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League of Fans 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.Alerts is League of Fans' email announcements list. Alerts provides news, information, the actions of League of Fans and/or Ralph Nader regarding sports issues, and calls-to-action for subscribers. All email updates are either selected or written by League of Fans. League of Fans is motivated by people, just like you, who are upset with what has become of our sports and would like to make a difference. We work with concerned citizens, sports fans, civic groups and communities to increase awareness of the sports industry's relationship to society, influence a broad range of issues in sports at all levels and encourage the cooperative capacities that make the "sports powers-that-be" capable of helping, not just dominating, our society and culture. We often think of sports as outside the realm of everyday citizen concern. But the many benefits to society that sports can provide are sometimes undermined by a different set of values, often based on the quest for higher and higher profits at the expense of fans, taxpayers, communities, culture and social justice. Get Involved! Your involvement will improve sports for communities and fans, and encourage the sports industry to better contribute to societal well-being. |
League of Fans urges citizens and fans to tell D.C. leaders:
RALLY AND CALL-IN TO FIGHT $440 MILLION GIVEAWAY FOR A BASEBALL STADIUM
When: Tuesday, October 5, 9:30 a.m.
1) The Rally:
2) Call-In and Email to Council Members:
- 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 years 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.
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Information for Calling-In or Emailing:
Sample email message:
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:
Priorities for phone calls:
Other Phone Numbers:
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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 alerts_signup.html
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 [email protected].
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