Arthur Blank Becomes the Latest Owner to Use Los Angeles as an Excuse For More Public Funding
And there it is–Arthur Blank has benevolently shared information with information with Atlanta officials that Los Angeles business interests want to move the team, according to a report from Fox 5 in Atlanta. What utter bullshit.
A year ago, word came out that Blank wanted a new state of the art stadium with a retractable roof to replace the Georgia Dome. Sure, the Georgia Dome just turned twenty years old, but you don’t realize just how old that is. That was 3 years B.L.A. (Before Los Angeles). That’s ages ago in the NFL, back to a time when Los Angeles had two teams, not zero.
Los Angeles is the greedy NFL owner’s boogey man. Arthur Blank is just the latest to tell tales around the campfire about that great specter to the West. It’s about time for the rest of this country to call the NFL’s bluff on this one. California is the state that has provided the least public financing, and has two of the oldest stadiums. Two different owners left the second largest market, and for almost twenty years, the NFL has profited off of not having teams in Los Angeles.
They don’t want a team in LA, people. It’s a pretty good con. (1) Mention Los Angeles when talking about your need for a new stadium, (2) Have Commissioner Roger Goodell come out and say that “your town” is definitely in line for a future Super Bowl, (3) See the public voting pass a large contribution so owner can get more luxury boxes and revenue streams. We are about two months from Goodell coming out promising a Super Bowl in Atlanta in 2017 with a new stadium, but expressing his concern that Atlanta will never get one without it (they last hosted in 2000). Go ahead and set your clocks for that one.
[photo via USA Today Sports Images]
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73 Responses to “Arthur Blank Becomes the Latest Owner to Use Los Angeles as an Excuse For More Public Funding”
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January 29th, 2013 at 4:14 PM
This can’t happen. Der Kaiser will never make it in L.A., what with all the movie-star-looking women out there he’d have to compete with.
January 29th, 2013 at 4:15 PM
yep.
January 29th, 2013 at 4:15 PM
All well said. Public funding for billionaire sports owners is the biggest scam going in sports.
January 29th, 2013 at 4:16 PM
And Tom Benson is the sleaziest of those sleazebags.
January 29th, 2013 at 4:17 PM
Meh. It’s clear the Falcons aren’t going anywhere. There’ll be some back and forth and eventually they’ll get a deal done.
January 29th, 2013 at 4:18 PM
Buh Bye.
What part of the buh bye do you not understand? The buh or the bye?
Buuuh bye.
January 29th, 2013 at 4:18 PM
How do you share information with information?
January 29th, 2013 at 4:19 PM
.
January 29th, 2013 at 4:20 PM
Agree that more teams are likely to flee hyper-taxed California than actually move there.
January 29th, 2013 at 4:21 PM
Really wish I wasn’t a sports fan. With Bayern choking away 2 CL titles in 3 years and Falcons giving up a 20 and 17 point leads in back to back play-off games, I don’t think my heart can take anymore heartbreaks.
If Falcons do move, that’d be it for me and sports.
January 29th, 2013 at 4:22 PM
Tiger Woods has publicly stated that’s one of the reasons he moved from CA to Florida
January 29th, 2013 at 4:22 PM
Wow. MikeNYC flies down from top rope.
January 29th, 2013 at 4:22 PM
always knew walt disney was a nazi sympathizer.
January 29th, 2013 at 4:23 PM
Agree that more teams are likely to flee hyper-taxed California than actually move there.
At least they managed to balance the budget this year. The state is still a mess though. I can’t even say how many times I’ve been told to avoid graduate programs at California schools.
January 29th, 2013 at 4:23 PM
How did Disney get involved in all this?
January 29th, 2013 at 4:23 PM
Tough to blame him, when you can save about $100m doing so.
January 29th, 2013 at 4:24 PM
dude looks like walt fuckin’ disney.
January 29th, 2013 at 4:25 PM
It’s also why many of my friends didn’t stay in New York after we graduated college. They got the hell out of here and went South
January 29th, 2013 at 4:25 PM
Fuck Disney. Fucking criminal enterprise.
