Alerts] Write to LeBron James! Message-ID: <4092D798.6070309@essential.org> League of Fans is currently requesting that our friends support the Educating for Justice “Stop Nike Sweatshops” campaign by writing to Cleveland Cavaliers basketball star, LeBron James and asking him to meet with EFJ representatives to discuss his current $90 million endorsement deal with Nike and how he might use his leverage with Nike to improve conditions for workers. You can send, fax or email letters to: LeBron James c/o Alexandria Johnson Boone GAP Communications Group 5000 Euclid Avenue, Ste. 400 Cleveland, OH 44103 Fax: (216) 391-4224 email: gapcomm@aol.com ----- Frequently Asked Questions about Nike’s labor practices in contracted factories overseas: www.nikewages.org/FAQs.html. ----- Educating for Justice, Inc. (EFJ) is a US-based non-profit organization that develops, produces and distributes justice-oriented programming and content to the educational marketplace. Through research, online resources, digital film making, grassroots educational events, and educational publishing, EFJ seeks to raise awareness about issues of justice and spark social change. The EFJ website is www.educatingforjustice.org. ----- * EFJ Background * While doing research for a term paper in Theology, Jim Keady, a graduate assistant soccer coach with the top-ranked St. John’s University Red Storm, discovers that the Nike Corporation is abusing its overseas workforce in sweatshops. At the same time Keady is exploring this issue, the SJU athletic department is negotiating a $3.5 million dollar endorsement deal that would require all coaches and athletes to wear and promote Nike products. Feeling that coaches and athletes would be walking billboards for a company that exploits its labor force in poor countries, Keady publicly challenges the SJU administration. They respond with an ultimatum, “Wear Nike and drop this issue … or resign.” Keady is ultimately forced to resign, and the story hits the major media... ESPN, HBO Real Sports, the New York Times, the front page of the Village Voice, etc.. In an attempt to silence critics at St. John’s and uncover the story behind the statistics about Nike factory workers, Keady assembles a team and travels halfway around the world to Tangerang, Indonesia to learn and document first-hand Nike's overseas’ operations. To gain a more human perspective on the lives of Nike’s factory workers, Keady and college friend, Leslie Kretzu live for one month in an Indonesian slum on the wages that workers are paid: $1.25 / day. In the process, they encounter the local mafia, intimidation, starvation, football-sized rats, fist-sized cockroaches, raw sewage in the streets, massive burning of toxic shoe rubber, corporate complicity and cover-up. Through their time in Indonesia, Keady and Kretzu (now co-founders and directors of Educating for Justice) discover the reality of U.S. multinational corporations' labor practices in the developing world and how Nike's cutthroat, bottom-line economic decisions have a profound effect on human lives. ----- In addition to the LeBron James letter writing campaign, Educating for Justice is currently promoting the following educational projects: * EFJ Traveling Classroom * This academic year brought EFJ's Traveling Classroom coast to coast, with EFJ directors Leslie Kretzu and Jim Keady speaking at over 30 venues, including high schools, colleges and community groups. Remaining Spring/Summer Dates: May 7, 2004 Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH May 14, 2004 IBEW 3rd District Conference, Atlantic City, NJ July 28, 2004 Exploration Summer Programs, Yale Univ., New Haven, CT July 31, 2004 Sisters of the IHM Conference, Philadelphia, PA EFJ is now booking for the 2004-2005 academic year and has expanded its slate of Traveling Classroom topics to meet the growing needs of our constituency. Please visit www.educatingforjustice.org/classroom.htm for detailed descriptions of our events as well as information on booking. * EFJ Films * SWEAT EFJ Films continues to move forward with its production of SWEAT, our feature length independent documentary film that will tell the human story behind the Nike sweatshop issue. Our distribution plan calls for a January 2005 release including festivals, college campus screenings, theatrical and television releases, and finally a home video and DVD release. "Through the impassioned journey of a soccer coach -- hell bent on finding the truth about Nike's overseas operations -- SWEAT explores the lived reality of Indonesian factory workers and shares a perspective on globalization and sweatshops that has yet to be seen by mainstream America." For the latest on SWEAT, please visit www.sweatthefilm.org. Nike in Indonesia: A Case Study EFJ Films, "Nike in Indonesia: A Case Study" is currently our most popular short film. Screened at hundreds of venues over the past three years as part of EFJ's Traveling Classroom event “Sweatshops and Social Justice,” this short film continues to enthrall audiences with its hard-hitting, fast-paced "virtual immersion" into the life of Nike's Indonesian factory workers. This 18-minute piece is perfect for classroom use as a primer for the sweatshop issue. Our next duplication run will be early May. If you would like to reserve a copy, please e-mail jim@educatingforjustice.org. The suggested donation for this film is $14.95. A Message to Phil Knight This 7-minute short film is a powerful example of what students can do to let their voices be heard. Shot on location in collaboration with students at Mt. St. Joseph's Academy in Flourtown, PA, it is an expose of the "Cut Out Your Tag and Cover Your Logo Day" that MSJA students organized in response to learning about Nike's exploitative labor practices via an EFJ Traveling Classroom event. The film includes passionate and articulate young women sharing their empathy with the workers that produce the clothes they wear and their outrage with a corporate CEO that oversees the exploitation of these workers. This title is currently in stock and available. To receive a copy, please e-mail jim@educatingforjustice.org. The suggested donation for this film is $9.95. ----- To see what League of Fans has done on the topic of sweatshops, including our two as yet unanswered letters written with Ralph Nader to LeBron James, please visit www.leagueoffans.org/sweatshopsaction.html ------------------------- ### ------------------------- Help spread the word! Send copies of this message to your friends and join the growing movement of people who are fed up with what the sports industry has become and want to do something about it. If you would like to add yourself to the "Alerts" list, sign up at http://two.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/alerts Founded by Ralph Nader, League of Fans is a sports reform project working to improve sports by increasing awareness of the sports industry's relationship to society, exposing irresponsible business practices, ensuring accountability to fans, and encouraging the industry to contribute to societal well-being. To find out more about League of Fans, visit www.leagueoffans.org or write to info@leagueoffans.org From shawn@essential.org Tue May 4 18:15:58 2004 From: shawn@essential.org (Shawn McCarthy) Date: Tue, 04 May 2004 13:15:58 -0400 Subject: [Alerts] Nader & League of Fans to Selig: No Ads on Baseball Uniforms Message-ID: <4097CFCE.5090400@essential.org> Ralph Nader and League of Fans Urge Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig Not to Put Ads on Baseball Uniforms In response to Major League Baseball's placement of advertising on baseball uniforms for this season's opening series and to the possibility that advertising on uniforms will become permanent, Ralph Nader and the sports reform project League of Fans sent the following letter to Commissioner Selig. ----- May 4, 2004 Allan H. "Bud" Selig Commissioner Major League Baseball 245 Park Avenue, 31st Floor New York, NY 10167 Dear Mr. Selig: The great lengths of selfishness with which you are willing to go to desecrate baseball and alienate fans of the game should no longer surprise us. Still, your placement of advertisements on the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Devil Rays uniforms for Major League Baseball’s opener on March 30 in Tokyo ambushed fans across the country and left them shaking their heads at this obscene embarrassment. We urge that you immediately put this issue to rest once and for all and eliminate any current or future possibility that Major League Baseball will accept advertisements on uniforms. You are suffocating Baseball’s fan base. It’s not enough for fans who want to enjoy a game to be forced to watch this pitch sponsored by that company or that home run sponsored by this corporation. In addition, they go to a stadium paid for by the fans and taxpayers, yet almost every available space is filled with ads and named after some multinational corporation with no ties to the community. Over the last several years, fans have been made to watch “virtual advertising” infiltrate television broadcasts, and T.V. commentators using the broadcast booth to hawk cell phones during the playoffs and World Series. This over-commercialization is sapping the fun out of being a fan of Major League Baseball. Now, you have sunk to a greedy new low. Bending Baseball to the demands of advertisers and accepting more than $10 million (according to Advertising Age) for a corporation to plaster ads on the uniforms for the two-game series in Tokyo. It’s supposedly a one-time deal, but conventional wisdom says otherwise -- that permanent advertising on uniforms isn’t a question of “if,” but “when.” MLB executive vice president for business Tim Brosnan, told reporters in Japan “Are there any definitive plans to put logos on uniforms? No. I don’t see that happening. But on the other side of the coin, never say never.” “We’re mindful of the fans, but I don’t think [advertising on uniforms] is unreasonable,” Brosnan later told the New York Post. “We’re always looking for new ways to advance our business.” That must sound reassuring to fans. The public tolerates a certain amount of commercialism, but why do you insist on trying the patience of loyal baseball fans across the country? We already have NASCAR, with drivers doubling as walking commercial billboards. Is that really what you want for the national pastime? Commissioner Selig, no one is trying to get in the way of your ability to make money, but you need to look beyond the immediate bottom line to make Major League Baseball sustainable. As primary caretaker, this means your job is to respect cities and fans, ensure the integrity of the game, and eliminate self-interested and destructive tendencies. Advertising on uniforms runs counter to each of these critical principles. If you allow such an explicit interference of baseball with another greedy vehicle for corporate marketing -- using player uniforms as product placement surfaces -- apathy is not what you should expect from fans and sportswriters. There will be considerable resentment, and fans will drift away. A matter of taste can sour more quickly than you think. Sincerely, Ralph Nader P.O. Box 19312 Washington, DC 20036 Shawn McCarthy League of Fans P.O. Box 19367 Washington, DC 20036 ### Take Action! - Contact Bud Selig and urge him not to put ads on baseball uniforms. Allan H. “Bud” Selig Commissioner Major League Baseball 245 Park Avenue, 31st Floor New York, NY 10167 tel (212) 931-7800 fax (212) 949-8636 ### League of Fans is a sports reform project working to improve sports by increasing awareness of the sports industry's relationship to society, exposing irresponsible business practices, ensuring accountability to fans, and encouraging the industry to contribute to societal well-being. www.leagueoffans.org From shawn@essential.org Fri May 7 18:36:08 2004 From: shawn@essential.org (Shawn McCarthy) Date: Fri, 07 May 2004 13:36:08 -0400 Subject: [Alerts] VICTORY! - League of Fans thanks sports fans and sportswriters Message-ID: <409BC908.3040700@essential.org> VICTORY! - League of Fans thanks sports fans and sportswriters who actively protested, reversing MLB’s plans to allow advertising on the field May 7, 2004 -------------------- A day after Major League Baseball announced that it would allow Sony to put ads on first, second and third base, the pitching rubber and on-deck circles of all home fields on the weekend of June 11-13 to promote the upcoming “Spider-Man 2" movie, MLB reversed its decision due to overwhelming outrage from fans across the country. “We understand that a segment of our fans was uncomfortable with this particular component and we do not want to detract from the fan's experience in any way,” Bob DuPuy, President and Chief Operating Officer of Major League Baseball, said in a statement released Thursday night. League of Fans would like to thank everyone who took the time to voice their opposition to MLB’s actions. Fans have the power to change the way sports business is conducted. Ad-creep and over-commercialization are shifting the focus of sports from showcasing skill and competition to creating yet another forum to sell more things. Americans are growing increasingly fed up with the intrusion of commercialism into nearly every part of our lives and culture. We still encourage fans to protest other parts of the “Spider-Man 2" promotion which are still planned, including signage, giveaways and movie trailers on video boards. (See below to contact MLB and Sony). ----- * News * Baseball fans score victory over Spider-Man's reach Ed Waldman, Baltimore Sun - May 7, 2004 http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/bal-te.sp.spiderman07may07,0,1645447.story?coll=bal-sports-headlines Fans extricate baseball from insidious web of commercialism Mike Bianchi, Orlando Sentinel - May 6, 2004 http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/8608467.htm?1c ----- * Take Action! * 1) Contact Bud Selig and tell him that you are still not satisfied with the high level of commercialism in Major League Baseball, including the scaled back plans for the “Spider-Man 2" promotion. Allan H. “Bud” Selig Commissioner, Major League Baseball 245 Park Avenue, 31st Floor New York, NY 10167 tel (212) 931-7800 fax (212) 949-8636 2) Send an email to Ann Morfogen, Sony USA’s VP for corporate communications, telling her that you are still not pleased with the “Spider-Man 2" promotion. Tell her you will consider not buying Sony products or seeing Sony’s movies, because Sony is insulting baseball fans and our national pastime. To send the email, click here: http://www.actionstudio.org/public/page_view_all.cfm?option=begin&pageid=4795&tmode=0 ------------------------- ### ------------------------- Help spread the word! Send copies of this message to your friends and join the growing movement of people who are fed up with what the sports industry has become and want to do something about it. If you would like to add yourself to the "Alerts" list, sign up at http://two.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/alerts League of Fans is a sports reform project working to improve sports by increasing awareness of the sports industry's relationship to society, exposing irresponsible business practices, ensuring accountability to fans, and encouraging the industry to contribute to societal well-being. www.leagueoffans.org From shawn@essential.org Fri May 21 23:53:26 2004 From: shawn@essential.org (Shawn McCarthy) Date: Fri, 21 May 2004 18:53:26 -0400 Subject: [Alerts] GOOD SPORTS / BAD SPORTS (5/21/04) Message-ID: <40AE8866.2090105@essential.org> -------------------------------------------------- GOOD SPORTS / BAD SPORTS League of Fans - May 21, 2004 -------------------------------------------------- GOOD SPORTS - Advocating for the Removal of American Indian Sports Symbols ----- BAD SPORTS - Student-Athlete Gambling in NCAA Affecting Outcome of Games -------------------------------------------------- * GOOD SPORTS * - Advocating for the Removal of American Indian Sports Symbols There have been a few recent positive developments in the ongoing struggle to eliminate American Indian nicknames and images as sports mascots. Please do your part to uphold the right of all people to be treated with dignity and respect. Fight to end racism against Native people in sports. People who take a principled stand against injustice have a right and a responsibility to fight racism, no matter who the target is. 1) The University of Iowa is beginning to enforce a policy, approved by its athletic department governing board in 1994, that prevents the scheduling of non-conference games with schools that have American Indian mascots. Baseball Game Renews Mascot Discussion Chuch Schoffner, Associated Press - May 7, 2004 http://news.findlaw.com/ap_stories/s/2060/5-7-2004/20040507013009_07.html 2) Protesters (including the Progressive Resource/Action Cooperative, University of Illinois students, staff and faculty, as well as members of the American Indian, Latino and black communities) working toward the removal of “Chief Illiniwek” as the name, mascot, and logo of the University of Illinois, succeeded in getting a resolution on the June U of I Board of Trustees agenda calling for the removal of the “Chief.” Agreement reached in Chief Illiniwek sit-in Associated Press - April 16, 2004 http://abclocal.go.com/wls/news/041604_ap_ns_chiefill.html 3) Marquette University rejected a $2 million offer to change the school's nickname back to Warriors after having switched it to Golden Eagles in 1994 out of respect for the American Indian population. Marquette declines offer to be Warriors again ESPN.com - May 17, 2004 http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=1803653 ----- The United States Commission on Civil Rights: Statement on the Use of Native American Images and Nicknames as Sports Symbols April 13, 2001 The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights calls for an end to the use of Native American images and team names by non-Native schools. The Commission deeply respects the right of all Americans to freedom of expression under