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So, I want to get at the point which really grinds my gears about the baseball owners. 1/
I don't begrudge someone from making a fortune for successfully building something and taking risks. I am opposed to particularly high marginal tax rates, and actually think there's a good case for lowering the top bracket rate above a certain amount. 2/
But it's the risk-taking that matters. Somebody does something really cool that builds enormous consumer surplus or public welfare or quality of life improvement, and that person should get rich for it. Very rich, if the market allows. I'm fine with that. 3/
If that person got exceedingly rich doing something like that and bought a baseball team, good for them! It's a way for them to enjoy the wealth they earned. 4/
But here's where I draw the line.
I do not like the idea of owners making lots of money *on* their baseball teams. Because they're not doing anything. 5/
I do not like the idea of owners making lots of money *on* their baseball teams. Because they're not doing anything. 5/
It's just exploitation. Exploitation of the sport's antitrust exemption, of local largesse for new stadia, of the athletic talents of their players.
They're not doing anything except taking advantage of people's goodwill and desire to be part of something. 6/
They're not doing anything except taking advantage of people's goodwill and desire to be part of something. 6/
What it is, in fact, is cashing in on *family history.* I'm a Mets fan b/c my father was a Mets fan, and his father was a Dodgers fan, and eff the Dodgers for leaving Brooklyn and all of that. But the Wilpons did NOTHING to get my business. 7/
And for most diehard fans (the core of the consumer population), we're all stuck. We're addicted to this product because of decisions our families made. There's no way out.
Now, I'm OK with this. I've lost thousands of hours of my life to the Mets. I don't regret it, much. 8/
Now, I'm OK with this. I've lost thousands of hours of my life to the Mets. I don't regret it, much. 8/
But what annoys me is that they can make outsized profits off of me for... nothing. They're not providing anything new, or innovative. They're just cashing the checks of the league structure. 9/
Sports teams are basically sinecures for ultra-rich people. They're autopilot systems--hire a professional, roll the random number generator, win or lose, and you make money. 10/
I find this deeply frustrating. It is probably my most communist opinion. And the baseball owners this month have radicalized me a bit on it. 11/
Do I think owners should *lose* money? Not really, no. I think it should probably be luck of the draw.
If a baseball team is always in the black, though? Regardless of on-field results? That's pretty fishy to me. And deeply annoying.12/
If a baseball team is always in the black, though? Regardless of on-field results? That's pretty fishy to me. And deeply annoying.12/
There's a scenario where I can imagine simply not caring about the Mets in 2021. If you had told me that even 4 years ago I would've said you were out of your mind. 13/13