January 29th, 2013 at 4:26 PM
vlad channeling soused
January 29th, 2013 at 4:27 PM
Actually, the Falcons would be the perfect team to move to L.A. Atlanta sports teams are already used to being largely ignored by the populace for long stretches of time.
January 29th, 2013 at 4:29 PM
Fuck Disney. Fucking criminal enterprise.
Did one of the park dwarfs touch you in a funny place when you were younger?
January 29th, 2013 at 4:29 PM
F you, Nada. Falcons are here to stay.
January 29th, 2013 at 4:30 PM
and by younger, ms means last week. Also, glad to see the Astros avatar back
January 29th, 2013 at 4:30 PM
That’s why the Lakers have never been able to sign big name players. Forbes nailed it.
January 29th, 2013 at 4:31 PM
Also, glad to see the Astros avatar back
It’s time.
Right now I’m pretty glad that in the 12+ years I’ve been living in the DFW area that I never caved and bought a Rangers hat.
January 29th, 2013 at 4:32 PM
I just hope for your sake that the Astros can be better than the crappy Mariners
January 29th, 2013 at 4:35 PM
This is kind of interesting.
http://www.newgeography.com/content/00754-local-and-state-tax-burden-maps
January 29th, 2013 at 4:35 PM
Difference is Tiger moved in 1996, without publicly bitching about it and threatening to retire.
January 29th, 2013 at 4:37 PM
Not if we’re talking about the playoffs.
January 29th, 2013 at 4:37 PM
“$50M”
–Elin
January 29th, 2013 at 4:39 PM
only response to that.
January 29th, 2013 at 4:40 PM
A retirement threat from a 20 year old may have rung hollow
January 29th, 2013 at 4:41 PM
Why don’t you move back to that shitty ass village? Go on, git!
January 29th, 2013 at 4:42 PM
I love me some Arthur as he’s been a phenomenal owner, but he can get fucked for this bullshit. I hope the city calls his bluff (but of course they won’t).
January 29th, 2013 at 4:42 PM
From the first link in the post:
Isn’t that the exact opposite of seeking more public funding? This is more likely a political ploy by the city government to bring the state government in line. That’s not nearly as interesting, though, and you don’t get to beat up on the rich guy.
January 29th, 2013 at 4:42 PM
Hey, I’m just fuckin’ with Kaiser. I like the dude/dudette.
/ But I do hate the Dirty Turds
// Final remnant of extinct Saints fanhood, along with Archie mancrush
January 29th, 2013 at 4:43 PM
All of this. Yet these same fuckers hate on the single mom on welfare while they beg for handouts at Spago.
January 29th, 2013 at 4:44 PM
Wasn’t Arthur Blank in charge of Home Depot when it was going down the tubes?
January 29th, 2013 at 4:44 PM
SHOTS FIRED
January 29th, 2013 at 4:45 PM
UGA isn’t going anywhere. Just, you know, if you wanna get all in for 2013.
January 29th, 2013 at 4:46 PM
No, he co-founded it with Bernie Marcus. Bob Nardelli ran it into the ground.
January 29th, 2013 at 4:47 PM
oh that’s right. I remember reading an article on Nardelli as a case study in a management class. That guy was a total douchebag
January 29th, 2013 at 4:47 PM
Seriously. NO residents ruing ATL are the worst.
He co-founded it.
January 29th, 2013 at 4:48 PM
Bob Nardelli ran it into the ground.
And a few years later he was named the Chairman and CEO of Chrysler I think.
January 29th, 2013 at 4:50 PM
Who was the last new stadium to not get this? New England? Wonder how that sits with Kraft considering he’s one of the more prominent owners
January 29th, 2013 at 4:52 PM
Especially now that New York is getting one, so the cold city argument is BS. I like the Dome. It gets loud as fuck and is a perfectly good place to watch a game.
January 29th, 2013 at 4:52 PM
Which is why the awarding of super bowls is ridiculous. Spread the wealth to every team.
