sports economics
A Long-Lost Tax Plan Scares Sports Teams and Could Save America Billions
How a proposed federal law from 1995 could end America's hopeless addiction to spending billions of taxpayer dollars on sports stadiums.
New Congressional Bill Would Strip Sports Leagues of Nonprofit Tax Status
Rep. Jason Chaffetz, a former BYU kicker, has introduced a bill that would revoke the 501(6)(c) tax-exempt status of "major professional sports leagues."
Baseball's Forgotten Brotherhood, The First Athlete Union in American Pro Sports
In 1885, baseball players revolted against low pay and the reserve clause, forming a union and creating their own league. They ultimately failed, but their struggle still resonates.
Why NBA Teams Get Stuck on the Draft Lottery Treadmill
The Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers won the 2016 NBA Draft Lottery, but can they escape return trips? League history and player evaluation mistakes suggest it won't be easy.
College Coaches and Administrators Are Too Busy Paying Themselves to Pay Athletes
The people who run big-time college sports claim there simply isn't enough money to pay athletes. Totally coincidentally, they also give themselves large and ridiculous bonuses.
Four Years A Student-Athlete: The Racial Injustice of Big-Time College Sports
While the NCAA’s rules governing college athletes are colorblind, the impact of amateurism is anything but—disproportionately costing black football and men's basketball players and benefiting white stakeholders by as much as $2 billion a year.
Screwing Over Sports Ticket Buyers? There's An App For That
The Minnesota Timberwolves recently joined the New York Yankees in requiring a phone app ticket system that puts a price floor on resales. Fans have responded with a lawsuit. If this is the future, who actually benefits?
Is the NFL Really About to Move Back to LA? Yes, No, and Maybe
The St. Louis Rams, the Oakland Raiders, and the San Diego Chargers are seeking NFL permission to move to Los Angeles. How serious are they, and how will they make money if the public won't finance a new stadium?
VICE Sports Q&A: "Billion-Dollar Ball" Author Gil Gaul
In the new book "Billion-Dollar Ball," Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Gil Gaul takes a hard look at the massive amount of money flowing through big-time college football.
Basketball’s Gender Wage Gap Is Even Worse Than You Think
While NBA players are paid about 50 percent of league revenue, WNBA players appear to earn 33 percent.
Why The NBA's Claim That Teams Are Losing Money Doesn't Add Up
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver says a "significant number" of league teams are losing money, despite soaring revenues. Here's why that's hard to believe.
Are The Milwaukee Bucks Serious About Moving To Seattle, And Would It Be Bad If They Did?
Like every other sports team ever, the Milwaukee Bucks are threatening to skip town if taxpayers don't fund a new stadium. How serious is the threat?