All evidence to the contrary, spring (and the spring end-of-legislative-session season) must be getting nearer, because the stack of weekly roundup news items in my Instapaper is getting longer and longer each week. Better get down to it:
- The famed on-field flagpole that once stood in Detroit’s Tiger Stadium (and still stands on the site) will become an ad for a nut company, which will fly its flag from atop the pole. Is this more or less a tribute to craven greed and disrespect for humanity than flying the U.S. flag was? Discuss!
- The new tax bill does all sorts of terrible things, but it also finally eliminates tax deductions for corporate sports ticket purchases — something that has helped drive both high ticket prices and the demand for sports venues with lots of corporate-friendly seating — and also could force sports teams to pay taxes on trades. Plus, Congress is considering exempting minor-league baseball players from minimum-wage laws, and MiLB officials are threatening to contract teams if they’re forced to pay players a whole $7.25 an hour.
- Phoenix’s city administration wants to host the 2023 Super Bowl. God knows why.
- Carlos Monarraz of the Detroit Free Press thinks the reason behind all the empty seats at Pistons games is that fans would rather watch the game on TV from the arena’s bar, which is either a pathetic cover story or a pathetic reality or both, I can’t say which for sure. Discuss! (Bonus content: Article features a 69-year-old fan saying, “I used to cheer, ‘Rah-rah-ree, kick ’em in the knee!’ I don’t even feel comfortable shouting out anymore.” Not sure whether this means he’s Monty Burns or The Terror.)
- The Cincinnati Board of Education voted to approve an F.C. Cincinnati stadium in the West End, but only on the same terms (pay your property taxes!) the team owners rejected last week, so I don’t even know why we’re talking about this, frankly.
- The Denver Broncos are looking to build an entertainment district in their stadium parking lot and use the proceeds to pay for stadium maintenance and upgrades, because that always goes well.
- World hatred of Donald Trump could lead to Morocco getting the 2026 World Cup, which would cost that nation $16 billion, which just goes to show that Donald Trump can even ruin things in nations he’s probably never heard of.
- The Raiders stadium in Las Vegas will cost $1.8 billion in part so that it can have giant folding doors that open to give a view of the Strip. Wealth is wasted on the wealthy.
- Neither the NAACP nor the local councilperson wants Temple University to build a new football stadium in North Philadelphia.
- “Cincinnati Might Spend $300 Million for a Shot at Hosting Six NCAA Tournament Games.” Really, the headline says it all. That tide really can’t turn a moment too soon.