the First Amendment and in no way would attempt to prescribe how people can express themselves. However, the Commission believes that the use of Native American images and nicknames in schools is insensitive and should be avoided. In addition, some Native American and civil rights advocates maintain that these mascots may violate anti-discrimination laws. These references, whether mascots and their performances, logos, or names, are disrespectful and offensive to American Indians and others who are offended by such stereotyping. They are particularly inappropriate and insensitive in light of the long history of forced assimilation that American Indian people have endured in this country. Since the civil rights movement of the 1960s many overtly derogatory symbols and images offensive to African-Americans have been eliminated. However, many secondary schools, post-secondary institutions, and a number of professional sports teams continue to use Native American nicknames and imagery. Since the 1970s, American Indians leaders and organizations have vigorously voiced their opposition to these mascots and team names because they mock and trivialize Native American religion and culture. It is particularly disturbing that Native American references are still to be found in educational institutions, whether elementary, secondary or post-secondary. Schools are places where diverse groups of people come together to learn not only the "Three Rs," but also how to interact respectfully with people from different cultures. The use of stereotypical images of Native Americans by educational institutions has the potential to create a racially hostile educational environment that may be intimidating to Indian students. American Indians have the lowest high school graduation rates in the nation and even lower college attendance and graduation rates. The perpetuation of harmful stereotypes may exacerbate these problems. The stereotyping of any racial, ethnic, religious or other groups when promoted by our public educational institutions, teach all students that stereotyping of minority groups is acceptable, a dangerous lesson in a diverse society. Schools have a responsibility to educate their students; they should not use their influence to perpetuate misrepresentations of any culture or people. Children at the elementary and secondary levels usually have no choice about which school they attend. Further, the assumption that a college student may freely choose another educational institution if she feels uncomfortable around Indian-based imagery is a false one. Many factors, from educational programs to financial aid to proximity to home, limit a college student's choices. It is particularly onerous if the student must also consider whether or not the institution is maintaining a racially hostile environment for Indian students. Schools that continue the use of Indian imagery and references claim that their use stimulates interest in Native American culture and honors Native Americans. These institutions have simply failed to listen to the Native groups, religious leaders, and civil rights organizations that oppose these symbols. These Indian-based symbols and team names are not accurate representations of Native Americans. Even those that purport to be positive are romantic stereotypes that give a distorted view of the past. These false portrayals prevent non-Native Americans from understanding the true historical and cultural experiences of American Indians. Sadly, they also encourage biases and prejudices that have a negative effect on contemporary Indian people. These references may encourage interest in mythical "Indians" created by the dominant culture, but they block genuine understanding of contemporary Native people as fellow Americans. The Commission assumes that when Indian imagery was first adopted or sports mascots it was not to offend Native Americans. However, the use of the imagery and traditions, no matter how popular, should end when they are offensive. We applaud those who have been leading the fight to educate the public and the institutions that have voluntarily discontinued the use of insulting mascots. Dialogue and education are the roads to understanding. The use of American Indian mascots is not a trivial matter. The Commission has a firm understanding of the problems of poverty, education, housing, and health care that face many Native Americans. The fight to eliminate Indian nicknames and images in sports is only one front of the larger battle to eliminate obstacles that confront American Indians. The elimination of Native American nicknames and images as sports mascots will benefit not only Native Americans, but all Americans. The elimination of stereotypes will make room for education about real Indian people, current Native American issues, and the rich variety of American Indians in our country. ----- More Information: American Indian Sports Team Mascots http://www.aistm.org/ American Indian Movement http://www.aimovement.org/ncrsm/index.html The National Coalition on Racism in Sports and the Media (NCRSM) http://www.aics.org/NCRSM/index.htm Frequently Asked Questions (NCRSM) http://www.aics.org/NCRSM/index.htm Retire The Chief http://www.retirethechief.org/index.html Ten Reasons to Retire Chief Illiniwek http://www.retirethechief.org/Archives/issue0205.html The Progressive Resource/Action Cooperative (PRC) http://www.prairienet.org/prc/ Common Themes and Questions about the Use of “Indian” Logos http://pages.prodigy.net/munson/newpage1.htm League of Fans’ Resources on Race and Sports http://www.leagueoffans.org/raceandsports.html League of Fans’ Race and Sports Action! Page http://www.leagueoffans.org/raceandsportsaction.html -------------------------------------------------- * BAD SPORTS * - Student-Athlete Gambling in NCAA Affecting Outcome of Games There are three clear degrees of college student gambling on NCAA sports. 1) Non-athlete students gambling on sports (harmless?). 2) Gambling by student-athletes on sports (a little less harmless?). 3) Student-athletes gambling on sports, and playing poorly on purpose to affect the outcome of the game (terrible circumstances on many levels). The unfortunate and disturbing (if not surprising) results of an NCAA gambling study were released on May 12 showing that because of gambling debt, 1.4 percent of Division-1 football players admitted they had changed their performances to affect the outcome of games in which they were playing. 1.1 percent reported taking money for playing poorly in a game. The numbers were slightly lower for D-1 men’s basketball players, but no less worrisome. The survey (NCAA National Study on Collegiate Sports Wagering and Associated Health Risks) also measured: knowledge of a teammate who took money for playing poorly; whether threatened or harmed because of sports wagering; whether contacted by an outside source to share inside information; and whether actually provided inside information about a game. Another series of questions centered around affecting the outcome of games because of gambling debt. The NCAA Sports Wagering Task Force has been formed to analyze the study and are charged with undertaking a thorough examination of the study's results and submitting a final report with findings and recommendations to NCAA President Myles Brand. ----- More Information: NCAA press release on study measuring student-athlete gambling http://www.ncaa.org/ The shadow of doubt Mark Kreidler, ESPN.com - May 13, 2004 http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/columns/story?id=1801056 We're sending the wrong messages Bill Curry, ESPN.com - May 12, 2004 http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/columns/story?columnist=curry_bill&id=1801008 NCAA plans assault on gambling Ivan Maisel, ESPN.com - May 13, 2004 http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/columns/story?columnist=maisel_ivan&id=1801079 ----- * Take Action! * Ensuring the well-being of student-athletes and the integrity of intercollegiate athletics concerning student-athlete gambling is becoming more difficult as the problem, with a long history behind it, is clearly growing. And there are no easy solutions. League of Fans asks readers to share ideas, suggestions, concerns, and personal knowledge and experiences regarding student-athlete gambling to NCAA President Myles Brand and the NCAA Sports Wagering Task Force. Myles Brand President National Collegiate Athletic Association 700 W. Washington Street P.O. Box 6222 Indianapolis, IN 46206-6222 tel (317) 917-6222 fax (317) 917-6888 Rev. Malloy, President of Notre Dame, is Chair of the NCAA Sports Wagering Task Force: Rev. Edward S. Malloy President University of Notre Dame 300 Main Bldg. Notre Dame, IN 46556 tel (574) 631-7367 fax (574) 631-8212 The NCAA Sports Wagering Task Force Roster http://www.ncaa.org/gambling/2003NationalStudy/taskForceRoster.html ------------------------- ### ------------------------- GOOD SPORTS / BAD SPORTS is an email bulletin of recent news items and suggested actions regarding issues in the world of sports. It goes out regularly to League of Fans "Alerts" listserv subscribers. Help spread the word! Send copies of this message to your friends and join the growing movement of people who are fed up with what the sports industry has become and want to do something about it. If you would like to add yourself to the "Alerts" list, sign up at http://two.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/alerts Founded by Ralph Nader, League of Fans is a sports reform project working to improve sports by increasing awareness of the sports industry's relationship to society, exposing irresponsible business practices, ensuring accountability to fans, and encouraging the industry to contribute to societal well-being. To find out more about League of Fans, visit www.leagueoffans.org or write to info@leagueoffans.org. From shawn@essential.org Thu Jun 10 16:47:11 2004 From: shawn@essential.org (Shawn McCarthy) Date: Thu, 10 Jun 2004 11:47:11 -0400 Subject: [Alerts] Brooklyn Block Party and Rally Against Nets Arena Message-ID: <40C8827F.6060108@essential.org> League of Fans urges all to attend the June 19 Brooklyn Block Party and Rally Against the Ratner/Nets Arena posted: June 10, 2004 (Please Distribute Widely) From Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn (www.developdontdestroy.org): Celebrate Brooklyn Communities Block Party and Rally Against the Ratner/Nets Arena and High Rise Development When: Saturday, June 19th, 2pm Where: Pacific Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues - Prospect Heights, Brooklyn Cost: FREE! As developer Bruce Ratner's plan to build a new arena and high rise buildings in Brooklyn continues apace, the affected communities are coming together to draw the public’s attention to exactly what is at stake. On June 19, 2004 in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, a consortium of activist groups will be hosting the Celebrate Our Communities Block Party, an event celebrating our Brooklyn communities, while affirming the right of individuals everywhere to have a say in development projects that affect them. The event will highlight the problems of misguided initiatives like Ratner's Nets Arena and 17 High Rise Proposal -- the demolition of homes and businesses, misuse of taxpayer funds, 3K parking garage and traffic increase, environmental damage, mall-ification of mom and pop communities, lack of sustainable jobs and affordable housing. Yet, the block party/rally will be first and foremost a celebration of the area's dynamic and viable communities and the residents who have done so much to transform this part of Brooklyn. Popular Brooklyn musical acts and DJs include: The French Kicks DJ Scribe (Love Revolution) Eman (Bang the Party) DJ Dhundee (Sugar Cuts) Gamall (Rude Movements) Touch It Crew Special Guests: MC Enemy The Spunk Lads Some of Brooklyn's finest restaurants and bars and the area's crafts and design stores will be offering their wares; politicians, activists and performers will be keeping the throngs entertained from the pulpit. The event is not to be missed for anyone sympathetic to a community’s right to choose its future, or anyone who simply wishes to spend a great day in Brooklyn. Saturday, June 19, 2pm. Pacific Street between 5th and 6th Avenue, Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. 2/3, 4/5, B or Q to Atlantic Avenue; N, R, D or M to Pacific Street; G to Fulton Street; C to Lafayette Avenue. * Take Action! * Please help by: 1) attending the block party/rally and encouraging others to do so; 2) forwarding this message to family and friends in the New York City area; and 3) printing and distributing fliers (pdf) announcing the event at www.dddb.net/public/RallyFlier.pdf. More info from Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn at www.developdontdestroy.org; e-mail: contact@developdontdestroy.org; tel: (718) 362-4784. ------------------------- ### ------------------------- Help spread the word! Send copies of this message to your friends and join the growing movement of people who are fed up with what the sports industry has become and want to do something about it. If you would like to add yourself to the "Alerts" list, sign up at http://two.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/alerts Founded by Ralph Nader, League of Fans is a sports reform project working to improve sports by increasing awareness of the sports industry's relationship to society, exposing irresponsible business practices, ensuring accountability to fans, and encouraging the industry to contribute to societal well-being. To find out more about League of Fans, visit www.leagueoffans.org or write to info@leagueoffans.org From info@leagueoffans.org Wed Jun 30 16:17:56 2004 From: info@leagueoffans.org (League of Fans) Date: Wed, 30 Jun 2004 11:17:56 -0400 Subject: [Alerts] On the occasion of the resignation of Governor John Rowland Message-ID: <40E2D9A4.6040500@leagueoffans.org> On the occasion of Connecticut Gov. John Rowland’s resignation, League of Fans remembers the strong opposition that defeated Rowland’s attempted stadium giveaway in Hartford for the New England Patriots in 1998-99. June 30, 2004 After prolonged controversy, calls for his resignation and impeachment, and a decision by the Connecticut State Supreme Court that he would have to testify before a legislative impeachment panel, Connecticut Governor John Rowland (R) announced on Monday, June 21st that he will step down from his office effective July 1. Rowland has been battling numerous accusations that he awarded no-bid state contracts, and accepted personal gifts and financial rewards from individuals who did business with the state. League of Fans takes a look back at Gov. Rowland’s failed stadium deal for Patriots' owner Robert Kraft in 1998-99, focusing on some of the writings of Ralph Nader in opposition to the corporate welfare plan, along with a bibliography of media coverage. Nader's battle against Gov. Rowland and the Patriots was a catalyst for the founding of the project which became League of Fans. ----- * Ralph Nader's writings * Op-ed opposing taxpayer subsidies for a new Patriots stadium in Hartford - December 6, 1998 - http://www.leagueoffans.org/hartfordstadiumoped.html --- Letter to the Connecticut Secretary of State asking him to speak out on the New England Patriots stadium deal in Hartford - December 14, 1998 - http://www.leagueoffans.org/ctsecletter.html --- Letter to the Connecticut Attorney General asking for an evaluation of the New England Patriots stadium deal in Hartford - December 14, 1998 - http://www.leagueoffans.org/ctagletter.html --- "In the Public Interest" column opposing taxpayer subsidies for a new Patriots stadium in Hartford - December 21, 1998 - http://www.leagueoffans.org/hartfordstadiumcolumn.html --- Letter to the editor on the secrecy of the Patriots' stadium deal legislation in Hartford - January 6, 1999 - http://www.leagueoffans.org/hartfordstadiumletter.html --- Statement on the occasion of the demise of the Rowland-Patriots stadium scheme - April 30, 1999 - http://www.leagueoffans.org/hartfordstadiumstatement.html --- Op-ed on the failed taxpayer funded stadium scheme for the Patriots in Hartford - May 10, 1999 - http://www.leagueoffans.org/2hartfordstadiumoped.html ----- * Media Coverage * Don Michak, "Nader: Rowland trying to rush Patriots deal," Journal Inquirer, November 30, 1998. Mike Swift and Matthew Daly, "Nader Calls Pats Plan 'Corporate Socialism'," Hartford Courant, December 1, 1998. Ralph Nader, "Who Are We Kidding With This Sweetheart Deal?," Hartford Courant, December 6, 1998. Dan Shaughnessy, "Kraft goes to Conn., keeps con going," Boston Globe, December 11, 1998. John Breen, "Patriots' hustlers turn state motto into 'How about me?'," Journal Inquirer (Manchester, CT), December 15, 1998. Ralph Nader, "No Taxpayer Funded Stadium for the Patriots in Hartford!," syndicated column: In the Public Interest, December 21, 1998. "Nader Fights Stadium," Washington Post, December 29, 1998, p D2. "New Stadium for Patriots Won't Be Built, Nader Says," New York Times, December 29, 1998, p A15. Mark Pazniokas, "Nader Out To Sack Stadium Deal," Hartford Courant, December 29, 1998. "Activist skeptical of Conn. stadium," Associated Press, December 29, 1998. Cosmo Macero Jr., "Nader aims to defeat Pats' Conn. deal," Boston Herald, December 29, 1998. Keith M. Phaneuf, "Nader, others line up against deal," Journal Inquirer (Manchester, CT), December 29, 1998. Keith C. Burris, "Nader speaks too little, too late," Journal Inquirer (Manchester, CT), December 31, 1998. Janice Battista, "Nader Blasts the Patriots Deal," Litchfield County Times, January 1, 1999. Ralph Nader, Letter to the Editor: no title, Hartford Courant, January 6, 1999. "Nader The Critic Stands In Good Company," Hartford Courant, January 12, 1999. Zoe Konovalov, "Critics dampen Patriots stadium excitement," Yale Herald, February 19, 1999. Ralph Nader, "Lessons To Be Learned From Patriots Debacle," Hartford Courant, May 10, 1999. ------------------------- ### ------------------------- Help spread the word! Send copies of this message to your friends and join the growing movement of people who are fed up with what the sports industry has become and want to do something about it. If you would like to add yourself to the "Alerts" list, sign up at http://two.