Comments on: Public Stadium Financing: The World’s Greatest “Save Our Show” Campaign http://blog.commarts.wisc.edu/2015/07/21/public-stadium-financing-the-worlds-greatest-save-our-show-campaign/ Responses to Media and Culture Fri, 12 Feb 2016 19:35:04 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.7.5 By: Brad Schauer http://blog.commarts.wisc.edu/2015/07/21/public-stadium-financing-the-worlds-greatest-save-our-show-campaign/comment-page-1/#comment-442628 Tue, 21 Jul 2015 16:52:10 +0000 http://blog.commarts.wisc.edu/?p=27585#comment-442628 As a Bucks fan who has gone to nearly 100 games since the late ’80s…I can’t really argue with most of this. 🙂 Although the Bucks do generate a substantial amount of state income tax revenue that will go into the general fund, so there is an economic impact that goes beyond short-term construction jobs. And from a moral standpoint, basketball is for me less problematic than the WI state religion of football, since basketball players aren’t typically subject to the same kind of traumatic injuries.

In terms of cultural policy, one thing left out of most discussions about the arena is the importance of the NBA to many African-American Wisconsinites, particularly in downtown Milwaukee. NBA viewership nationwide is nearly 50% African-American, and the demographics at Bucks games are hugely different than at the Brewers or Packers games. In a deeply segregated city that has profound disparities in terms of race and income, the Bucks have cultural value as a high-profile, relatively inexpensive entertainment option in downtown Milwaukee that appeals to diverse audiences. Not saying that alone justifies public money, but it’s something to consider.

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