Quote:
Originally Posted by FiftyBelow
Some of the variables you mentioned are more difficult to measure than others--certainly things such as civic pride etc. But a lot of the studies certainly account for effects on local business and tourism. Here's an excerpt from a quick study I pulled up:
"First, household spending on sports – direct spending on tickets, licensed
merchandise, etc. and indirect spending on food and drinks at or near a
sports facility - is highly substitutable for other forms of entertainment
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spending like movie tickets, food and drinks in areas of the city far from
the facility, bowling and the like. Professional sport does not induce
residents to increase total spending by drawing on savings or borrowing
against future earnings. Residents maintain their level of entertainment
spending but alter the allocation of this spending toward sport-related
spending and away from other close substitutes. Sports redirect spending
by residents from one part of the local economy to another."
Source: https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/7068694.pdf
In short, sports-related spending simply provide competing business for entertainment dollars that would have been spent elsewhere. |
Just to be clear I'm not trying to argue it's economic. I don't believe it is.
The paper isn't wrong but it's very academic pseudo science. Yes there are many substitutes for entertainment dollars but if you bought two tickets for 100 each and then spent another 100 on food and drink does that mean you'll spend 300 on movie tickets? Maybe? Maybe not. You might decide to save money and take a ski trip in BC or a vacation somewhere else. This is why I don't like arguing the economics of this. I think the dollars that can be clearly tracked aren't a booming economic benefit and wouldn't argue it because then I'd have to say things like maybe having a hockey team made Calgary a more desirable place to live and this is why the head offices of oil and gas companies are in Calgary instead of Edmonton. It's all unprovable and heresay.
What I do know is alot of very smart people in very big cities want a sports team. I enjoy sports and think it does alot of good such as civic pride, teaching young kids, etc. This is why I believe we need new building to keep the team here. How it is paid for is up for debate but because of the public good I don't mind seeing public dollars go to the project. I don't know what the split is but think the owners should she'll out more than half in my very unscientific opinion.