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/alerts Founded by Ralph Nader, League of Fans is a sports reform project working to improve sports by increasing awareness of the sports industry's relationship to society, exposing irresponsible business practices, ensuring accountability to fans, and encouraging the industry to contribute to societal well-being. To find out more about League of Fans, visit www.leagueoffans.org or write to info@leagueoffans.org From info@leagueoffans.org Thu Jul 1 23:38:05 2004 From: info@leagueoffans.org (League of Fans) Date: Thu, 01 Jul 2004 18:38:05 -0400 Subject: [Alerts] NO DC taxes for baseball! Message-ID: <40E4924D.4060503@leagueoffans.org> League of Fans part of NO DC taxes for baseball!, a coalition of DC residents and organizations who oppose public financing of a baseball stadium in Washington DC July 1, 2004 NO DC taxes for baseball! http://www.nodctaxesforbaseball.org/index.html Who We Are: We are DC residents and organizations who oppose taxpayer financing of a new baseball stadium. We believe that DC should use its limited resources for things that really matter - such as schools, health care, public safety, the environment, and basic city services. We believe that a stadium should be built by the people who stand to profit - the team owners - not DC taxpayers. And we demand an open process, complete with public hearings, on the issues of stadium financing and site selection. Background: Most DC area residents would love to have a baseball team to call their own. But Mayor Williams' plan to spend $383 million to build a baseball stadium is a bad deal for the city. Research from university scholars -- as opposed to biased studies commissioned by baseball "public financing" proponents -- shows that a team would create mostly low-paying, low benefit, part-time jobs and would not strengthen the local economy. Even the most successful stadiums, such as Baltimore's Camden Yards, fail to produce enough tax revenue to justify large public subsidies. The well-off owners of Major League Baseball have told the cash-strapped District that the city must pay most of the cost of the new stadium. This is not fair, and it doesn't even make economic sense. The DC area is the largest metro area without a team and one of the wealthiest in the nation. Major League Baseball should be begging to come here rather than making outrageous demands. The District is struggling to meet basic needs -- in environmental protection, education, libraries, health care, and other areas. It should not put in a baseball stadium before other investments that could do a lot more to improve the quality of life for DC residents and businesses. ----- Why Public Stadium Financing is Not a Good Idea: http://www.nodctaxesforbaseball.org/basics.html ----- Resources: http://www.nodctaxesforbaseball.org/resources.html ----- * Take Action! * http://www.nodctaxesforbaseball.org/action.html ----- League of Fans and Ralph Nader on the DC stadium battle: Ralph Nader and League of Fans' statement on the announcement that the President of the D.C. Sports and Entertainment Commission is stepping down (10/6/03) http://www.leagueoffans.org/dcsecstatement.html Ralph Nader and League of Fans urge D.C. Council to use savings from convention center refinancing for public needs not a baseball stadium (8/28/03) http://www.leagueoffans.org/dccouncilletter.html Ralph Nader and League of Fans urge D.C. Mayor to ask for resignation of Sports Commission president and redefine goals of the agency (8/21/03) http://www.leagueoffans.org/williamsletter.html Ralph Nader, League of Fans and D.C. Organizations ask MLB Commissioner Selig to eliminate push for taxpayer dollars as basis for baseball relocation (7/16/03) http://www.leagueoffans.org/seligletter.html Ralph Nader's op-ed column on Major League Baseball's plan to shake down D.C. taxpayers for a new stadium (7/13/03) http://www.leagueoffans.org/dcstadiumoped.html League of Fans' testimony against a taxpayer-subsidized baseball stadium in Washington D.C. before the DC Council Committee on Finance and Revenue (6/12/03) http://www.leagueoffans.org/2dcstadiumtestimony.html League of Fans' testimony against a taxpayer-subsidized baseball stadium in Washington D.C. before the DC Council Committee on Economic Development (4/2/03) http://www.leagueoffans.org/dcstadiumtestimony.html Ralph Nader tells Washington D.C. government to put Books Before Baseball (3/21/03) http://www.leagueoffans.org/booksbeforebaseball.html Ralph Nader's letter to the editor opposing a taxpayer-funded baseball stadium in Washington D.C. (12/23/02) http://www.leagueoffans.org/dcstadiumletter.html Ralph Nader's statement to D.C. Council members opposing possible taxpayer subsidized baseball stadium (7/7/99) http://www.leagueoffans.org/dccouncilstatement.html ------------------------- ### ------------------------- Help spread the word! Send copies of this message to your friends and join the growing movement of people who are fed up with what the sports industry has become and want to do something about it. If you would like to add yourself to the "Alerts" list, sign up at http://two.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/alerts Founded by Ralph Nader, League of Fans is a sports reform project working to improve sports by increasing awareness of the sports industry's relationship to society, exposing irresponsible business practices, ensuring accountability to fans, and encouraging the industry to contribute to societal well-being. To find out more about League of Fans, visit www.leagueoffans.org or write to info@leagueoffans.org From info@leagueoffans.org Fri Aug 20 19:51:24 2004 From: info@leagueoffans.org (League of Fans) Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2004 14:51:24 -0400 Subject: [Alerts] 'Plan' for baseball stadium leaves out wishes of D.C. taxpayers Message-ID: <4126482C.3050004@leagueoffans.org> League of Fans and the NO DC taxes for baseball! coalition letter to the editor of the Washington Business Journal responding to D.C. Councilmember Jack Evans' 'plan' for baseball in the District Evans' 'plan' for baseball leaves out wishes of D.C. taxpayers Washington Business Journal - August 20, 2004; Page 55 Editor: In his Aug. 13, 2004 commentary piece (“Evans: Take N. Va. out of the ballgame”), D.C. Councilman Jack Evans makes a number of presumptuous statements about the District’s effort to land the Montreal Expos that show disdain not only for members of the public, but also for his fellow council members. The upshot of Mr. Evans’s article is that the council has already made up its collective mind to support public financing of a baseball stadium if D.C. is awarded the Expos’ franchise, and, therefore, what D.C. residents have to say about the issue is irrelevant. In what may be the greatest political boast heard in the District of Columbia since Alexander Haig said, “I’m in charge” after President Reagan was wounded by a would-be assassin, Mr. Evans wrote: “You come, baseball, and we will build it. I guarantee it.” Citizens, stand aside. Jack Evans has proclaimed it thus. Mr. Evans contends that “the council is in total support of the Expos relocating to the District.” While all council members want the Expos in the District, what Mr. Evans doesn’t say is that several council members have been quoted in the press as opposing the substantial public financing advocated by Mr. Evans and Mayor Tony Williams at the behest of Major League Baseball, which wants the project financed with as great a percentage of public dollars as possible. Two council members, Adrian Fenty, D-Ward 4, and David Catania, R-at large, even wrote a recent Washington Post “Close to Home” piece in which they opposed substantial public financing for baseball and called for the prospective team owners to pay for stadium construction out of their own pockets. Mr. Evans further wrote that “the necessary financing plan for the ballpark will go through my budget and finance committee and then the entire council. When we get the team, we will introduce legislation, hold hearings and quickly pass the needed financing plan.” It should be noted that Evans and the Mayor have yet to publicly disclose specifics of their financing plan. The plan has been discussed by city officials behind closed doors among themselves and with Major League Baseball, but the press and the public have been shut out as to specifics, despite repeated requests by reporters and citizens for more information. Additionally, Mr. Evans wrote that the business community “is also in total support of a new ballpark and last summer lobbied the council to reinstate the arena fee to help finance a new stadium.” Business people lobbying to have a tax imposed on themselves? This should come as a shock to some business leaders who have been quoted in the press this summer as saying they haven’t been filled in on the details of the Williams-Evans financing plan and who seemed less than enthusiastic about any tax on business receipts, such as was done in the financing of the MCI Center infrastructure. Mr. Evans should know that a lot of District residents, including his Ward 2 constituents, oppose public financing and new taxes for a baseball stadium. A coalition of more than a dozen organizations and hundreds of individuals, organized around the public financing issue, has been formed under the name No DC Taxes for Baseball Campaign (www.nodctaxesforbaseball.org). We, too, want the Expos in the District of Columbia. But we believe that any stadium should be built by the people who stand to profit from a new team -- the owners (such as was done by the owners of the San Francisco Giants) -- and not by D.C. taxpayers. And the process by which we decide whether or not to provide public financing for a stadium should be an open one, not a closed-door affair in which only the deal makers are present and the press and public are absent. For the No DC Taxes for Baseball Campaign: Linda Leaks and Parisa Norouzi District of Columbia Empowerment Project Shawn McCarthy League of Fans ### Councilmember Evans' editorial from the Washington Business Journal - August 13, 2004: http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2004/08/16/editorial3.html?t=printable From info@leagueoffans.org Mon Aug 23 15:57:15 2004 From: info@leagueoffans.org (League of Fans) Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2004 10:57:15 -0400 Subject: [Alerts] Nader: Ballparks, corporate welfare Message-ID: <412A05CB.4070708@leagueoffans.org> Washington Times Op-ed: Ballparks, corporate welfare By Ralph Nader August 23, 2004 How did Mayor Tony Williams decide that D.C. government should get in the business of entertaining its citizens as opposed to educating them, and providing other essential public programs and services that benefit D.C. residents? Mr. Williams' plan for $383 million in public money to bankroll a stadium to lure a profit-motivated, monopoly entertainment corporation like Major League Baseball is corporate welfare run amok. Art Modell, former owner of the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns and beneficiary of a taxpayer-financed stadium deal to relocate his own franchise, once told reporters, "The pride and presence of a professional football team is far more important than 30 libraries, and I say that with all due respect to the learning process." This is proving to be the civic philosophy of Mr. Williams. In a city with a 37 percent functional adult illiteracy rate, the mayor's public giveaway offer for the "pride and presence" of a baseball franchise continues to rise, while the District's 27 woefully underfunded neighborhood libraries have fallen to 51st out of the 50 states and the District (according to Hennen's American Public Library Ratings). Mr. Modell must feel prescient. Last year, a few public meetings were held by representatives of the mayor and the D.C. Sports and Entertainment Commission to discuss the benefits of the stadium plan. Residents saw through the stale promises that a stadium would pay for itself. The plan was hammered for its excessive public financing; diversion of tax revenue away from the general treasury; disruption and displacement of residents; the mostly low-pay, low-benefit seasonal job creation; and the likelihood that most D.C. families would not be able to afford tickets while the favored ownership group, reportedly worth $3 billion, would enjoy a financial windfall on the backs of those families. Independent economists agree that stadiums do not boost the economy, as Mr. Williams claims, but rather divert tax revenues from other areas. As Smith College economist Andrew Zimbalist wrote last year, "There are very few fields of economic research that produce unanimous agreement. Yet every independent economic analysis of the impact of stadiums has found no predictable positive effect on output or employment. Some studies have even concluded that there is a possible negative impact." This year, as baseball's infamous game of pitting cities against each other for the best taxpayer-squeezing deal wears on, Mr. Williams continues to encourage baseball's pathological greed. His offers of public subsidy have swelled from $200 million, to $275 million, to $300 million, to $339 million and now up to $383 million. The mayor's stadium proposal has become even more disturbing as changes to the details of his financing plan are kept secret. No more informing the public of the concessions he is making to baseball, no discussions with neighborhood residents and no public hearings. Against pleas to end the secrecy, Mr. Williams apparently has decided that since his stadium scheme has failed to hold up to the scrutiny of D.C. residents in the past, it is the residents rather than the proposal that should be eliminated from the process. Any financing package would have to get through the D.C. Council before a shovel is put in the ground. But the mayor even went so far as to suggest to baseball officials that he could get a financing plan through the council "in a snap." Council members Adrian Fenty, a Democrat from Ward 4, and David Catania, an at-large Republican, beg to differ. They have written that they cannot support a baseball stadium financed entirely or substantially with public money and have pledged that public input will be required before moving forward. As baseball's squeeze-play on the District heats up, it is important to remember that the District already has a unique stadium that would be a great permanent location for baseball. With some willpower and ingenuity, there is little that a new stadium could provide that RFK Stadium could not. Baseball should team with D.C. United and privately finance the renovation of RFK, making it usable and profitable for both. The real, everyday lives of D.C. residents is not something Major League Baseball cares about, but it is the only thing with which Mr. Williams and the D.C. Council should be concerned. In a city like the District, where the poverty rate is 20 percent; where the gap between rich and poor is as wide as any other major U.S. city (according to the D.C. Fiscal Policy Institute); where affordable housing is scarce, public schools inadequate, drinking water contaminated, job training, public health and youth programs deficient, libraries crumbling, and public transit services reduced despite higher fares, funding entertainment is not the business of city government. In a city where the pressing public needs are many, the District cannot afford to squander its limited resources on a baseball stadium to enhance the private profit of monopoly sports moguls. http://www.washingtontimes.com/op-ed/20040822-104443-5606r.htm From info@leagueoffans.org Thu Sep 2 23:39:21 2004 From: info@leagueoffans.org (League of Fans) Date: Thu, 02 Sep 2004 18:39:21 -0400 Subject: [Alerts] League of Fans to National Hockey League Commissioner: NO LOCKOUT! Message-ID: <4137A119.7080407@leagueoffans.org> League of Fans Urges National Hockey League Commissioner Not to Lock-Out Players Today, the sports reform project League of Fans sent a letter to NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman urging the league to reach an agreement with the NHL Players Association to prevent a work stoppage. The league’s collective bargaining agreement expires on September 15 at which time the NHL is expected to lock-out the players in an effort to impose a salary cap which the players will not accept. A lengthy lockout would result in the cancellation of games and would threaten the entire 2004-2005 season. The letter follows. ----- September 2, 2004 Gary B. Bettman Commissioner National Hockey League 1251 Avenue of the Americas, 47th Floor New York, NY 10020 Dear Commissioner Bettman: In the coming days, the National Hockey League has a unique opportunity to display to sports fans that there is still reason to cheer and support the league. But the conventional wisdom is that you will be locking-out the players when the collective bargaining agreement expires on September 15 because the NHL Players Association will not accept a salary cap and you are determined to impose one. I am writing on behalf of League of Fans to urge that the NHL reach an agreement with the NHLPA to prevent a work stoppage. League of Fans is a sports reform project founded by Ralph Nader which, along with many issues, promotes the interests of sports fans. Along these lines, League of Fans believes collective bargaining in sports leagues should take fans and host cities into account. Fans should have their interests in the resolution of disputes effectively expressed, and public entities which are subsidizing franchise owners should have the right to seek compensation for damages resulting from work stoppages. While there has been ample coverage of the bickering between the NHL and NHLPA during negotiations, there has been very little written about the