J.C. Bradbury
@jcbradbury.com
Economist, Georgian, Gadfly
Stadium Subsidies, Film Incentives, Local Economic Development, Sports Economics
Tariffs bad. Vaccines good.
Conjecture is not evidence.
jcbradbury.com
Book website: ThisOneWillBeDifferent.com
Stadium Subsidies, Film Incentives, Local Economic Development, Sports Economics
Tariffs bad. Vaccines good.
Conjecture is not evidence.
jcbradbury.com
Book website: ThisOneWillBeDifferent.com
Pinned
J.C. Bradbury
@jcbradbury.com
· Nov 6
Cover just dropped. Coming in 2026 from Oxford University Press.
This Oren Cass calling himself an "economist" affair raises the question: what is an economist? It's not academic credentials (though not irrelevant), but established competency in economics . Cass has produced no credible economic analysis The media should recognize he's a hack.
February 12, 2026 at 1:19 PM
This Oren Cass calling himself an "economist" affair raises the question: what is an economist? It's not academic credentials (though not irrelevant), but established competency in economics . Cass has produced no credible economic analysis The media should recognize he's a hack.
Another subsidy request is in the works.
Where do the Bucs’ Raymond James Stadium lease, renovations stand?
Bucs chief operating officer Brian Ford says the team wants to learn more about the Rays’ proposed projects.
buff.ly
February 12, 2026 at 12:30 PM
Another subsidy request is in the works.
Funny how Atlanta keeps getting outbid by teams that don't have all that Battery money the Braves keep bragging about. Almost as if the corporate owner likes holding onto the revenue generated by its taxpayer-subsidized honey pot.
February 12, 2026 at 1:53 AM
Funny how Atlanta keeps getting outbid by teams that don't have all that Battery money the Braves keep bragging about. Almost as if the corporate owner likes holding onto the revenue generated by its taxpayer-subsidized honey pot.
But she was able to find $1.5 billion to hand over to the local sports teams for new/renovated luxury venues. Your fiscal pain is her luxury box access.
Bowser prepares D.C. Council for fiscal pain, tough policy trade-offs
Administration officials say that to run programs and services as they are today would require $1.1 billion more in revenue.
www.washingtonpost.com
February 11, 2026 at 10:54 PM
But she was able to find $1.5 billion to hand over to the local sports teams for new/renovated luxury venues. Your fiscal pain is her luxury box access.
Solid use of taxpayer money. www.crainscleveland.com/sports-recre...
New Browns stadium renderings show off reimagined Dawg Pound
The latest Browns stadium renderings highlight a reimagined Dawg Pound, expanded footprint and fan focused upgrades planned for the team’s new Brook Park home.
www.crainscleveland.com
February 11, 2026 at 8:08 PM
Solid use of taxpayer money. www.crainscleveland.com/sports-recre...
We've got to start electing better people. There is zero legitimate policy justification for this. Oregon voters probably don't like this either. Vote these incompetent jerks out.
Oregon bill offers Blazers owner all income taxes from in and around arena in exchange for not threatening to move yet
The Portland Trail Blazers are in the middle of being sold to Carolina Hurricanes owner/subprime auto loan baron/"glass chewer" Tom Dundon, and apparently the threat of the team's expiring lease in…
buff.ly
February 11, 2026 at 7:56 PM
We've got to start electing better people. There is zero legitimate policy justification for this. Oregon voters probably don't like this either. Vote these incompetent jerks out.
I'm sure the lawmakers proposing this will enjoy their luxury box seats, or perhaps they already have.
In a move bordering on parody, Iowa lawmakers filed a proposed bill Tuesday designed to try to lure the Bears to their state. Senate File 2252 would expand a current state economic development program to incentivize building an NFL stadium in Iowa.
Iowa Bears? Really? State looks to lure NFL team with stadium funding pitch
chicago.suntimes.com
February 11, 2026 at 5:44 PM
I'm sure the lawmakers proposing this will enjoy their luxury box seats, or perhaps they already have.
Reposted by J.C. Bradbury
In a move bordering on parody, Iowa lawmakers filed a proposed bill Tuesday designed to try to lure the Bears to their state. Senate File 2252 would expand a current state economic development program to incentivize building an NFL stadium in Iowa.
Iowa Bears? Really? State looks to lure NFL team with stadium funding pitch
chicago.suntimes.com
February 11, 2026 at 4:21 PM
In a move bordering on parody, Iowa lawmakers filed a proposed bill Tuesday designed to try to lure the Bears to their state. Senate File 2252 would expand a current state economic development program to incentivize building an NFL stadium in Iowa.
If you keep calling a subsidy something other than a subsidy, the press (or AI media aggregators) will eventually just repeat it. "Look, the Bears aren't asking for a taxpayer handout, the team just wants 'tax certainty.'" [from hundreds of millions of dollars from taxpayers]
February 11, 2026 at 1:13 PM
If you keep calling a subsidy something other than a subsidy, the press (or AI media aggregators) will eventually just repeat it. "Look, the Bears aren't asking for a taxpayer handout, the team just wants 'tax certainty.'" [from hundreds of millions of dollars from taxpayers]
Reposted by J.C. Bradbury
“We noticed some anger from doctors last week. That’s why we invited RFK Jr. to talk about vaccines”
February 11, 2026 at 12:53 AM
“We noticed some anger from doctors last week. That’s why we invited RFK Jr. to talk about vaccines”
Why do these stories persist? Megaevents have been well-studied by economists and determined that the economic impacts are tiny. And any increase will barely ripple out to Cobb. Yet, this is the banner headline in today's MDJ.
