USA TODA Y WEDNESDAY , AUGUST 10, 201 1 7C Soaring High With Sp ectacular Gol f & Lo dg in g From $9 7 * Come and enjoy 81 holes of spectacular championship golf with ve distinctly different courses including a Fazio, a Jones Sr. and two Rick Smith signature courses. Choose lodging from any of our 238 cozy guest rooms or 2 and 3-bedroom condos. After golf, relax with a massage in our spa, hit the hot tub and party like a T our Star in our Legends on the Hill bar and lounge. Call Now to Book Y our Spectacula r Vacatio n! Michigan’ s Most Spectacular Resort Golf • Ski • Spa www.Treetops.com 1-888-TREETOPS Threetops, “#1 Ranked Par 3 Course in Ameri ca” - Golf Magazine * First 500 only. Some restrictions apply. Cannot be used with any other discount or offer. Ex peri ence the team for a superior clean. Purchase a Bosch Ascenta ® dishwasher and receive a FREE 100-DAY SUPPLY of Finish ® Quantum ® dishwashing tablets. * Bosch recommen ds for superior cleaning results. No colle giate sports scholarships , no public money for stadiums, an arm of government de- votedto monitor ing the sportsindustry. Thisis pa rtof thewis h li stthe Le ag ueof Fa ns,a sports advocacy organization founded and offi- ciall y relau nchedin Juneby five- timepresidentia l candid ate RalphNader. Nader, who says the group is in the midst of rol lingoutits spo rtsmanif est o,is wor kingto for m a coalition that will critique the overwhelming corpo ratization of sports ” and to file lawsuits again st somesporting institut ions. We’re in the process now of finding lawyers fora suitwe’r e pla nnin g tobringagain st theBCS,” Nader says of the Bowl Champio nship Series, major- colle ge footb all’s systemfor determining a national champion. There are some serious anti- tru stissuesin theBCS.” Bill Hancock, BCS executive director, says he is con fid entthe syst emcompli es wit h thelaw. The BCS bowl syst em ben efi ts all of tho se involved,” Hancock says. It’s the best thing ever devised to match the top two teams in a bowl while preserving the importance of the regular season.” But Nader’s group cites the BCS as an example of the win-at-all-costs and a profit-at-all-costs mentality” that drives the U.S. sports experience, says Ken Reed, the League of Fans’ sports policy director. Ourgoal is to opt imiz e thesportsexpe- riencefor all.” As an example of how the group thinks the ideals of sports have gotten out of whack, Reed pointsto colle ge sportsscholarship s as encour ag- ing student s to prior itizeperformanc e in athlet ics overacademicsuccess. Ano therexampleis wha t Ree d ter ms franchise blackmail”— when an owner demands that tax- pay ersfund theconstr uct ionof a sta diu m to kee p the clubfrom reloc ating. Ree d arg uesthat if the re were mor e communi - ty owners hip of pro teams , suc h as the NFL’s Green Bay Packe rs’ arran gement, this pract ice would be less common. But community owner- shipof NFLteams has bee n out lawed sin ce 1960 ; a number of other leagues, such as Major League Baseba ll, havepushed forsimilar restrictions. We don ’t hav e any sport s pol icy tied into gover nment,”Reed says. No checksand balanc es. No overs ight.” WayneMcDonnell , whospecialize s in franc hise relocation and stadium construction as a sports business professor at New York University, backs such League of Fans’ stances as greater emphasis on healthand safet y forparticipan ts. But he does not foresee fans buying into some of the otherproposals . It wou ldneverworkforyourmajorcosmo pol - itan cities. There’s too many passionat e fans, ” McDonn ellsays. I thinkiffan s ha da sta kein their teams, they would rule more with emotion in- steadof by makingsavvy busines s decisi ons.” On stadium construction, McDonnell says the majori ty of fundi ng should come from priva te sources. But public support is needed for items such as parki ng andinfrastruct ure. Aft erall, it’ s thefans whoare goi ngto be usi ng thesethings,” McDonnell says. Spo rts adv oca cy gro ups oft en arise whe n lea guelocko utsthrea tento wip e outgames . Ree d says the recent NFL lockout and the ongoing NBA locko ut contri butedto the group ’s rejuve nation . DavidWeicht, 53, a life- longUniversityof Flori - dafan andnativ e ofLakel and , Fla ., say s he doe sn’t agr eewith some ofthe Lea gueof Fan s’ stances. I enjoy being a spectator, and I think that we hav e a pre ttygood syst em in pla ce, ” Wei cht say s. I want what a lot of people want, and that is to seethe bes t pla yer s pos sibl e ateveryleve l.” Jack Bingham, 21, from Bluffton, S.C., says tax- pay ermoneyshould n’tbe spe nt forstad iums. I alrea dy pay for tickets and mercha ndise, ” Bingham says. I don’t think I should have to pay fora sta dium, too .” Gro u p ta k es a i m at BC S ByMandelNgan,AFP/Gett yImages Finding lawyers: Ral ph Nad ersays theBowl Champi onshipSeries has antitr ust issues.” Nader’s Le agu e of Fans seeks re for ms in sports By LukeKerr-Dineen USA TODAY
Welcome message from author
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
8/4/2019 Nader Group
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/nader-group 1/1
USA TODAY WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2011 7C
Soaring High WithSpectacular Golf &Lodging From $97*
Come and enjoy 81 holes of spectacular championship golf with ve
distinctly different courses including a Fazio, a Jones Sr. and two Rick Smithsignature courses. Choose lodging from any of our
238 cozy guest rooms or 2 and 3-bedroom condos.
