An industrial complex is a term describing a symbiotic relationship between a supply and demand side, often in a negative way, resulting in large profits and self-interested spending. The military-industrial complex was one such instance and prison-industrial complex being another. The one presently relevant: the Superbowl-Industrial Complex. I?m talking about the potential $140 million CBS had to gain from ad buys during the 3-hour game, not to mention the additional millions from local and national buys during the 6 hours of pre-game programming on top of that. ??The money avalanche doesn?t stop at the network level, however. Spending from an array of sources: $4,500 per ticket, airfare, food, entertainment, partying, etc., contributes to a local Florida estimate of a $400 million dollar boon.
National spending around the sporting event coming from things as straightforward as Colts and Bears hats and t-shirts, beers and bar tabs, through to new HD television sets and recliners for guests could round out to $8.7 billion. 8 billion, 700 thousand, and 56 dollars that is, if you tack on the 56 for the chips, dip, and 12-pack I brought over to a friend?s house for the game. If ad spending for the last 20 years comes in over $1.7 billion, and this year?s ancillary spending came to $8.7 billion, imagine what 20 years of ancillary spending rounds out to?
Now, when you hear that Beckham is getting $250 million over 5 years, think about who is REALLY making money.
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I’m not into football, I prefer boxing … but it’s a good time if you’re a fan and people are willing to spend money to have a good time.
The criminal part of the sports-industrial complex is when someone buys a losing team, and then uses their political connections to get a new stadium built on the taxpayers dime. Then they turn around and sell the team that has this great new stadium and make a freaking killing on the deal.
Essentially they’re leveraging your tax dollars for their personal profit.
Great site by the way!
It is pretty ridiculous how much all of this spending perpetuates itself. People think it is insane that Beckham is making 250 million over 5 years, but think about how much the team owners and bringing in. I guess it really is all relative.