Two lawmakers are tired of Pittsburgh’s losing baseball games legacy.
You would think in the state of Pennsylvania that there are numerous issues far more important than whether or not Major League Baseball’s Pittsburgh Pirates ownership is spending enough money on its business. But two Pennsylvania House members Tim Bonner and James Gregory are not happy with the Pirates ownership’s frugal ways and have told the team about their gripe. The two then decided to compare the economic impact the Pittsburgh Pirates franchise has in its market with the Philadelphia Phillies franchise’s financial impact in its market. Here is a news flash for the two representatives from western Pennsylvania. Philadelphia is a big market, Pittsburgh is a small market. So comparing the two franchises is a silly notion. Philadelphia has much more money than Pittsburgh. The claim by something called the Independent Fiscal Office found that if the Pirates won just three more games each year, it would increase fan spending by $76 million. The report said 45 million of that $76 million would be spent outside the ballpark to support the local economy. Just how would that happen? Good question, no real answer. Bonner and Gregory wanted the report and generally the people doing a report like this one generally come up with the conclusions that the people who requested the report want.
Bonner, who has no sports business expertise, came up with his theory though. “Low payroll generates low low attendance and less economic activity. That’s always been surmised. This report documents it.” The Pirates ownership lease with local government officials ends in six years and Bonner wants a seat at the table. “I’m just not a casual Pirates fan. I’m much more than that. I don’t know what to do other than to try to stir the debate on this as we come to the renewal of this lease,” he said. The Pirates stadium game has just begun.
Pennsylvania House member James Gregory
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