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Aug 11, 2009 09:30 AM
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New York, 2:40 PM
Tue Feb 9
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A New Jersey senator wants to strip all taxpayer funding from professional sports teams that aren't proud to admit that they play in New Jersey. That means all of them. As usual, the blame lies with the Nets.
The Nets have changed their road uniforms for the upcoming season to just say "Nets" instead of "New Jersey", which means thousands of NBA fans in other cities will be watching a visiting team and have no idea where they came from. This prompted Senate Minority Whip Kevin O'Toole (R-Cedar Grove) to look around at the big NY signs on Giants and Jets paraphernalia and say, "Heyyyy, wait a second...."
"New Jersey's professional sports teams, the Nets, Jets and Giants, have no problem feeding at the taxpayer funded trough, yet seem to forget who their benefactors are when they order the teams' uniforms," O'Toole said. "The taxpayers of this state have poured hundreds of millions of dollars into infrastructure upgrades in the Meadowlands where all the teams play their home games. Is it too much to ask that professional sports teams that benefit from the support of the New Jersey taxpayer recognize the state on their uniforms?
No, I suppose it isn't, sir. Of course, one could also make the argument that pro sports teams don't deserve taxpayer-funded anything because they are filthy rich corporations that don't need government largesse to stay in business. Instead, you would rather insist that the Nets continue to embarrass your entire state by admitting that they belong to you.
At least the Devils don't hate you! (Yet.)
O'Toole slams Nets for dropping 'NJ' from uniforms, suggests withholding state subsidies for teams that don't show Jersey pride [Politicker NJ, via Hugging Harold Reynolds]
Send an email to Dashiell Bennett, the author of this post, at dashiell@deadspin.com.
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