At a U.S. Senate Judiciary Subcommittee hearing
yesterday, Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) "threatened to revoke
the antitrust exemptions enjoyed" by NFL and MLB unless
"owners rein in demands for taxpayer-financed arenas,"
according to Spencer Hsu of the WASHINGTON POST. Specter
cited the Ravens' new PSINet Stadium an example of "legalized
extortion" and added that after its $17.6B TV deal, "the NFL
ought to be giving something back -- like paying for its own
stadiums." Specter's proposed bill "would limit the amount
that state and city governments would have to pay" to 25%,
with team owners "expected to cover whatever revenue
governments do not." But Legg Mason Wood Walker Dir and
former MD Stadium Authority Chair John Moag said that
Specter's bill to require leagues to pool TV revenue to fund
new stadiums "would not work." He stated that the NFL "has
already set aside more revenue" from another source and MLB
"lacks enough income" from TV to "make meaningful
contributions." U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) "also
criticized the bill," citing a small-market teams like the
Packers would face a cut in revenue that "will severely hurt
[its] ability to survive." MLB and NFL execs "declined
invitations" to testify yesterday (WASHINGTON POST, 6/16).
In Pittsburgh, Jack Torry notes that "in a tacit admission
that congressional approval of any bill curbing sports
owners' power would be difficult, Specter indicated that he
might be satisfied if his bill prods NFL and [MLB] owners to
provide more of their own money in the future to build new
stadiums." Specter said that "might adopt a proposal" by IN
Univ. sports economist Mark Rosentraub "to require" MLB and
the NFL "to finance half the costs of new stadiums in any way
they want" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 6/16).
MORE REAX: In Boston, Tina Cassidy reports that "there
is no firm date set for a full vote on the bill" and
yesterday's hearing was the first of two sessions for
Specter. Among yesterday's speakers was MA House Speaker
Thomas Finneran (BOSTON GLOBE, 6/16). An excerpt of
Finneran's remarks appears in today's BOSTON HERALD (6/16).
