Rep. Greg Casar on new bill that could help cities keep their sports teams - CBS News

[TexasTowelie]

It's one of the oldest stories of heartbreak in the world of sports: a professional team packing up and moving away. Now some Democratic lawmakers are aiming to empower local communities to prevent this. One of them, Rep. Greg Casar of Texas, joins "The Takeout" to break down the legislation.

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Thinking of you, Losin' Oilers.

[MichMan]

1. Just who decides what a "fair price" is?

Under the legislation, owners would be forced to provide notice a year before moving their team into a new metro area or out of state. During that time, communities would have a shot at buying the franchise at a fair price, including through a community-ownership model used by the NFL’s Green Bay Packers and by some European soccer teams.

“What makes the situation even worse is that Chicago and municipalities all over this country right now are struggling to educate their kids, to pave their streets,” Sanders said. “The idea that you have billionaire owners running very profitable operations say, “If you don’t give us even more, we’re going to leave.” And, literally, that means taking money out if the education of the kids, out of childcare for the kids, out of infrastructure for the people of that community.”

If cities are already struggling to educate children and pave the streets, where are they going to find the $7 billion dollars that an NFL franchise is worth without taking money away from education, childcare, and infrastructure?

https://www.sacurrent.com/news/san-antonio-news/rep-greg-casar-sen-bernie-sanders-file-bill-to-limit-threat-of-sports-teams-relocating/

[TexasTowelie]

2. Bernie is the one suggesting that money is going to be diverted from other social obligations to

pay for a plan similar to what the Green Bay Packers have with their city. This legislation makes it easier for private investors to retain a team within their communities.

I don't agree with Bernie's suggestion that a city jeopardize its financial status for the bragging rights of having a sports team is absurd, particularly for those city officials who intend on serving for any length of time.