Boilermaker Rick wrote:
In my opinion, buying tickets to anything is like buying any other service. I don't have a vested interest for General Motors to do well because I own a GM car. I would have a vested interest if I owned stock.
I just think it takes it to a different level of support when you are willing to monetarily support something that you do not get a direct benefit out of it. If I donated to breast cancer research, I could say that I am helping to fight breast cancer. If I donate to my university, I am supporting the university. There is no way to donate money to professional sports franchises so that type of support is impossible.
It's all opinion, but when you buy a ticket to a baseball game, it goes to the rich owners to line the pockets. When you donate to a college, you are helping financially support the athletic departments, including many sports that wouldn't exist if they had to financially support themselves. There are no owners rolling in dough.
Buying tickets to college events is a gray area in my definition, but I see my ticket purchases as being a benefit that I am receiving(and the IRS agrees). One of the reasons that I love college sports, even though the talent level isn't as good, is that it at least seems to have less greedy intentions that the professional counterparts. I am not naive enough to believe that to be 100% true though.
Sure that money goes partly into the owners pockets, but when a big trade or free agent signing is made, fans usually speak with their wallets and will buy more season tickets and even regular season tickets. Just because they did it afterwards doesn't mean they aren't financially supporting the team or, in their minds the players themselves. I understand the reference to a car but IMO it's completely different. You don't spend days after days cheering for your car and contemplating moves and decisions of Ford. You just make payments, hope it runs well, and maybe enjoy driving it. Hell, I have a pretty big time (but no financial) interest in this message board and think it's more than fair to call it "we" as in "we are a bunch of pants around the ankles cretins". After the Sox won the World Series, Buehrle thanked the fans many times and stated that it was the best feeling he's had in his entire life. For many Sox fans it was the same or similar. There is reciprocation for both sides which creates a legitimate *we*.