January 29th, 2013 at 4:53 PM
There’s a difference between a shitty investment, and a handout.
January 29th, 2013 at 4:54 PM
Last year’s Super Bowl proved that dead cunt Myra has no real ghost powers, so I don’t think Rog is afraid of New England.
January 29th, 2013 at 4:55 PM
What if the shitty investment was gotten at (proverbial) gunpoint?
January 29th, 2013 at 4:55 PM
Holy shit a Super Bowl in Foxborough would be hilarious for how much the writers would complain.
January 29th, 2013 at 4:56 PM
Well, I don’t think Oakland needs to host one. Though I would love to see one in SEA if we’re going all over the country. I personally like the idea of nice weather or a Dome, but if the elements are what people want, SEA needs a game.
January 29th, 2013 at 4:56 PM
Boston would not be nearly as good a host city as NY
January 29th, 2013 at 4:57 PM
MTA still only running until midnight on weekdays? Could see an all time record for DUIs in a two week span.
January 29th, 2013 at 4:58 PM
Speaking of Kraft, he played the relocation threat card too
January 29th, 2013 at 4:58 PM
Because of the racism.
/Clown’d
January 29th, 2013 at 4:58 PM
Must have missed my comment about why Green Bay would be a horrible choice for a Super Bowl logistics-wise, not to mention that it gets fuck cold to the point where people really shouldn’t be outside at night
January 29th, 2013 at 4:58 PM
I chose to help ruin Dallas instead. Atlanta doesn’t need my help going to hell in a handbasket.
January 29th, 2013 at 4:59 PM
If the idea is to reward NFL fans and teams, it should be spread. You’d be dropping a billion dollar bomb into Oakland, Seattle, Green Bay (while, Appleton), Cincy.
If the idea is to reward corporate interests, drop that cash in to the same cities (domes and warm weather) year after year.
/Knows which way the NFL went
January 29th, 2013 at 4:59 PM
I was talking to a Boston dude last night, and even he was complaining about Foxborough.
January 29th, 2013 at 5:00 PM
January 29th, 2013 at 5:00 PM
yeah, have a superbowl in Foxboro and experience taking 6+ hours to get out of the parking lot.
January 29th, 2013 at 5:00 PM
*well, Appleton
/Caught your comment, Butters
January 29th, 2013 at 5:01 PM
The Super Bowl should be played every year in Lincoln, Neb.
/ Nice folks
// Runzas every damn day
/// Staying at the Cornhusker
//// Overflow crowd can stay in Beatrice
January 29th, 2013 at 5:02 PM
Oh hell yes. I take back my rude comment re: NO residents. Runza’s are the shit.
January 29th, 2013 at 5:03 PM
/googles Runza
//mmmm….food…
January 29th, 2013 at 5:04 PM
huge Pats fan?
January 29th, 2013 at 5:06 PM
Also, Nola strippers >>>>>>>>> Appleton strippers
/earlier’d
January 29th, 2013 at 5:06 PM
And bring back the Super Bowl to Indy, F Atlanta
January 29th, 2013 at 5:07 PM
Well, I don’t think Oakland needs to host one.
Why not, considering how safe the place is.
January 29th, 2013 at 5:09 PM
In no way imaginable are New Orleans strippers better than strippers from anywhere else.
January 29th, 2013 at 7:12 PM
A) I have yet to see any evidence that people in L.A. don’t want a team.
B) The point about public financing is irrelevant, since Farmers Field would be 100% privately financed.
C) The point about the oldest stadiums is also moot, since Farmers Field would be, y’know, new.
It’s fine to call bullshit on owners’ naked attempts to extort public financing out of their fanbases. What I don’t understand is why, while doing that, writers feel the need to trash L.A. with meaningless, unsupported conjecture. Saying that the NFL profited while not having a team in L.A. could just as easily be turned around to read that the NFL didn’t profit enough by not having one there (when you look at all the empty seats in San Diego, Jacksonville, and the other handful of teams with no playoff shot as the regular season winds down, resulting in local TV blackouts).
/Dismounts soap box