World Cup hosting expected to bring global attention, economic boost to Cobb
MARIETTA — After a busy year of hosting major sporting events in 2025, Cobb and Atlanta’s hosting duties will catapult to the global level this year when the FIFA World
buff.ly
February 10, 2026 at 1:09 PM
Why do these stories persist? Megaevents have been well-studied by economists and determined that the economic impacts are tiny. And any increase will barely ripple out to Cobb. Yet, this is the banner headline in today's MDJ.
There is surprisingly little research on the public finance implications of "jock taxes." This is fertile ground for a project that could produce several studies.
Patriots, Seahawks Face California Tax Bill in Super Bowl Pursuit
California has the highest state income taxes. Here's an estimate of what Drake Maye and Sam Darnold will have to pay after playing in the Super Bowl.
buff.ly
February 10, 2026 at 1:02 PM
There is surprisingly little research on the public finance implications of "jock taxes." This is fertile ground for a project that could produce several studies.
At this point, if you fall for anything put out by CSL, you want to be fooled.
"information gathering"... from CSL, the organization dubbed "the Wile E. Coyote of the sports stadium racket"
February 10, 2026 at 3:34 AM
At this point, if you fall for anything put out by CSL, you want to be fooled.
"information gathering"... from CSL, the organization dubbed "the Wile E. Coyote of the sports stadium racket"
February 10, 2026 at 3:17 AM
"information gathering"... from CSL, the organization dubbed "the Wile E. Coyote of the sports stadium racket"
Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results.
- Al-Anon saying
- Al-Anon saying
The expansion fee for Boston Legacy FC was only $53m, making spending $135m in public money on a $325m stadium look not so great. Politicians of the world, you should have learned by now always to take the over on stadium cost predictions.
Boston women’s soccer stadium to cost taxpayers 2.5 times as much as value of team
It's been a few months since we've checked in on Boston's plan to spend $100 million to rebuild White Stadium for NWSL club Boston Legacy F.C., how's that going? The city of Boston’s project to overha...
www.fieldofschemes.com
February 9, 2026 at 1:24 PM
Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results.
- Al-Anon saying
- Al-Anon saying
Oops. Birmingham spent $125 million renovating an arena for the team, which is departing for a new city after just 5 years. wgno.com/news/louisia...
wgno.com
February 8, 2026 at 10:37 PM
Oops. Birmingham spent $125 million renovating an arena for the team, which is departing for a new city after just 5 years. wgno.com/news/louisia...
Oh, good grief. Stadium deals can work if they're "part of a bigger plan for the city," and you "have to do the analytics"? 50 years of research (analytics) hasn't found any support for this conjecture. Indy, Cleveland, and Detroit are successes? Citations needed. theticker.org/18089/busine...
February 7, 2026 at 3:29 PM
Oh, good grief. Stadium deals can work if they're "part of a bigger plan for the city," and you "have to do the analytics"? 50 years of research (analytics) hasn't found any support for this conjecture. Indy, Cleveland, and Detroit are successes? Citations needed. theticker.org/18089/busine...
This is why stadium proposals should always be put to a public vote. A majority of the electorate won't fit in the owners box, but the city council will.
February 7, 2026 at 2:27 PM
This is why stadium proposals should always be put to a public vote. A majority of the electorate won't fit in the owners box, but the city council will.
This new Republican fixation with eliminating certain taxes without connecting it to government spending or operations is untethered to reality. They're all pandering schemes that are just as harebrained as anything put forth by radical socialists they claim to decry.
February 6, 2026 at 3:55 PM
This new Republican fixation with eliminating certain taxes without connecting it to government spending or operations is untethered to reality. They're all pandering schemes that are just as harebrained as anything put forth by radical socialists they claim to decry.
Question for the media: Who is Steve Robb of Municipal Consulting, and why is he qualified to do such an analysis? What are his methods, and what is his track-record on past projects? An internet search indicates he's just some random guy with no credentials whatsoever.
February 6, 2026 at 1:33 PM
Question for the media: Who is Steve Robb of Municipal Consulting, and why is he qualified to do such an analysis? What are his methods, and what is his track-record on past projects? An internet search indicates he's just some random guy with no credentials whatsoever.
Great moments in bothsidesism. Writing "Such studies are often debated by economists" is like saying, "Doctors often debate the claims of anti-vaxxer posts on Reddit." Commissioned forecasts, which aren't "studies," are not debated, economists universally dismiss them as quackery.
February 6, 2026 at 1:07 PM
Great moments in bothsidesism. Writing "Such studies are often debated by economists" is like saying, "Doctors often debate the claims of anti-vaxxer posts on Reddit." Commissioned forecasts, which aren't "studies," are not debated, economists universally dismiss them as quackery.
We've learned where the Tampa Bay Rays plan to get the $1.2 billion in taxpayer money to build it a new stadium. A key source would be a county sales tax that voters already approved *with the explicit understanding that it would not be used for a stadium.*
February 5, 2026 at 1:29 PM
We've learned where the Tampa Bay Rays plan to get the $1.2 billion in taxpayer money to build it a new stadium. A key source would be a county sales tax that voters already approved *with the explicit understanding that it would not be used for a stadium.*
The Rays "belong in Tampa Bay"... Please, it was the Rays who backed out of a deal to give the team $600 million of taxpayer money for a brand new stadium. Now the owners are demanding double that. "The Rays need more welfare" is the appropriate slogan.
DeSantis, MLB commissioner say Rays ‘belong in Tampa Bay’
The governor and MLB commissioner Rob Manfred spoke at a news conference at Hillsborough College on Tuesday.
www.tampabay.com
February 4, 2026 at 8:26 PM
The Rays "belong in Tampa Bay"... Please, it was the Rays who backed out of a deal to give the team $600 million of taxpayer money for a brand new stadium. Now the owners are demanding double that. "The Rays need more welfare" is the appropriate slogan.