The "really big idea on Wall Street today is
securitization," including the future of entertainers and
athletes, according to Leslie Eaton of the N.Y. TIMES.
Eaton: "Almost everyone and everything seems to be turning
into a security these days." White Sox 1B Frank Thomas is
"working on a deal with SPP Hambro Securities to offer
investors a stake in his future earnings," and the "newest
and sexiest twist involves using streams of incomes from
entertainers," such as David Bowie. Fahnestock & Company
Managing Dir David Pullman said that ticket sales at sports
stadiums are "another possibility for securitization." He
calls individual athletes' earnings "trickier because their
contracts contain too many outs like morals clauses." But
he added, "We could do it if they had no cut contracts or
endorsements" (N.Y. TIMES, 6/7). In L.A., Randy Harvey
writes that if players became tradeable securities, it would
be "more fun and potentially more profitable than rotisserie
leagues. It would also change public opinion about more
highly paid ballplayers. We would want them to be more
highly paid" (Randy Harvey, L.A. TIMES, 6/9).
