Sports Business

Archive Report

Growing Commercialism in Pro Sports

Concern About Professional Sports as Big Business

Professional team sports is a multi-billion dollar business. In recent years, spectators have spent well over $500 million annually for tickets to pro football, baseball, basketball and hockey games. Television has chipped in several hundred million more, team franchises are being sold for as much as $20 million and professional superstars are signing contracts for over $200,000 a year. Yet despite the apparent lucrativeness of the professional sports industry, discontent among owners, players, fans and the general public is growing.

Owners typically complain that they are fortunate to break even. Ticket sales and television revenues have not kept pace with the inflationary costs of players' and office employees' salaries, travel, food and equipment. There is ...

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