consumers that make the NHL possible -- the fans. It would be a mistake to think that fans have not been impacted by talks to this point. And it would be a greater mistake to believe that fans would not have an impact on the NHL after another lockout. Especially at a time when the NHL is comparatively unpopular among fans who have other sports and entertainment options, the league should not take fans’ interests lightly. Though some fans are in agreement with the league’s position against the players that their should be a salary cap system in the NHL, it is the position of League of Fans that the potential consequences of a lengthy lockout are not worth the hard-line stance taken by the league. Why is a salary cap the only solution the NHL will accept given the league’s grievances? The players union has stated it is willing to negotiate anything but a salary cap. Mr. Bettman, the proposal that the NHLPA presented last October, which the NHL reportedly rejected, is a compromise which could successfully address the concerns of NHL owners without instituting a salary cap. This proposal appears, at the very least, to be a good starting point. League of Fans urges the NHL to revisit and negotiate from the NHLPA proposal, which suggests: a) that all players take a 5 percent pay cut (saving owners money up front); b) that teams with high payrolls pay a luxury tax (placing a drag on what the highest spending teams spend on players); c) that significant revenue sharing be implemented (evening out the distribution of revenues, closing the profitability-gap between teams and encouraging league-wide competitive balance); and d) that entry-level contracts be lowered and bonuses limited (helping to keep initial player costs down). This proposal may be the best possibility for a resolution and the outright rejection of such a compromise leads one to wonder whether compromise is even an option, and demands answers as to whether the league is honestly attempting to avoid a lockout. Why is the NHL spending so much time trying to sway fans against players with its public relations strategy rather than concentrating its time and resources on negotiations with the NHLPA in an honest effort to reach an agreement? High player salaries may contribute to the alienation of fans, but why are salaries to blame for the NHL’s current economic difficulties? With all of the luxury box-filled publicly-funded arenas and robust revenue growth in the NHL, league and franchise mismanagement and lack of revenue sharing is certainly more to blame. Will the NHL compensate the public entities that are subsidizing arenas for the benefit of owners should a lockout be imposed? Team owners pay salaries as an investment based on what they believe players are worth. Given that ticket prices are a function of supply-and-demand, with owners typically putting prices at their highest revenue-generating potential regardless of how high or low player salaries are, the relationship between salaries and ticket prices has been overblown by the NHL in an effort to get fans on their side. September 15 is an unmistakable crossroads for the NHL that will define its status for years to come. If the league and players cannot now find the motivation to begin a dialog of compromise to save hockey for millions of loyal consumers, then shame on the NHL which should learn that it can not thrive while taking the fans for granted. I look forward to your response and resolution of this matter. Sincerely, Shawn McCarthy League of Fans P.O. Box 19367 Washington, DC 20036 ### Founded by Ralph Nader, League of Fans is a sports reform project working to improve sports by increasing awareness of the sports industry's relationship to society, exposing irresponsible business practices, ensuring accountability to fans, and encouraging the industry to contribute to societal well-being. www.leagueoffans.org From info@leagueoffans.org Wed Sep 29 18:30:20 2004 From: info@leagueoffans.org (League of Fans) Date: Wed, 29 Sep 2004 13:30:20 -0400 Subject: [Alerts] Protect Candlestick, Stop a Corporate Monster Message-ID: <415AF12C.8000907@leagueoffans.org> League of Fans supports Commercial Alert’s campaign to protect Candlestick Park and to stop a corporate “Monster” naming rights deal September 29, 2004 Yesterday, Monster Cable Products purchased naming rights to famed Candlestick Park, the taxpayer-owned home of the San Francisco 49ers. In a remarkable display of corporate arrogance, Monster announced the naming rights deal even though San Francisco citizens will vote on Election Day in a referendum on whether to declare Candlestick the stadium's official name. What you can do to help: 1) Send an email to Monster Cable Products CEO Noel Lee that you will refer to Candlestick only as “Candlestick,” “the Stick” or "The Monstrosity," but never "Monster Park," and that you won't buy anything from his company. To send the email, click here: http://actionstudio.org/?go=914 2) Please forward this to every sports fan who might want to see it: For background, here is a link to an article in yesterday's San Francisco Chronicle: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/09/28/BAGVO906R41.DTL Below is the news release Commercial Alert sent out yesterday: http://www.commercialalert.org/index.php/category_id/1/subcategory_id/16/article_id/273 ----- News Release For Immediate Release: Tuesday, September 28, 2004 For More Information Contact: Gary Ruskin (503) 235-8012 San Francisco Voters Will Decide the Name of Candlestick Park on Election Day In a test of the growing resistance to corporate names for civic and cultural institutions, San Francisco voters will decide on November 2nd whether the name of famed Candlestick Park will be sold to the highest corporate bidder. The stadium is taxpayer-owned and home to the NFL San Francisco ‘49ers. If the voters so decide, Proposition H would declare Candlestick Park the stadium’s official name. San Francisco Board of Supervisors President Matt Gonzalez championed the effort to put Proposition H on the ballot, with support from Supervisors Tom Ammiano, Chris Daly and Gerardo Sandoval. “Across the political spectrum, voters and sports fans are fed up with the intrusion of corporate marketers into every part of our lives and culture,” Gonzalez said. "I doubt voters in San Francisco will want to trade local history and everything associated with Candlestick Park just for more corporate advertising." Today, the ‘49ers are expected to announce a deal to sell naming rights to Candlestick to Monster Cable Products. “We hope people will call the stadium ‘The Monstrosity’ until Election Day,” said Gary Ruskin, executive director of Commercial Alert. “It is a sign of the decline in our values that we sell the names of our civic and cultural institutions, rather than name them after our heroes or history,” Ruskin said. Another problem with placing corporate names on civic institutions is that some cities end up promoting corporate wrongdoers. “In the era of corporate scandals, the sale of naming rights is an accident waiting to happen,” Ruskin said. “San Francisco could easily get tarred with the misdeeds of its corporate ‘partner,’ if it becomes a corporate criminal or wrongdoer. Who knows? Monster Cable may end up as the next corporate monster,” So far, the sale of naming rights has embarrassed a lot of cities: - Houston is the poster child for naming rights disasters. The Houston Astros used to play on Enron Field. That speaks for itself. It was re-named Astros Field and then Minute Maid Park in 2002. Minute Maid is owned by Coca-Cola, which settled the largest racial discrimination suit in history, for $192.5 million. - The Houston Texans play at Reliant Stadium, which is named after Reliant Energy. A subsidiary of that company, Reliant Energy Services, is under a six-count indictment along with four of its officers and employees, for a conspiracy to defraud the California electricity market and to manipulate electricity prices. - The Baltimore Ravens played at PSINet stadium until 2002, when the company went bankrupt. - The Denver Broncos currently play at Invesco Field at Mile High. In September, Invesco (and AIM Securities) paid a $450 million settlement over securities fraud charges. - The Colorado Rockies play at Denver’s Coors Field, which is named after a major polluter – the Adolph Coors Company. The company paid a $200,000 criminal fine and pled guilty to two criminal misdemeanor counts of contaminating groundwater and failing to report the contamination to regulatory authorities. - The New England Patriots played at CMGI Stadium until 2002, when the company nearly went bankrupt. - The Miami Heat play at the American Airlines Arena and the Dallas Mavericks play at the American Airlines Center, which are named after a big polluter. In 1999, American Airlines pled guilty to illegal storage of hazardous waste, and paid an $8 million criminal fine. - The St. Louis Rams played at the Trans World Dome until 2001, when TWA filed for bankruptcy for a third time, and was bought by AMR, the parent company of American Airlines. - The Florida Panthers played at the National Car Rental Center until 2002, when National’s parent company, ANC Rental, went bankrupt. - MCI Center still hosts the Washington Wizards, even though MCI Worldcom committed one of the largest corporate frauds in history. - The Tennessee Titans played at Adelphia Coliseum, but the name was changed after the company's owners were charged with pillaging the company. - The Seattle Seahawks are playing at Qwest Field. Their former senior vice president, Tom Hall, recently announced that he’ll plead guilty to charges from Qwest’s accounting scandal. Overwhelming majorities of Americans are sick of advertisers efforts to dangle an ad in front of us at every waking moment. According to a Yankelovich Partners poll in April, 60% of Americans have a “much more negative opinion of marketing and advertising now than a few years ago,” 61% of Americans “feel the amount of marketing and advertising is out of control,” 65% feel “constantly bombarded with too much advertising and marketing, ”and 65% “think there should be more limits and regulations on marketing and advertising.” (To read the poll, go to http://www.commercialalert.org/Yankelovich.pdf.) “Each day, Americans are assaulted with an amazing array of advertising, including pop-ups, pop-unders, telemarketing, billboards, spam, TV commercials, product placements, junk mail, junk faxes,” Ruskin said. Candlestick Park opened in 1960. After naming rights were sold, it was renamed 3Com Park between 1995-2001. Following public opposition to the re-sale of naming rights, San Francisco Board of Supervisors refused to sell naming rights in 2002 and 2003. But in July, the Board of Supervisors approved the sale of naming rights to Candlestick. Proposition H states “Be it ordained by the People of the City and County of San Francisco….[that] [t]he City-owned sports stadium located at Candlestick Point, at Jamestown Street and Harney Way, is hereby named and shall be referred to as ‘Candlestick Park.’ This ordinance shall not apply to any privately-owned facility that may in the future be constructed at that location.” Commercial Alert is a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to keep the commercial culture within its proper sphere, and to prevent it from exploiting children and subverting the higher values of family, community, environmental integrity and democracy. For more information, see our website at: http://www.commercialalert.org. -------------------- ### -------------------- Help spread the word! Send copies of this message to your friends and join the growing movement of people who are fed up with what the sports industry has become and want to do something about it. If you would like to add yourself to the "Alerts" list, sign up at http://two.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/alerts Founded by Ralph Nader, League of Fans is a sports reform project working to improve sports by increasing awareness of the sports industry's relationship to society, exposing irresponsible business practices, ensuring accountability to fans, and encouraging the industry to contribute to societal well-being. To find out more about League of Fans, visit www.leagueoffans.org or write to info@leagueoffans.org. From info@leagueoffans.org Fri Oct 1 18:30:44 2004 From: info@leagueoffans.org (League of Fans) Date: Fri, 01 Oct 2004 13:30:44 -0400 Subject: [Alerts] Rally to Oppose $440 Million Stadium Plan in D.C. Message-ID: <415D9444.4080307@leagueoffans.org> Tuesday October 5, 9:30 a.m. RALLY AND CALL-IN TO FIGHT $440 MILLION GIVEAWAY FOR A BASEBALL STADIUM http://www.leagueoffans.org/dcstadiumrally.html League of Fans urges citizens and fans to tell D.C. leaders: NO PUBLIC FINANCING FOR A STADIUM. BASEBALL OWNERS SHOULD PAY FOR A STADIUM, SO TAXES CAN BE USED TO MEET THE CRITICAL NEEDS OF RESIDENTS 1) THE RALLY: Join us on the steps of the Wilson Building at 9:15 a.m. on Tuesday October 5 to show your opposition to spending public funds for a $440 million baseball stadium. Community groups and several existing and newly elected council members will rally resident support to win fight against the mayor's plan. The rally will start at 9:30. Bring as many people as you can and spread the word widely. Bring a sign if you can. 2) CALL-IN AND EMAIL TO COUNCIL MEMBERS Why the Mayor's plan is outrageous. - The Mayor's stadium plan puts a baseball stadium ahead of other more important needs: Taxes raised for a baseball stadium could be used to re-build schools, keep Metro costs down, support our libraries, preserve affordable housing, and revitalize neighborhoods. - The Mayor's stadium plan is a sweetheart deal that benefits wealthy Major League Baseball Owners: According to the Washington Post, the Mayor's offer to have the city build the stadium, charge only a nominal lease to the new team, and give away 100% of the revenue from naming rights "was one of the most generous deals some baseball officials had seen." If DC pays for the stadium with public funds, the new team owners can pay top dollar for the Expos to MLB instead of financing the stadium themselves. Major League Baseball paid $120 million for the Expos just two ago, and now they want to sell it to the new DC owners for $300 million! - The Mayor's Plan Won't Meet the City's Real Economic Development Needs: Economic studies on the impact of stadiums consistently find that they do not create jobs or boost incomes, and they do not encourage development in surrounding neighborhoods. A DC Stadium would be unused 3 of every 4 days and mostly would create part-time, low-wage jobs without benefits. INFORMATION FOR CALLING-IN OR EMAILING You can send an email to all DC Council members by highlighting the addresses below. The phone numbers for the Council are listed below, too. Sample email message: Dear _____, I urge you to reject the plan to build a new baseball stadium with $440 million in DC taxes. The stadium is not the kind of economic development DC needs -- it will not bring good jobs to DC residents. And it will use tax resources that could be used to address the city’s real needs, such as re-building schools, revitalizing our neighborhoods , keeping Metro costs down, and creating affordable housing. Residents won’t benefit, but Major League Baseball and the new owners will. According to experts, DC’s offer is a “sweetheart deal” for Major League Baseball. If we pay for the stadium, the new team owners can pay their top dollar for the Expos to MLB instead of financing the stadium themselves. Major League Baseball paid $120 million for the Expos just a few years ago, and now they want to sell it to the new DC owners for $300 million! The new owners should pay for the stadium, since they are the ones who will profit. $440 million in DC tax dollars could be much better used to improve services in my neighborhood and in the neighborhoods of other DC residents. Email addresses: lcropp@dccouncil.us hbrazil@dccouncil.us dcatania@dc.gov pmendelson@dccouncil.us carol.schwartz@dc.gov jim@grahamwone.com jackevans@dccouncil.us kathypatterson@dccouncil.us afenty@dccouncil.us sambrose@dccouncil.us kpchavous@dccouncil.us sallen@dccouncil.us Priorities for phone calls: Jim Graham: (202) 724-8181 Phil Mendelson: (202) 724-8064 Carol Schwartz: (202) 724-8105 Sandy Allen: (202) 724-8045 Kevin Chavous: (202) 724-8068 Sharon Ambrose: (202) 724-8072 Other Phone Numbers: Linda Cropp: (202) 724-8032 David Catania (opposes mayor's plan): (202) 724-7772 Harold Brazil: (202) 724-8174 Jack Evans: (202) 724-8058 Kathy Patterson (opposes mayor's plan): (202) 724-8062 Adrian Fenty (opposes mayor's plan): (202) 724-8052 Vincent Orange: (202) 724-8028 -------------------- ### -------------------- Help spread the word! Send copies of this message to your friends and join the growing movement of people who are fed up with what the sports industry has become and want to do something about it. If you would like to add yourself to the "Alerts" list, sign up at http://two.