What is the deal with Micheal Crabtree?

I'll tell you what makes me unhappy about the NFL.

The way they go around the country holding up the citizens of this country by forcing them to subsidize private enterprise via their stadium programs. They go into a targeted city puffing up the fans and making them believe they cannot exist as a "true" city unless they have an NFL franchise there, then in collusion with the owners they execute a "build us a new stadium or we'll move" play that has fleeced millions of citizens. And it continues. 

What other business do you know of can extort new facilities out of a city, including equipment, naming rights, and the lions share of the proceeds generated by all activities? Even the federal government wouldn't fund such an enterprise, but cities across this country continue to do so. 

Nothing drives the point home better than the current economic downturn we are in. How many cities are now saddled with hundreds of millions in debt over these deals, and just how is that impacting the quality of life for the citizens of these cities? It isn't good let me tell you. Old Luke pretty much put the Indy CIB out of business and has left them unfunded. In the meantime the Colts organization flourishes while the citizens of Marion county and 9 collar counties pay extra for their burgers and fries, and visitors to these cities pay more for their hotel rooms, rental cars, and meals. . . 

Cincy isn't doing much better either. . .

PH 

I am not sure how we got to the evils of the NFL from where the thread started, however, I have no fundamental disagreement with you over the comments you make.  I would say this by way of an answer.  If a magazine salesman shows up at my door while I am away and sells my wife more magazines than we can afford AND magazines for which I have little or no interest, should my displeasure be with the magazine salesman, or with my wife?

MANY cities are saddled with debt and negative financial partnerships with major league sports franchises because local and state legislators made bad deals for a variety of reasons.  MOST major leagues sports organizations pitch some type of pie-in-the-sky deal to a community to get what they want.  Our problem isn't with the organization (unless they legally did not deliver on their contract) our problem is with our representatives.    

That's why it works so well for them. . . they only really have to sell it to the leadership and the fans will jump right on board. . . They'd never think of asking for approval, (vote), and so instead of spending hundreds of millions on stadiums the owners can spend it on athletes like Crabtree, and then pass along the costs to the consumers in the form of increased ticket prices, (fans).

Absolutely correct!  That's why I say that our gripe is really with our representatives and not the NFL (actually the team owners, since they are the ones primarily making the deals).  Its the law makers, city fathers, etc. that hold their communities hostage and are therefore the responsible parties. 

If you or I happened to be share holders in a company that made terrific financial moves for the health of our company while at the same time those moves were not as advantagous for the surrounding area, we would probably applaud the business prowess of our board of directors.

Just a side note.  I did a little research (very little) and found out that 4 to 6 of the current NFL stadiums are actually owned by individuals or companies (usually the team ownership).  That would suggest that other financial arrangements are at least possible.  Of course, some of the privately owned stadiums include loans from the cities involved so there is still some risk for the city, but a loan would seem MUCH safer than what exists in most current situations.

Do like I do stay home and watch it on TV and do not eat in a restaurant that has to pass this charge on to us

The team owners "are" the NFL, which is why the players have a union. . . No?

I'll tell you another thing, those "loans" from the cities are just a backdoor version of the same play. The city is still paying for it, and if you dig a lil' deeper into those agreements the sweetheart deals the team owners are getting will really chap your hide. Course, nobody beats the deal Irsay and the Colts got. . . (Somebody should be in jail over that one!)

These team owners, along with the henchmen otherwise known as the NFL, have figured out how to get the cities to subsidize their capital investments for their private enterprise, and keep the revenue generated by the investment; leaving the city and its citizens holding the bag for the entire thing. 

And on top of it all it increases their cash flow to enable them to pay high dollars to athletes, and once the deal is done they have an instant scapegoat for the ever increasing ticket prices. The increase pays the salaries, the city pays for the stadium, and the owner reaps in the rewards to keep and spend however they wish. . . 

Remove the salary caps and you'll see 500 dollar a game seats in the nosebleed sections!

But you are right, it isn't just the NFL franchises or football. . . They're just the best at it right now.

Ask the New York Yankees about $500 dollar seats. They can't sell them. Watch a game on the tube and look at all the empty seats down close. The NFL is riding an all time high right now. They lock the players out and go on strike with the mood the country is in now and see what happens. People are getting tired of big time athletes and their egos. Tired of the double standards they live by, jealous of the money and life style they have. They are close to throwing the golden goose away. JMO

Indeed ballguy. MLB lost me when they walked so long ago. To that point in my life I was a big fan, but not anymore. Greed before need is the creed of most pro athletes. (Note I said "most" and not all. There are still some good ones but they are rare).