After golf, relax with a massage in our spa, hit the
hot tub and party like a Tour Star in our
Legends on the Hill bar and lounge.
Call Now to Book Your Spectacular Vacation!
Michigan’s Most Spectacular ResortGolf • Ski • Spa
www.Treetops.com
1-888-TREETOPS
Threetops, “#1 RankedPar 3 Course in America”
- Golf Magazine
* First 500 only. Some restrictions apply. Cannot be used with any other discount or offer.
Experience the teamfor a superior clean.Purchase a Bosch Ascenta® dishwasher and receive a FREE 100-DAY SUPPLY
of Finish® Quantum® dishwashing tablets.*
Bosch recommends for superior cleaning results.
See your Bosch retailer for additional special offers.
No collegiate sports scholarships, no publicmoney for stadiums, an arm of government de-
votedto monitoring the sportsindustry.Thisis partof thewish listthe Leagueof Fans,asports advocacy organization founded and offi-cially relaunchedin Juneby five-timepresidentialcandidate RalphNader.
Nader, who says the group is in the midst of rollingoutits sportsmanifesto,is workingto forma coalition that will “critique the overwhelmingcorporatization of sports” and to file lawsuitsagainst somesporting institutions.
“We’re in the process now of finding lawyersfora suitwe’re planning tobringagainst theBCS,”Nader says of the Bowl Championship Series,major-college football’s system for determining anational champion. “There are some serious anti-trust issuesin theBCS.”
Bill Hancock, BCS executive director, says he isconfidentthe systemcomplies with thelaw.
“The BCS bowl system benefits all of thoseinvolved,” Hancock says. “It’s the best thing everdevised to match the top two teams in a bowlwhile preserving the importance of the regular
season.”But Nader’s group cites the BCS as an example
of the “win-at-all-costs and a profit-at-all-costsmentality” that drives the U.S. sports experience,says Ken Reed, the League of Fans’ sports policydirector. “Ourgoal is to optimize thesportsexpe-riencefor all.”
As an example of how the group thinks theideals of sports have gotten out of whack, Reedpointsto college sportsscholarships as encourag-ing students to prioritizeperformance in athleticsoveracademicsuccess.
Anotherexampleis what Reed terms“franchiseblackmail”— when an owner demands that tax-payersfund theconstructionof a stadium to keepthe clubfrom relocating.
Reed arguesthat if there were more communi-ty ownership of pro teams, such as the NFL’sGreen Bay Packers’ arrangement, this practicewould be less common. But community owner-shipof NFLteams has been outlawed since 1960;a number of other leagues, such as Major League
Baseball, havepushed forsimilar restrictions.“We don’t have any sports policy tied into
government,”Reed says.“No checksand balances.No oversight.”
WayneMcDonnell, whospecializes in franchiserelocation and stadium construction as a sportsbusiness professor at New York University, backssuch League of Fans’ stances as greater emphasison healthand safety forparticipants.
But he does not foresee fans buying into someof the otherproposals.
“It wouldneverworkforyourmajorcosmopol-
itan cities. There’s too many passionate fans,”McDonnellsays. “I thinkiffans hada stakein theirteams, they would rule more with emotion in-steadof by makingsavvy business decisions.”
On stadium construction, McDonnell says themajority of funding should come from privatesources. But public support is needed for itemssuch as parking andinfrastructure.
“Afterall, it’s thefans whoare goingto be usingthesethings,” McDonnell says.
Sports advocacy groups often arise whenleaguelockoutsthreatento wipe outgames. Reedsays the recent NFL lockout and the ongoing NBAlockout contributedto the group’s rejuvenation.
DavidWeicht, 53, a life-longUniversityof Flori-dafan andnative ofLakeland, Fla., says he doesn’tagreewith some ofthe Leagueof Fans’ stances.
“I enjoy being a spectator, and I think that wehave a prettygood system in place,” Weicht says.“I want what a lot of people want, and that is toseethe best players possible ateverylevel.”
Jack Bingham, 21, from Bluffton, S.C., says tax-payermoneyshouldn’tbe spent forstadiums.
“I already pay for tickets and merchandise,”Bingham says. “I don’t think I should have to payfora stadium, too.”
Group takes aim at BCS
ByMandelNgan,AFP/GettyImages
Finding lawyers:Ralph Nadersays theBowlChampionshipSeries has “antitrust issues.”
Nader’s League of Fansseeks reforms in sports
By LukeKerr-DineenUSA TODAY
Related Documents