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/alerts Founded by Ralph Nader, League of Fans is a sports reform project working to improve sports by increasing awareness of the sports industry's relationship to society, exposing irresponsible business practices, ensuring accountability to fans, and encouraging the industry to contribute to societal well-being. To find out more about League of Fans, visit www.leagueoffans.org or write to info@leagueoffans.org. From info@leagueoffans.org Mon Oct 11 23:33:44 2004 From: info@leagueoffans.org (League of Fans) Date: Mon, 11 Oct 2004 18:33:44 -0400 Subject: [Alerts] Ralph Nader: Baseball in DC-YES, Public Financing-NO Message-ID: <416B0A48.8070201@leagueoffans.org> Baseball in DC–YES! Public Financing–No! Nader: “Lucrative deal for fat-cat owners is corporate welfare run amok” posted: October 11, 2004 Washington, DC: Ralph Nader called on the city council of Washington, DC to reject a proposed public financing plan for bringing baseball back to the nation’s capitol. Nader pointed to the extreme generosity of the plan, the likely negative economic impact and the unanswered questions regarding other costs. “Baseball and Washington, DC are a great match, the capitol area is wealthy, has a large population with lots of potential fans and television marketing. There is no need for DC to provide the most expensive public financing for any team in the country. Mayor Williams has given away the store and will do long-term damage to the district’s economy if his proposal is approved by the City Council,” said Nader. Highlighting the expensive nature of the plan Nader pointed to: - At a cost of $440 million, a stadium would be a huge public works project. Unfortunately, research has consistently shown that sports stadiums do little to create new jobs or raise incomes. Even the most successful stadiums, such as Camden Yards, do not generate enough revenues to justify a substantial public subsidy. (See Would a Publicly Financed Baseball Stadium Pay Off for DC? Economic Research Suggests the Answer is “No”—DC Fiscal Policy Institute, June 2003) - The mayor’s own analysis shows that a stadium will create just 380 jobs for DC residents, which means the city would spend more than $1 million for every job created. The main benefit of a new stadium thus would be its cultural and entertainment value. - Every independent economic analysis of the impact of stadiums has found no predictable positive impact on the economy or employment – some have found negative economic impacts. - The mayor’s proposal includes $21 million to $24 million from a tax on business, $11 million to $14 million from taxes on sales at the stadium, and merely $5.5 million in lease payments from the team owners (these funds would used to pay off 30-year stadium construction bonds). - In DC 85 percent of the stadium costs would come from DC taxes. Other cities have required new stadiums be built primarily with private funds. For example, San Francisco’s new stadium was built with only a five percent public contribution. The St. Louis Cardinals’ new stadium is being built with only 15 percent public financing. Other cities typically have demanded that teams pay 33 percent or more of construction costs, according to the Sports Business Journal. - If a stadium were financed privately, all taxes generated at the stadium would flow into DC’s general fund and be available to support services across the city. - The district also gives away 100% of the revenue from naming rights – worth millions of dollars annually. - The deal is a windfall for major league baseball which paid $120 million for the Expos just two ago, and now they want to sell it to the new DC owners for $300 million–this demonstrates the value of the DC sports market. - Subsidies for sports stadiums do not “Pay for Themselves.” Even the most successful stadiums do no generate enough economic activity to justify large public subsidies. Orioles’ Camden Yards stadium, one of the more successful ventures, generates $3 million in annual economic benefits each year but has $14 million in annual taxpayer costs. - The stadium is being sold as part of the economic development of Anacostia. But the experience in Arlington, TX, Chicago, IL, Detroit, MI and Milwaukee, WI where similar promises of rehabilitating blighted neighborhoods was made shows that the failure of rebuilding around a stadium. - The deal offered by Mayor Williams is better for the club owner and baseball than the last 10 agreements made by other cities with their ballclubs. The hidden costs of the new stadium are not being discussed: - Cost overruns are almost a certainty. What happens if it costs $600 million instead of $400 million? Who will pay for these overruns? - The new stadium will be paid for by a tax on tickets and concessions, and by taxing the city's largest businesses, those that make more than $3 million in revenue a year. What happens if the projected tax burden grows? Who pays? - What happens if the DC team losses popularity, attendance drops, concession sales drop resulting in the tax revenue to pay for the stadium dropping. Who will make up the difference? - Who will pay for the transportation, transit and neighborhood upgrades related to the stadium? Does that come out of the general fund of the DC government? - Other hidden costs include businesses raising their prices to pay for the new stadium tax. - The cost of going to a ball game for a family of four is approximately $150, spending money at the stadium – which creates taxes to pay for the stadium – means that families will not be spending that $150 elsewhere in the city and generating a sales tax that goes to much needed city services. Nader said: “In a city with a 37 percent functional adult illiteracy rate, 20 percent living in poverty, subway fares rising rapidly, drinking water problems surfacing, the mayor's public giveaway offer for the pride of having a baseball franchise is hard to understand, while the District's 27 woefully underfunded neighborhood libraries have fallen to 51st out of the 50 states and the District and where the gap between rich and poor is as wide as any other major U.S. city. Is hundreds of millions for baseball DC’s first priority?” Nader agreed with Councilman Fenty that the new deal should not only have a new financing package focused on rehabilitation of RFK Stadium, at much less cost, but also should require: - Local ownership of the team - A long-term commitment to keep the team in the District - An agreement that at least 50 percent of all construction renovation work will be by Local, Small, Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (LSDBE) contractors - The District's retention of naming rights to the stadium - An agreement that the team should be responsible for cost overruns in construction. “Mayor Williams negotiated a bad deal. His offers of public subsidy swelled from $200 million, to $275 million, to $300 million, to $339 million, to $383 million and finally to $440 million. The city council should reject this giveaway and start anew,” said Nader. http://www.leagueoffans.org/dcstadiumnaderrelease.html -------------------- ### -------------------- Help spread the word! Send copies of this message to your friends and join the growing movement of people who are fed up with what the sports industry has become and want to do something about it. If you would like to add yourself to the "Alerts" list, sign up at http://two.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/alerts Founded by Ralph Nader, League of Fans is a sports reform project working to improve sports by increasing awareness of the sports industry's relationship to society, exposing irresponsible business practices, ensuring accountability to fans, and encouraging the industry to contribute to societal well-being. To find out more about League of Fans, visit www.leagueoffans.org or write to info@leagueoffans.org. From info@leagueoffans.org Fri Oct 29 22:41:03 2004 From: info@leagueoffans.org (League of Fans) Date: Fri, 29 Oct 2004 17:41:03 -0400 Subject: [Alerts] Testimony against stadium bill in Washington DC Message-ID: <4182B8EF.20407@leagueoffans.org> Yesterday (October 28, 2004) was the lone public hearing on the bill to publicly-subsidize (86 percent public) a new baseball stadium in Washington D.C. The bill is being fast-tracked through the D.C. Council and is scheduled for a first vote on November 9. Below is the testimony of both Neil deMause, co-author of Field of Schemes (as presented by Shawn McCarthy), and Shawn McCarthy, director of League of Fans. For more on the D.C. stadium fight, go to www.nodctaxesforbaseball.org. For more on the actions of League of Fans on this topic, go to www.leagueoffans.org/washingtondcaction.html. ----- Testimony of Neil deMause Co-Author of Field of Schemes Before the Committees on Finance and Revenue, and Economic Development District of Columbia City Council October 28, 2004 Chairpersons Evans and Brazil and Members of the Joint Committees my name is Shawn McCarthy. I am a District resident and director of a sports reform project called League of Fans. Thank you for the opportunity to speak today regarding the “Ballpark Omnibus Financing and Revenue Act of 2004.” I have submitted testimony, but will instead present the testimony of Neil deMause, an expert on this subject who could not be here today. deMause is co-author of Field of Schemes: How the great stadium swindle turns public money into private profit. He has submitted copies of his book as full testimony for the record with an accompanying article specific to this bill. deMause writes: The decision that faces the D.C. council in the coming weeks is one that will have far-reaching implications, not just for the District and its citizens, but for America as a whole. The question that you are being asked is not whether Washington deserves baseball, or whether you support economic development. Rather it is: How much money should Major League Baseball be allowed to extort from the public purse in exchange for locating a baseball team in your city? I've been researching and writing about stadium deals for nine years now, and have spoken with dozens of economists and public planners who have studied sports facility development. And I have yet to find a single independent economist who believes that building new sports facilities has *any* significant impact on a city's economy. In terms of measurable economic impact, they're nonexistent; in terms of job creation, they typically come in at more than $250,000 in public expense for every new job, one of the worst ratios imaginable. As University of Chicago economist Allen Sanderson has famously said, you'd create more economic impact by going up over your city in a helicopter and tossing the money out the window than by building a pro sports stadium. Look no further than Baltimore, where Camden Yards, despite its popularity, is costing the state of Maryland $14 million a year to pay off and, according to Maryland economists Dennis Coates and Brad Humphreys, getting back just $3 million a year in new taxes, for a net loss of $11 million a year. Mayor Williams' proposed stadium would be much more expensive than Camden Yards - even after adjusting for inflation - and far more costly to D.C. taxpayers. According to my calculations in the accompanying article from Baseball Prospectus, even after accounting for spending by any new visitors to the city, the District would be losing 25 to 30 million dollars a year on a stadium, solely to enrich the baseball team's private owners. The tragedy is that it doesn't have to be this way. When local officials said no to public subsidies, both the San Francisco Giants and the St. Louis Cardinals agreed to shoulder the bulk of stadium costs themselves. And Washington's leverage couldn't be better, as right now you have Bud Selig over a barrel: Baseball has burned its bridges in Montreal, and D.C. is its only viable option. If D.C. presents Selig with a stadium bill that forces the team's private owners to take on a larger share of the financing, Selig will likely kvetch and moan - but he will have little choice other than to accept. Washington, D.C., faces a choice. You can become known as the city that reopened the floodgates of sports welfare. Or you can strike a tough deal, and tell Major League Baseball that if it wants to tap into the lucrative D.C. baseball market, it needs to cough up its own money for a stadium. Now that would be a baseball legacy to be proud of. I'd like to thank the Joint Committees again for the opportunity to speak today. ----- Testimony of Shawn McCarthy Director of League of Fans Before the Committees on Finance and Revenue, and Economic Development District of Columbia City Council October 28, 2004 Chairpersons Evans and Brazil and Members of the Joint Committees my name is Shawn McCarthy, thank you for the opportunity to speak today regarding the “Ballpark Omnibus Financing and Revenue Act of 2004.” I work in Ralph Nader's office as director of a sports reform project called League of Fans. Among many issues with which we are concerned, are those regarding how city governments deal with sports franchise owners when they make demands for new publicly-funded stadiums for private profit. Opponents of Mayor Williams plan welcome Major League Baseball to the District. It would be an entertainment option many would choose to take advantage of. But entertainment should be given the first right to survive the tests of a free market, not the right to demand and receive $440 million in corporate welfare, nor the right to kick people out of their homes and businesses through eminent domain, nor the right to escape paying their fair share of taxes back to the general fund for the benefit of the city. Those that are here to testify in opposition to this plan, though not backed by the wealth of those few who stand to benefit financially from a publicly-financed stadium, are instead backed by a wealth of good and solid information with which proponents of this plan cannot compete. Mayor Williams and some members of the D.C. Council have been completely ignoring every piece of independent, academic, economic analysis of public financing of stadiums. Virtually every independent study concludes that public financing of stadiums can not be justified on economic grounds. Yet we still have officials from the Mayor’s office, with full knowledge that what they argue cannot be backed-up by solid evidence, saying that a publicly-funded stadium “will generate millions of dollars in new tax revenue for our schools, hospitals and social services.” While this misinformation is being pumped out by the Mayor’s stadium “war room,” the contract between Major League Baseball and the District requires the stadium bill to be fast-tracked through the D.C. Council. Why is the Council so quick to respond to the wants and demands of a monopoly known for abusing its power instead of responding to the real needs of District residents? The people of this city feel marginalized, and for good reason. But we are determined not to allow our public servants to let an entertainment corporation control the purse strings of our city so they can profit at the expense of public necessities. I would prefer to cheer for a team that I can respect as part of the community, instead of to despise one for acting above it -- one that chooses to contribute to the community, instead of take from it. I fear that instead of watching the Grays, Senators or Nats play at RFK or a privately-financed facility, the District will host a team that would be more aptly named the “Washington Freeloaders” play at a place that would be appropriately named “D.C. Taxpayer Stadium.” I'd like to thank the Joint Committees again for the opportunity to speak today. ------------------------- ### ------------------------- Help spread the word! Send copies of this message to your friends and join the growing movement of people who are fed up with what the sports industry has become and want to do something about it. If you would like to add yourself to the "Alerts" list, sign up at http://two.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/alerts. Founded by Ralph Nader, League of Fans is a sports reform project working to improve sports by increasing awareness of the sports industry's relationship to society, exposing irresponsible business practices, ensuring accountability to fans, and encouraging the industry to contribute to societal well-being. To find out more about League of Fans, visit www.leagueoffans.org or write to info@leagueoffans.org. From info@leagueoffans.org Fri Oct 29 23:41:14 2004 From: info@leagueoffans.org (League of Fans) Date: Fri, 29 Oct 2004 18:41:14 -0400 Subject: [Alerts] Nader: Voters have easy decisions Nov. 2 on subsidizing sports moguls Message-ID: <4182C70A.8030308@leagueoffans.org> In the Public Interest By Ralph Nader October 29, 2004 If history has taught us anything about subsidizing professional sports franchises, the taxpayers of Arlington, TX, St. Louis County, metropolitan Kansas City, and San Francisco have easy decisions to make on November 2. In each of these places, sports moguls hope to turn public assets into private profit via ballot measures authorizing the use of taxpayer dollars to subsidize stadiums, or the sale of stadium naming rights. The moguls want voters to ratify the rip-offs. Voters should reject the invitation. A. A “NO” vote is recommended for residents of Arlington, TX on the “Proposition” to raise taxes for a new Cowboys stadium. Jerry Jones, the billionaire owner of the Dallas Cowboys, wants $325 million in taxpayer money for a new stadium, which would be provided by a half-cent sales tax hike, and new taxes on hotel rooms and rental cars. This despite the Cowboys having the second highest value of any sports franchise in North America ($923 million, according to Forbes), and despite currently playing in Texas Stadium, which has more revenue-generating luxury boxes (381) than any other stadium. The Cowboys deal is being promoted on economic development grounds, even though every independent economic analysis of the impact of stadiums has found no positive economic effect on cities. Studies done in favor of publicly funded stadiums are typically performed by those who stand to benefit. Smith College economist Andrew Zimbalist describes a frequently cited study done for the proposed Cowboys stadium as especially egregious. “We expect the numbers to be very inflated,” he said. “But when you go through [the Cowboys stadium] study, they come up with figures that will not hold up to standard economic [practice]. It’s one of the silliest studies I’ve ever seen.” The recent history of broken stadium promises by former owners of the Texas Rangers should make Arlington residents think twice when another owner comes to town and pledges economic development while reaching into taxpayers’ pockets. Residents were told to expect a retail village, office development and entertainment district surrounding the Ballpark in Arlington (now Ameriquest Field), but this turned out to be hogwash. Ten years later, there are still no surrounding businesses. Economic development of the owners’ wallets turned out to be the only economic benefit attributed to the new stadium, especially after the team was sold for a hefty profit on taxpayers’ backs. Former minority owner George W. Bush walked away with $15 million on his $600,000 investment in the Rangers. B. A “YES” vote is recommended for residents of St. Louis County, MO on “Proposition A” to require voter approval for public funding of stadiums. The Coalition Against Public Funding for Stadiums, in a remarkable grassroots effort, collected 30,000 signatures throughout the county to get Prop. A placed on the ballot. Through the County Council’s annual approval, payments are already being made toward a $45 million county subsidy for the St. Louis Cardinals new stadium, currently under construction. Franchise owners are also collecting a state subsidy and will receive a city tax break at the new stadium. Passage of Prop. A would require voter approval for future county payments toward the new stadium as well as future subsidies for any stadium in St. Louis County. C. A “NO” vote is recommended for residents of Jackson, Clay and Platte counties in Missouri, and Johnson and Wyandotte counties in Kansas on “Bistate II” to raise taxes for the renovation of Arrowhead and Kauffman stadiums. The owners of the Chiefs and Royals want voters in metropolitan Kansas City to pass a 15-year, quarter-cent sales tax to raise $360 million for renovating Arrowhead and Kauffman stadiums, part of a plan that also would finance unspecified arts projects. According to Neil deMause, co-author of “Field of Schemes,” this strategy of joining stadium funding with other funding proposals appears to be a trend. “Presumably sports team owners have discovered that it's easier to get a stadium bill passed if it's sold as ‘money for stadiums and fluffy puppies,’” deMause wrote of Bistate II. Is it really too much to ask that stadium subsidies for franchise owners stand on their own merits? D. A “YES” vote is recommended for residents of San Francisco, CA on “Proposition H” to prohibit the sale of naming rights to Candlestick Park. On September 28, Monster Cable Products purchased naming rights to Candlestick Park, the publicly owned home of the San Francisco 49ers. The name was immediately changed to “Monster Park,” even though San Francisco citizens will vote Nov. 2 on whether to declare Candlestick the stadium's official name. Mayor Gavin Newsom favors the sale because only half the revenue would go to the 49ers owners, the rest goes to the city. Is the Mayor also planning to get cash by slapping corporate names on the rest of San Francisco’s public and cultural institutions? San Francisco Board of Supervisors President Matt Gonzalez championed the effort to put Proposition H on the ballot, saying, “Across the political spectrum, voters and sports fans are fed up with the intrusion of corporate marketers into every part of our lives and culture. I doubt voters in San Francisco will want to trade local history and everything associated with Candlestick Park just for more corporate advertising.” It is time for communities across the country collectively to stand up to the sale of naming rights to our public facilities and to the taxpayer-funding of private entertainment corporations. On Election Day, voters in Arlington, St. Louis County, metropolitan Kansas City, and San Francisco have an opportunity to tell the owners of sports franchises, who wish to take advantage of public assets for their own private interests, “No More!” http://www.leagueoffans.org/ballotinitiativescolumn.html ------------------------- ### ------------------------- Help spread the word! Send copies of this message to your friends and join the growing movement of people who are fed up with what the sports industry has become and want to do something about it. If you would like to add yourself to the "Alerts" list, sign up at http://two.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/alerts. Founded by Ralph Nader, League of Fans is a sports reform project working to improve sports by increasing awareness of the sports industry's relationship to society, exposing irresponsible business practices, ensuring accountability to fans, and encouraging the industry to contribute to societal well-being. To find out more about League of Fans, visit www.leagueoffans.org or write to info@leagueoffans.org. From info@leagueoffans.org Thu Nov 4 18:11:13 2004 From: info@leagueoffans.org (League of Fans) Date: Thu, 04 Nov 2004 13:11:13 -0500 Subject: [Alerts] Results of Election Day Votes on Subsidies for Sports Moguls Message-ID: <418A70C1.5080309@leagueoffans.org> November 4, 2004 Results of Election Day Votes on Subsidies for Sports Moguls Three great victories and one disappointing defeat in November 2nd votes on corporate welfare for wealthy professional sports franchise owners. First, the bad news from Arlington, TX . . . Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones scored a major victory for himself and his ridiculously overstuffed wallet on Nov. 2 as voters in Arlington approved the “Proposition” to raise taxes for a new stadium by a margin of 55 percent to 45 percent. The Dallas Cowboys are set to have half of a $650 million retractable-roof stadium paid for by Arlington taxpayers. This despite the Cowboys already having the second highest value of any sports franchise in North America ($923 million, according to Forbes), and despite currently playing at Texas Stadium in Irving, which has more revenue-generating luxury boxes (381) than any other stadium. Jerry Jones spent $4.6 million on pro-stadium ads and lobbying. . . . Now, the good news from St. Louis County, metropolitan Kansas City and San Francisco . . . By a margin of 72 percent to 28 percent in favor of “Proposition A,” St. Louis County chose to bar public funding of sports facilities unless approved through voter referendum. Congratulations go out to the Coalition Against Public Funding for Stadiums who collected 30,000 signatures throughout the county to get Prop. A placed on the ballot. The amendment to the county's charter should prohibit the county from making payments on a $45 million bond issue to finance a new downtown stadium for the St. Louis Cardinals unless voters approve it. This may ultimately be headed to the courts. Residents in Jackson, Clay and Platte counties in Missouri, and Johnson and Wyandotte counties in Kansas collectively voted down the “Bistate II” sales tax hike to raise $360 million for the renovation of Arrowhead Stadium for the Kansas City Chiefs and Kauffman Stadium for the Royals. The vote was a very close 51 percent to 49 percent margin. “We stood up for the little guy," said one opposition leader as quoted by the Associated Press. “We were outspent 100 to 1. It was very difficult to stand up to the rich guys who wanted their hobbies subsidized.” Finally, in San Francisco, voters approved “Proposition H” 54 percent to 46 percent to prohibit the sale of naming rights to Candlestick Park. San Francisco Board of Supervisors President Matt Gonzalez championed the effort to put Proposition H on the ballot, saying, “Across the political spectrum, voters and sports fans are fed up with the intrusion of corporate marketers into every part of our lives and culture. I doubt voters in San Francisco will want to trade local history and everything associated with Candlestick Park just for more corporate advertising.” This throws a wrench into a September deal that renamed the stadium “Monster Park” after Monster Cable Products purchased the naming rights. There could be some lawsuits to come out of this, but it looks like “the Stick” is back! ----- On Tuesday, Communities Can Say 'No More!' to Owners of Sports Franchises In the Public Interest by Ralph Nader October 31, 2004 http://www.commondreams.org/views04/1031-20.htm ------------------------- ### ------------------------- Help spread the word! Send copies of this message to your friends and join the growing movement of people who are fed up with what the sports industry has become and want to do something about it. If you would like to add yourself to the "Alerts" list, sign up at http://two.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/alerts. Founded by Ralph Nader, League of Fans is a sports reform project working to improve sports by increasing awareness of the sports industry's relationship to society, exposing irresponsible business practices, ensuring accountability to fans, and encouraging the industry to contribute to societal well-being. To find out more about League of Fans, visit www.leagueoffans.org or write to info@leagueoffans.org. From info@leagueoffans.org Fri Nov 12 23:40:27 2004 From: info@leagueoffans.org (League of Fans) Date: Fri, 12 Nov 2004 18:40:27 -0500 Subject: [Alerts] Voters Should Be as Diligent as they are Sports Fans Message-ID: <419549EB.6070603@leagueoffans.org> Voters Should Be as Diligent as they are Sports Fans In the Public Interest By Ralph Nader November 12, 2004 Whenever I hear sports fans on talk radio or personally chat with people about sports both Spectator and participatory games‚ the depth and breadth of the conversations are not surprising. As a teenager fan, I knew the batting averages of half the players in the American League. It is the American way. This mental diligence does not carry over, by and large, into their role as voters. Compare the differences. 1. Sports fans do their homework. They know the statistics of the players and teams are deeply involved in analyzing strategies and tactics on the playing filed. To them the game is a study not a hunch or knee jerk reaction. The looks, smiles, big salaries and rhetoric of the players mean nothing unless they are based on performance. Fans also look forward, thinking about foreseeing and forestalling their opposing team's adjustments and responses. The same cannot be said about most voters. Half of them do not even know the name of their member of Congress. Half of them do not even come to the game on Election Day to register their opinion. 2. Fans hold the hierarchy responsible‚ from the players to referees (umpires), to the coaches, managers and owners. Voters, on the other hand, have allowed top down forms of no-fault government. This is true even when votes are not properly counted or elections are stolen. Presidents, Governors and Senators, Representatives are rarely held accountable for their most series boondoggles, failures or wrongheaded policies. Smiles and rhetoric go a long way on the likeability index in contrast to studying their actual voting records. Voting records recede into the dark mists while the propaganda materials of the politicians shine in the bright lights. 3. Fans analyze reasons for defeat or victory not just on what happened in the ninth inning or in the last two minutes of the final quarter. They understand that the seeds of winning or losing are planted throughout the game. Voters just look at the final voting count at the end of Election Day. As a result, they miss the dynamics before elections to understand what were the influential factors. Focusing on the latter had led some scholars to conclude that Al Gore cost me more votes than I cost Al Gore in the 2000 election. 4. Fans evaluate the dual performance of the teams ‚ offensive and defensive. They know that both who made it happen and who let it happen are keys to grasping the game. They know when a team beats itself. Voters almost always focus on which Party or elected officials proposed a policy or a nomination. Rarely do they criticize their favorite Party for not stopping bad bills or judicial nominees. 5. Fans understand that chronically losing teams need different players and managers. Beyond just booing loudly at their home team, they have many specific ideas about replacements and which positions need fresh talent. Voters, many of whom are on automatic because they are hereditary Republicans or hereditary Democrats, seem resigned to the same field year after year. After ten years of losses to the Republicans at the local, state and federal level, Democratic voters still meekly go to the polls sensing they are voting for the least worst choices. Instead of asking "why not the best?" voters too often appear resigned, not demanding a new game plan, new players and managers. 6. Sports fans complain loudly, and engage in robust arguments with opposing fans. They have a long memory. I know because my small Connecticut home town was split down the middle‚ Red Sox fans on one side and Yankee fans on the other. The Red Sox fans never let us forget that their team gave the Yankees their best early players, including Babe Ruth. Except for one or two fervent issues, voters tend to give politicians a free ride about dozens of other positions that may affect them adversely in their daily lives and dreams of a better future for their children. Single-issue voters are easily captured by politicians who support them on that issue and are allowed to escape accountability for dozens of other subjects. 7. Fans are never satisfied -- observe Yankee fans for example -- but voters settle for very little and let their expectation levels run down year by year. Their cynicism makes them say that they're not turned onto politics which is why politics has been turning onto them very disagreeably. And the golden rule of this brand of politics becomes‚ "he who has the gold rules." One thing is for certain. If fans were as serious about politics as they are about sports they, as taxpayers, would not be paying for stadiums and arenas that should be paid for by private capitalists and the wealthy owners of professional sports teams. ----- Online at: http://www.leagueoffans.org/votersandfanscolumn.html ------------------------- ### ------------------------- Help spread the word! Send copies of this message to your friends and join the growing movement of people who are fed up with what the sports industry has become and want to do something about it. If you would like to add yourself to the "Alerts" list, sign up at http://two.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/alerts. Founded by Ralph Nader, League of Fans is a sports reform project working to improve sports by increasing awareness of the sports industry's relationship to society, exposing irresponsible business practices, ensuring accountability to fans, and encouraging the industry to contribute to societal well-being. To find out more about League of Fans, visit www.leagueoffans.org or write to info@leagueoffans.org. From info at leagueoffans.org Tue Nov 23 16:24:50 2004 From: info at leagueoffans.org (League of Fans) Date: Tue Nov 23 16:27:36 2004 Subject: [Alerts] Nader's letter to DC Council on Nov 30 stadium vote Message-ID: <41A3AAA2.7080908@leagueoffans.org> Nader Writes Letter to DC Councilmembers Condemning Legislative Irresponsibility and Fiscal Recklessness of Stadium Plan, Asks for Independent Review of Costs Before Vote ----- November 23, 2004 The Honorable Linda W. Cropp Council of the District of Columbia 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Room 504 Washington, DC 20004 Dear Ms. Cropp: No one knows how much this stadium boondoggle is going to end up costing the District or what exactly Mayor Williams was thinking about when he gave away the store to Major League Baseball during ?negotiations.? But a few things are well known: a) we know that the cost estimates for the stadium project are quickly rising by substantial amounts (now $614 million according to the Washington Post); b) we know that the overwhelming majority of District residents are opposed to the use of public funds to build a new stadium (69 percent according to the Washington Post), with over half strongly opposed; c) we know that the proposed ?community investment package? is a consolation prize attached to the stadium deal used by the Mayor to secure Council votes, and that public money spent on the stadium is money that will not be available for community investment; d) we know that virtually every independent economic study shows that there will be no positive impact from a stadium on the economy or on employment; and e) we know that councilmembers who favor a stadium bill which subordinates life?s necessities to private, for-profit, monopoly entertainment corporations are not representing the peoples? perceived best interests. Despite the things we know, reports say that a slim majority of the DC Council is prepared to give their approval on Nov. 30 to the Mayor?s stadium plan without public support, and without having a clear idea of how much the project will cost or enough time for reasonable discussion of alternative financing or location possibilities. As Nov. 22 editorials from both the Washington Post and Washington Times point out, this is legislative irresponsibility and fiscal recklessness. Experience with stadium deals shows the more the public and media examine the rosy projections of the stadium promoters, the more the taxpayers discover about the real costs and negatives of a proposed deal. If the stadium bill passes, the District will assume all of the financial risks, and the team owners will reap all of the benefits from this runaway gravy train. I urge the DC Council to require an independent review of the costs for the stadium project before moving forward with this legislation. Absent an independent review, the stadium bill must be voted down. This legislation is too consequential to hurry through to meet the extortion demands of Major League Baseball without being confident about what the costs are. The DC Council should be able to do better than the mess Mayor Williams left you with. Baseball owners can invest their own money in a new stadium if they see market opportunities. Let them be capitalists. Will you instead focus on putting the District back together so it can be a better place for everyone to live, work and play? Sincerely, Ralph Nader cc: Councilmember Harold Brazil (At Large) Councilmember Carol Schwartz (At Large) Councilmember David A. Catania (At Large) Councilmember Phil Mendelson (At Large) Councilmember Jim Graham (Ward 1) Councilmember Jack Evans (Ward 2) Councilmember Kathleen Patterson (Ward 3) Councilmember Adrian Fenty (Ward 4) Councilmember Vincent B. Orange, Sr. (Ward 5) Councilmember Sharon Ambrose (Ward 6) Councilmember Kevin P. Chavous (Ward 7) Councilmember Sandra Allen (Ward 8) ### From info at leagueoffans.org Thu Dec 9 15:23:34 2004 From: info at leagueoffans.org (League of Fans) Date: Thu Dec 9 15:31:41 2004 Subject: [Alerts] League of Fans Urges DC Residents to Continue Stadium Fight Message-ID: <41B8B446.4070909@leagueoffans.org> League of Fans Urges DC Residents to Continue Stadium Fight December 9, 2004 The final DC Council vote on the outrageous deal for a half-billion dollar-plus publicly-funded stadium is next Tuesday, December 14. Initial council approval was given on November 30 despite escalating costs for the project and an overwhelming majority of District residents opposed to the use of public funds to build a stadium. However, the vote did not pass with a majority. The 6-4 vote with 3 abstentions preserved an initial win for the bill while maintaining at least the pretense that the council is keeping the pressure on the mayor to renegotiate with Major League Baseball. But MLB Commissioner Bud Selig said there would be no renegotiation: "We have made a deal. Certainly, you have every right to expect that we'll live up to our end of the deal. So, you know, a deal's been made, and I'm satisfied that the deal that both sides agreed to will take place." Now come reports of a conflict of interest regarding the stadium deal. According to today's Washington Post, $3.7 million in city money will go to pay for Major League Baseball's chosen stadium consultant. The leading candidate is the International Facilities Group, a consulting firm run by Michael Reinsdorf, son of Jerry Reinsdorf, head of baseball's relocation committee, and MLB's chief negotiator on the stadium deal. (See the story here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A49441-2004Dec8.html) "That's absolutely worrying," said councilmember Adrian Fenty, noting that the city would already be on the hook for $6.1 million for its own project manager. "It just runs contrary to basic common sense. Why in the world would we pay for their consultants?" Meanwhile, a group of academic experts who study sports stadium deals throughout the nation issued an open letter today to the DC Council, stating that the city?s proposed stadium plan is one of the most financially disadvantageous to the host city and most generous to Major League Baseball of any they have studied. (Read the letter (PDF) here: http://www.nodctaxesforbaseball.org/ecksteinletter.pdf) The researchers -- Richard Eckstein of Villanova, Kevin Delaney of Temple, and David Karen of Bryn Mawr -- conclude that the deal before the DC Council "is certainly the most unequal agreement in the most recent wave of new stadium construction that began in 1997." League of Fans asks DC residents to contact councilmembers Patterson, Mendelson, and Cropp (the three members who abstained from the first vote) and tell them you want them to vote NO on the mayor's deal -- because that is the only way to renegotiate a better deal with MLB. Kathy Patterson: (202) 724-8062, kpatterson@dccouncil.us Linda Cropp: (202) 724-8032, sreich@dccouncil.us Phil Mendelson: (202) 724-8064, mendelson@dccouncil.us 1) MLB has made it clear that "a deal is a deal" and they want no changes. That shows that they are insensitive to DC's legitimate financial concerns. It also means that MLB will not offer meaningful concessions between now and Dec 14. Cropp, Mendelson and Patterson should vote no because the deal has not gotten any better. 2) The notion that the mayor will go back to MLB and get concessions after the 2nd vote is worse than na?ve. The only way to get real changes is in the legislation. 3) We want the Council to know that voting no on the mayor's plan is not saying no to baseball. It is saying no to the deal Williams worked out without Council input -- and the start of an improved negotiation with MLB. It is an insult to the democratic process to say that the Council must accept the deal without changing anything. Thank you for your continued energy. The Fight Is Not Over! ----- Listen to the NO DC Taxes for Baseball radio ad (Windows Media Player): http://www.nodctaxesforbaseball.org/baseballradioad.wav For more on the DC stadium battle, visit NO DC Taxes for Baseball (http://www.nodctaxesforbaseball.org/index.html) and League of Fans? DC Action page (http://www.leagueoffans.org/washingtondcaction.html). ------------------------- ### ------------------------- Help spread the word! Send copies of this message to your friends and join the growing movement of people who are fed up with what the sports industry has become and want to do something about it. If you would like to add yourself to the "Alerts" list, sign up at http://two.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/alerts. Founded by Ralph Nader, League of Fans is a sports reform project working to improve sports by increasing awareness of the sports industry's relationship to society, exposing irresponsible business practices, ensuring accountability to fans, and encouraging the industry to contribute to societal well-being. To find out more about League of Fans, visit www.leagueoffans.org or write to info@leagueoffans.org. From info at leagueoffans.org Fri Dec 17 14:40:58 2004 From: info at leagueoffans.org (League of Fans) Date: Fri Dec 17 16:56:02 2004 Subject: [Alerts] Nader praises DC Council Chair Linda Cropp for resisting MLB bullying Message-ID: <41C3364A.5000004@leagueoffans.org> Ralph Nader Commends DC Council Chair Linda Cropp for Standing Up to Major League Baseball?s Bullying of the District of Columbia, Urges Her to Withstand Attempts at Intimidation ----- December 17, 2004 The Honorable Linda W. Cropp Council of the District of Columbia 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Room 504 Washington, DC 20004 Dear Ms. Cropp: Thank you for standing up to Major League Baseball?s bullying of the District of Columbia. While I do not support your vote in favor of the now ratified stadium legislation for its corporate welfare use of scarce public resources to subsidize wealthy MLB owners, I commend you for insisting that at least some private funding be included. Your amendment requiring that at least half of stadium construction costs be funded privately addresses some of the concerns of District residents and is a principled stand against the increasing arrogance of the freeloading MLB. Throughout this whole process, MLB has dictated the terms for a stadium as if the District had no elected city legislature to look out for its residents. Mayor Williams complied and signed a deal which threw open the doors to the treasury. Williams then echoed MLB?s position that ?a deal is a deal,? despite the many negative aspects that were revealed and the rising costs for the project. The DC Council sent a clear message on Nov. 30 with the initial approval of the stadium legislation. You expressed that some reasonable ?concessions? from Baseball before the final vote would be needed. MLB?s response to your request was offensive, conceded nothing and left you with no choice but to act. Under your leadership, the DC Council defeated the mayor?s argument that the District should seek commercial baseball at any price. You are no doubt facing intense pressure and repeated jeremiads from MLB, as they have much experience in so expressing, as a result of your position. And judging from the overreacting hysteria of some sports writers, many fans from Virginia and Maryland are probably feeling unease as well. But I urge you not to give in as MLB?s imposed Dec. 31 deadline approaches. As you said, you speak to the people of the District. Washington DC has the leverage and MLB has nowhere else to turn. This remains far and away the fattest deal that MLB could extort. The DC metro area is, by far, the largest and wealthiest market available. MLB?s operations for the team are already based in the District and over 16,000 season ticket deposits have been sold. MLB has named and marketed the team, and logos, merchandise and uniforms have been designed and produced. And DC has RFK Stadium, underappreciated, yet perfectly suited for the occasion at hand. Ms. Cropp, I hope you will withstand MLB?s attempts at intimidation and continue your work toward guaranteed savings and financial protections for the city. Sincerely, Ralph Nader P.O. Box 19312 Washington, DC 20036 From info at leagueoffans.org Fri Dec 17 16:53:25 2004 From: info at leagueoffans.org (League of Fans) Date: Fri Dec 17 16:56:09 2004 Subject: [Alerts] Nader, League of Fans ask MLB to stop trying to intimidate DC Council Message-ID: <41C35555.2030000@leagueoffans.org> Ralph Nader and League of Fans Call For Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig and Relocation Committee Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf to Stop Trying to Intimidate DC Council into Withdrawing Amendment to Stadium Bill ----- December 17, 2004 Allan H. Selig Commissioner Major League Baseball 245 Park Avenue, 31st Floor New York, New York 10167 Jerry Reinsdorf Chairman Major League Baseball Relocation Committee 333 W. 35th St. Chicago, IL 60616 Dear Mr. Selig and Mr. Reinsdorf: Finally, someone has stood up to your merciless bullying of the District of Columbia for this atrocious corporate welfare stadium deal. DC Council Chair Linda Cropp sent a clear message on November 30th that she had concerns with the stadium bill but would let it pass through the first reading with expectations of something better. Cropp expressed that she would need some reasonable ?concessions? from Major League Baseball before the second reading. What was your answer to the Council? No concessions on sharing cost overruns. No concessions on the compensatory payment by the District to the team if the stadium is not completed on time. And no charitable fund commitment beyond devoting ?net proceeds? from one exhibition game. That is simply offensive. No paltry concessions from you in exchange for a $584 million publicly-funded stadium project? No longer surprised by your level of avarice, we must express amazement at your unrelenting arrogance. Major League Baseball is lucky that this sweetheart stadium deal was approved at all. Despite the modest amendment to the bill that you consider ?wholly unacceptable,? this remains an awful deal for District residents with what would still amount to a 76 percent publicly-funded project and a $442 million subsidy to Major League Baseball. You wouldn?t require such a windfall if you were truly capitalists rather than corporate freeloaders on the taxpayers. Don?t blame Ms. Cropp for this dissolving stadium deal. It would have self-destructed on its own given: the subordination of priorities for the necessities of many District residents and their children; the overwhelming opposition of an aroused and determined citizenry; and the numerous forthcoming challenges, legal and otherwise for the site you desire. Already, the costs for this debacle have gone through the roof. Do yourselves a favor and spare the District and the nation?s capital your disrespectful intimidation tactics. The RFK Stadium site is still available and ready for Major League Baseball to attract and invest its own capital to renovate or build anew. Sincerely, Ralph Nader P.O. Box 19312 Washington, DC 20036 Shawn McCarthy League of Fans P.O. Box 19367 Washington, DC 20036 From info at leagueoffans.org Wed Dec 22 16:01:10 2004 From: info at leagueoffans.org (League of Fans) Date: Wed Dec 22 16:08:14 2004 Subject: [Alerts] League of Fans calls for end to BCS, creation of 16-team tournament Message-ID: <41C9E096.9070702@leagueoffans.org> League of Fans? 2nd Annual Proposal for 16-Team NCAA Div. I-A Football Tournament and Termination of BCS December 22, 2004 -------------------------------------------------- With the Bowl Championship Series proving to be a disaster once again, a major component of the BCS formula has pulled out. The Associated Press has announced that it will remove its poll from the BCS Standings, and with it, the final shred of BCS credibility. This should be the death sentence to the BCS, and the opening of discussions for a possible playoff. However, in yet another effort to keep their cartel on life support, the BCS commissioners are considering appointing a blue-ribbon committee of athletic directors and other executives to name the teams that will play in the national championship game. Today, with the release of our 2nd annual proposal for a 16-team playoff tournament and termination of the BCS, League of Fans urges sportswriters, coaches, fans and student-athletes to take action and demand change. In the opinion of League of Fans, the proposal below would work best, but we encourage everyone to make their opinions and ideas known. At the end of the proposal is contact information for the major players involved in the BCS fiasco. -------------------------------------------------- League of Fans? Hypothetical 2004-05 NCAA Div. I-A Football Tournament Seeds 1) Southern California 2) Oklahoma 3) Auburn 4) California 5) Utah 6) Texas 7) Louisville 8) Georgia 9) Virginia Tech 10) Boise State 11) Louisiana State 12) Iowa 13) Michigan 14) Miami 15) Florida State 16) Pittsburgh ----- I. Summary While no system for Division I-A college football could be perfect for determining a national champion while protecting all interests of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) member institutions, student-athletes, bowl games and consumers (fans), the current system is an absolute debacle. It is the position of League of Fans that the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) be terminated and replaced with a 16-team tournament for deciding a national champion on the field, among other changes, that would best account for the needs and wishes of everyone. Div. I-A college football needs a system overhaul and a change toward values based on fairness. The BCS system is unfair as it is exclusive and puts non-BCS schools at a competitive, financial and recruiting disadvantage. In short, League of Fans favors: eliminating the BCS; shortening the regular season to 11 games; ending conference championship games (though not absolutely critical for this proposal to work); instituting an NCAA sanctioned 16-team tournament, separate from the current bowl system, with inclusive provisions for the traditionally strong conferences as well as the traditionally overlooked conferences; giving home field advantage to higher ranked teams in the rounds of 16, 8 and 4; choosing a neutral site for the championship game (a January bowl game is one option); inviting deserving teams not playing in the tournament to play in the bowl games; and distributing all revenues from the tournament and bowl games fairly and equally to all Div. I-A institutions. Some of the benefits to such a system would be: an undisputed national champion decided on the field of play through a fair and inclusive tournament; the opportunity for fans and media to follow possible "Cinderella" teams; fewer games overall, benefitting the "student" aspect of student-athlete; even distribution of money; less reliance on bowl game pay-outs; less discrimination against what are currently non-BCS schools; a system under the control of the NCAA rather than a self-serving cartel; a greater value placed on winning one's conference; deterrents toward excessive head coaching salaries and football "arms race" spending; and less professionalization and over-commercialization of college football. Details of our concerns with the BCS and our preference for a 16-team tournament are explained in the following proposal. ---------- II. Proposal League of Fans is a sports reform project founded by Ralph Nader. Among the broad range of issues in sports that we work to influence are eliminating the professionalization, over-commercialization and irresponsible business practices in amateur sports, and to ensure accountability to fans. Along those lines, we echo the sentiments of many people across the country who feel that the ongoing controversy regarding the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) in Div. I-A college football will not result in real change because of the control held by a self-serving cartel. League of Fans has received many complaints and suggestions regarding various aspects of the BCS. Here are some of the most common suggestions: 1) The BCS must be eliminated; 2) the national champion should be determined on the field through a playoff; 3) non-BCS schools should not be left out of the system; 4) bowl games should remain; 5) the commercialism should be scaled back (no more bowl naming rights sponsorships); and 6) all revenue should be evenly distributed among the 117 Division I-A schools. Through research dealing with the BCS, its origins, its results and its influence on related issues, as well as research regarding possible replacements for the BCS League of Fans: formulated the following points of concern with the BCS; explanations and examples of our preferences regarding a playoff; address of common concerns about a playoff; explanation of our preferences for regular season and post-season schedules; and conclusions. ----- A. Concerns with the BCS In the view of League of Fans, the Bowl Championship Series (BCS), in its current form, is a system that is: - committing consumer fraud; - an undisputed consolidation of power and money; - independent from, and without accountability to, the NCAA; - in violation of antitrust laws; - inaccessible to fans and commentators who would like to know how each computer system makes decisions and who programs them; - influenced by persons and entities without respect to the interests of student-athletes or educational missions; - exclusive to some, rather than inclusive to all, member schools and student-athletes of NCAA Division I-A football; - contradictory to every other NCAA sport and every other football division which all have playoffs to determine a national champion; - bound for error as only two teams have a chance to be appointed to play for the championship; - over-commercialized to the point of destroying the bowl game experience and tradition for schools, student-athletes and fans; - responsible for the deterioration of the smaller bowl games which used to be important events for the bowl towns, businesses and participating teams; - responsible for the diminished value of winning a conference championship; - lucky when its appointments are not highly controversial, and no better a system for deciding a national champion than the one it replaced; - in control of the coaches poll, expecting coaches to forgo their independence and vote to acknowledge the BCS winner as national champion whether or not they agree; - disliked by most fans and sports commentators, spurring outrage in many; and - self-serving for its own autocratic survival, rather than open to change for the benefit of everyone. In recognition of the above factors, along with the common arguments in defense of the BCS and current bowl system which tend toward hypocrisy and are often complete nonsense, it is the position of League of Fans that the BCS be terminated. Furthermore, League of Fans supports an NCAA sanctioned and sponsored tournament. Of the many publicly proposed and debated resolutions for a Division I-A football playoff, the solution that League of Fans favors is one involving a 16-team tournament. ----- B. Preferences for Reform League of Fans is in favor of the following: - No official polls (AP or Coaches) until after the third week of the season is played; - An 11-game season for all NCAA Division I-A teams, two off (bye) weeks for each team during the season which begins no earlier than Labor Day weekend (the Saturday, before the first Monday in September), and ends no later than the 12th Saturday following; - Eliminating conference championship games for the conferences that now hold them (not absolutely critical for this proposal to work, but addresses the wishes of those who: would rather each game in the regular-season schedule be important and be played to determine conference champions; would like to see more time spent in the classroom by student-athletes; and would like their conferences to be less commercialized); - An off (bye) week following the regular season; - Introducing a 16-team tournament similar to other divisions of college football, with a bye week in between the semi-final and championship games; - Maintaining the college bowl games for deserving teams not invited to the tournament; - Fair and equal distribution of all revenues from tournament and bowl games to all Div. I-A institutions. ----- C. 16-team Tournament Format - Use of the established AP and Coaches polls combined to determine rankings, bids and seeds. - (5 teams) In recognition of the overall strength of the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-10 and SEC, an automatic bid would be earned by the champion of each of these 5 conferences. - (4 teams) The top 4 ranked teams between all other Div. I-A conferences (Big East, CUSA, MAC, MWC, Sun Belt and WAC) who are also conference champions would earn an automatic bid. - (7 teams) The 7 highest ranked teams (regardless of conference affiliation or non-affiliation) remaining after the selection of the above 9, would earn at-large bids. - Home field would be earned by the higher seeds in the rounds of 16, 8 and 4, with the championship to be played at a pre-determined, neutral location (possibly a January bowl game). Some ties may occur as the result of using the combined rankings of the AP and Coaches polls. Tiebreakers would go as follows: - First tiebreaker goes to the winner of regular season head-to-head match-ups between teams in question, and only if there are no more than two teams tied for the same seed; - Second tiebreaker goes to conference champions over teams who did not win their respective conferences; - Third tiebreaker goes to the school with the fewest number of teams from their own conference which are ranked ahead of them; - Fourth tiebreaker goes to the school whose fellow conference teams, regardless of whether ranked ahead or behind, have a better combined AP/Coaches poll rank; - Fifth tiebreaker goes to the school ranked higher by the AP, separating the previously combined AP and Coaches polls. Why 16 teams rather than 2, 4 or 8? League of Fans favors a 16-team tournament format because: - it considers the abilities of the best teams from the traditionally strong conferences as well as the accomplishments of the best out of the champions from the traditionally overlooked conferences; - more teams have the chance to compete, on the field, for an undisputed national championship; - it gives the fans and media the opportunity to follow possible "Cinderella" teams; - national fan interest would be greater as more teams from more regions participate; and - it limits the chance for gross error. ----- D. Example of Tournament To provide an example of our preference for a 16-team tournament, we will use the 2004 season as a model. Understanding first that the following adjustments would be required, only for the 2004 season, by: - recognizing winners of conference championship games for those who use them; - forgoing the 11-game regular season regulation; - imagining that the 2004 season ended on November 27, making such a tournament possible while not placing any more of a burden on student-athletes or schools; and - imagining that the AP and Coaches polls weren't first published until after the third week of the season were played. Therefore, the seeds using League of Fans' preferred 16-team tournament format for the 2004 season would be the following: 1) Southern California (Pac-10 champion, #1 in AP & Coaches polls, automatic bid) 2) Oklahoma (Big 12 champion, #2 in AP & Coaches polls, automatic bid) 3) Auburn (SEC champion, #3 in AP & Coaches polls, automatic bid) 4) California (#4 in AP & Coaches polls, at-large bid) 5) Utah (MWC champion,#5 in AP, #6 in Coaches poll, automatic bid)* 6) Texas (#6 in AP, #5 in Coaches poll, at-large bid) 7) Louisville (CUSA champion, #7 in AP, #8 in Coaches poll, automatic bid)** 8) Georgia (#8 in AP, #7 in Coaches poll, at-large bid) 9) Virginia Tech (ACC champion, #9 in AP & Coaches polls, automatic bid) 10) Boise State (WAC champion, #10 in AP & Coaches polls, automatic bid) 11) Louisiana State (#12 in AP, #11 in Coaches poll, at-large bid) 12) Iowa (#11 in AP, #13 in Coaches poll, at-large bid) 13) Michigan (Big Ten champion, #13 in AP, #12 in Coaches poll, automatic bid) 14) Miami (#14 in AP & Coaches polls, at-large bid) 15) Florida State (#17 in AP, #15 in Coaches poll, at-large bid)*** 16) Pittsburgh (Big East champion, #19 in AP, #20 in Coaches poll, automatic bid) Tiebreakers used in the seedings: * Utah seeded ahead of Texas by virtue of second tiebreaker. ** Louisville seeded ahead of Georgia by virtue of second tiebreaker. *** Florida State over Tennessee and Wisconsin, Tennessee eliminated by virtue of third tiebreaker, Wisconsin eliminated by virtue of fourth tiebreaker. Pairings would follow a typical 16-team tournament format, with higher seeds hosting games until the championship, which would be played at a pre-determined, neutral site (possibly a January bowl game) 2 weeks following the semi-finals: (1 v. 16) v. (8 v. 9) v. (5 v. 12) v. (4 v. 13) -- v. -- (6 v. 11) v. (3 v. 14) v. (7 v. 10) v. (2 v. 15) ----- E. Addressing Some Playoff Concerns One of the biggest concerns and most publicized arguments against any type of a playoff for Div. I-A, is that it would conflict too much with the academic missions of institutions and place a heavier burden on student-athletes. The solution supported by League of Fans is one that would not place an undue burden on institutions or student athletes. In fact, there would be fewer games than with the current system, and the season would not have to begin earlier, nor extend later than it does under the current system (even providing for bye weeks). With fewer overall games played, there shouldn't be any more practice time for student-athletes, and no more stress placed on academic institutions than under the current system. Furthermore, if the academic institutions of Div. I-A were genuinely concerned with the "student" aspect of student-athlete and their exploitation for commercial purposes, they would not have allowed the schedule to expand as much as it has in the recent past, and they would stop the flood of games now played on weeknights during their academic calendar. In 2004, for example, there were games on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. How do these developments give student-athletes more time for classes and exams? The League of Fans proposal improves on this important issue. ----- F. Explanation of Scheduling League of Fans favors a season that begins no earlier than Labor Day weekend (the Saturday, before the first Monday in September), and ends no later than the 12th Saturday following. This leaves 13 Saturdays for each Div. I-A team to play 11 games. Under this system, conferences would determine their champion by using the results of their regular season conference games, without the use of the extra game that some conferences have added over the last several years which have further commercialized their conferences, institutions and student-athletes, and diminished the value of the scheduled season. (Note: It is not critical that conference championship games be eliminated for the League of Fans plan to work) Automatic and at-large bids for the 16-team tournament would be chosen and seeded following the publication of the final regular season AP and Coaches polls, likely the Monday following the regular season. This gives almost two weeks for host schools to prepare, for travel arrangements to be made and for tickets to be sold and distributed. There would then be an off week (bye) on the 14th Saturday, at which time bowl bids would be announced for those teams not invited to the tournament, but deserving of the chance to play a bonus game against an evenly matched opponent who they wouldn't have played otherwise at a destination where they wouldn't have played otherwise. On the 15th Saturday, the 16-team tournament would begin at eight separate locations. For broadcasting purposes, the NCAA and networks may wish to have some games played on Friday or Sunday. On the 16th Saturday, the round of eight would be played at four separate locations. On the 17th Saturday, the round of four (semifinals) would be played at two separate locations. Bowl games underway. On the 18th Saturday, off (bye) week for the tournament, bowl games continue. On the 19th Saturday, NCAA Championship tournament game at a pre-determined neutral location (possibly a January bowl game), major bowl games continue. ----- G. Example of Scheduling Using the 2004 calendar as an example without making any changes to the bowl schedule: - November 27 is the 13th Saturday (end of the regular season). Under the current system, it is already the end date for some schedules. - Mon., Nov. 29, the Monday following the end of the regular season would be the date for announcing the tournament bracket and locations. - December 4, the 14th Saturday, would be the date for announcing bowl invitations. - Dec. 11, the 15th Saturday, would be the tournament's round of 16. - Tues., Dec. 14, the bowl season begins with the New Orleans Bowl. - Dec. 18, the 16th Saturday, would be the tournament's round of 8. - Tues., Dec. 21, Champs Sports Bowl. - Wed., Dec. 22, GMAC Bowl. - Thurs., Dec. 23, Fort Worth Bowl and Las Vegas Bowl - Fri., Dec. 24, Hawaii Bowl. - Dec. 25, the 17th Saturday, would be the tournament's round of 4 (semifinal). This could be altered to the Friday before Christmas Day. - Mon., Dec. 27, MPC Computers Bowl and Motor City Bowl. - Tues., Dec. 28, Independence Bowl and Insight Bowl. - Wed., Dec. 29, Houston Bowl and Alamo Bowl. - Thurs., Dec. 30, Continental Tire Bowl, Emerald Bowl, Holiday Bowl and Silicon Valley Classic. - Fri., Dec. 31, Music City Bowl, Sun Bowl, Liberty Bowl and Peach Bowl. - January 1, the 18th Saturday, would be an off week for the tournament. Cotton Bowl, Outback Bowl, Gator Bowl, Capital One Bowl, Rose Bowl and Fiesta Bowl. - Mon., Jan. 3, Sugar Bowl. - Tues., Jan. 4, Orange Bowl. - Jan. 8, the 19th Saturday, would be the NCAA Championship tournament game. This could be altered to any day between Jan. 4-8. Acknowledging that there would most likely be changes to the bowl scheduling should this proposal become reality (including the national championship possibly being featured in a January bowl game rather than altogether separate), it is clear that even without any changes to the schedule for the 2004-05 bowl games, this proposed 16-team NCAA tournament fits in nicely, with minimal disruption and no extension of the season. ----- H. Conclusions League of Fans believes, as do most commentators and fans, that the BCS has failed and it is time for the system to be eliminated. Coaches, players and fans have grown weary and disgruntled over repeatedly being told that a playoff can't be done. Although various proposals for a playoff are up for debate, League of Fans feels that this proposal for a 16-team tournament most fairly addresses the interests of those who matter most: the student-athletes, the institutions, the NCAA, the fans and college football as a whole. Whatever the changes or replacements to the BCS, the NCAA needs to take control of Div. I-A college football in the interest of all 117 member institutions, their student-athletes and fans, and end the domination by the self-serving and elitist BCS conference commissioners. Their should never be so much power in the hands of so few without accountability as demonstrated by the BCS. And there is no reason why a governing body such as the NCAA should watch while the BCS cartel lines their own pockets and further pillages college football. ---------- III. Take Action! Interested readers may wish to express their displeasure with the BCS and help effect change. Whether or not you support the League of Fans proposal, we urge you to let your opinions and ideas be known by contacting the following people who are debating the issue and have decision-making power for reform. ----- A. Contact NCAA President Myles Brand Myles Brand President National Collegiate Athletic Association P.O. Box 6222 Indianapolis, IN 46206-6222 tel (317) 917-6222 fax (317) 917-6888 ----- B. Email Dennis L. Poppe of the NCAA Division I Football Issues Committee dpoppe@ncaa.org ----- C. Contact BCS Coordinator Kevin L. Weiberg Kevin L. Weiberg BCS Coordinator 2201 Stemmons Freeway, 28th Floor Dallas, TX 75207 tel (214) 742-1212 fax (214) 753-0145 Email Mike Reilley of the BCS Coordinator?s Office mreilley@baileylauerman.com ----- D. Contact the commissioners of the six BCS conferences John D. Swofford Commissioner Atlantic Coast Conference P.O. Drawer ACC Greensboro, NC 27417-6724 tel (336) 854-8787 - Michael A. Tranghese Commissioner Big East Conference 222 Richmond Street, Suite 110 Providence, RI 02903 tel (401) 272-9108 - James E. Delany Commissioner Big Ten Conference 1500 West Higgins Road Park Ridge, IL 60068-6300 tel (847) 696-1010 fax (847) 696-1110 - Kevin L. Weiberg Commissioner Big 12 Conference 2201 Stemmons Freeway, 28th Floor Dallas, TX 75207 tel (214) 742-1212 fax (214) 753-0145 - Thomas C. Hansen Commissioner Pacific-10 Conference 800 South Broadway, Suite 400 Walnut Creek, CA 94596 tel (925) 932-4411 fax (925) 932-4601 - Mike Slive Commissioner Southeastern Conference 2201 Richard Arrington Blvd. North Birmingham, AL 35203 tel (205) 458-3000 fax (205) 458-3031 - Kevin White Athletic Director Notre Dame C112 Joyce Center Notre Dame, IN 46556 tel (574) 631-8112 fax (574) 631-8596 ----- E. Contact members of the BCS Presidential Oversight Committee David Frohnmayer President University of Oregon 110 Johnson Hall Eugene, OR 97403 tel (541) 346-3036 pres@oregon.uoregon.edu - David Hardesty, Jr. President West Virginia University P.O. Box 6201 Morgantown, WV 26506-6201 tel (304) 293-5531 fax (304) 293-5883 sara.master@mail.wvu.edu - Robert Khayat Chancellor University of Mississippi Lyceum 123 University, MS 38677 tel (662) 915-7111 fax (662) 915-5935 chancllr@olemiss.edu - C.D. Mote, Jr. President University of Maryland Main Administration Building College Park, MD 20742-5025 tel (301) 405.5803 president@umail.umd.edu - Harvey Perlman Chancellor University of Nebraska-Lincoln 201 Canfield Administration Building Lincoln, NE 68588 tel (402) 472-2116 hperlman1@unl.edu - Graham Spanier President The Pennsylvania State University 0201 Old Main University Park, PA 16802 tel (814) 865 7611 president@psu.edu - Stephen Weber President San Diego State University Library Addition / Centennial Hall 5500 Campanile Drive San Diego, CA 92182 tel (619) 594-5201 fax (619) 594-8894 presidents.office@sdsu.edu ----- F. Contact Congress, where Senate investigations have taken place regarding the BCS Contact your senators http://www.senate.gov/ Contact your representative http://www.house.gov/writerep/ Call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard to be connected with your senators' or representative's office: (202) 224-3121 ------------------------- ### ------------------------- Authored by Shawn McCarthy, League of Fans. Please provide feedback on the League of Fans proposal by sending an email to info@leagueoffans.org. ------------------------- ### ------------------------- Help spread the word! Send copies of this message to your friends and help them turn their sports industry grievances into action for reform. If you would like to add yourself to the "Alerts" list, sign up at http://two.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/alerts. Founded by Ralph Nader, League of Fans is a sports reform project working to improve sports by increasing awareness of the sports industry's relationship to society, exposing irresponsible business practices, ensuring accountability to fans, and encouraging the industry to contribute to societal well-being. To find out more about League of Fans, visit www.leagueoffans.org or write to info@leagueoffans.org.