OT?:Sports and the Economy
If I hear one more person try to argue that the success or demise of a sports team has any correlation to the economy I will quit this board! PAAALEASE! "State won the NC in b-ball, I can't wait to go buy a 2009 Silverado!" "The Red Wings just won the Stanley cup, I can't wait to invest in Better Made potato chips!" "The GR Griffins just won the IHL! I am going right to Steelecase to buy that sweet new office desk!" or "The lions went 0-16, that's it, I am not shopping at Meijer this year!"
I think you get my point. Please don't mix team pride with economic vitality.
If your team wins, you may buy a hat or T-shirt, but that does not have much effect on our economic health. Unless a resident MGoEconomist can prove me wrong.
so, having thousands of visitors spending money in Detroit doesn't help the economy?
The visitors would be there regardless of whether State made the Final Four or not. State's success is completely distinct from any financial benefit that Michigan may get from these games.
For the record - I'm rooting State merely because Michigan could use a pick-me-up, and I have lots of friends who are alums. But, I don't by the "it's good for the economy" argument.
Well, I think you are right in a way. Having a Final Four in your city will boost the local economy regardless, but I do think having MSU in the FF draws more people. For instance, I have family and friends who are MSU fans and they spent all day Saturday downtown going to bars. Would they have done that if MSU wasn't there?
No but Louisville fans would have brought their 'tucky money up here and spend it fer beers.
The city got its pick me up, all the fans are there spending their money, so what about them winning tonight is good?
hmmm...you mean in terms of the economy? Good question, I don't know. Wasn't the point that he was questioning whether or not sports help the economy? I think they obviously do. Does a championship help the economy? I suppose when a local team (Wings/Tigers) wins it does because it brings people downtown.
You are arguing an event vs. a teams success. That is not the same as saying since UofM won a championship the Michigan economy will now turn around.
Of course the event helps boost things for a short period, but said event cannot have a lasting effect to pull us out of a recession. Nor can your favorite teams success.
You're not wrong Walter. You're just an asshole.
The vitality of the economy is, in large part, influenced by consumer confidence. People getting amped up about a big win are, I would think, more likely to get spend-happy for a time. It's not going to pull us out of the recession or fix help out the unemployed, but we will probably see some short-term improvement.
Consumer confidence is one thing and will agree with you there, but I still don't think that we are all shallow enough to be satisfied with things just because our team is great. Does that make sense? I guess I mean that there are waaaay more important things in life to be happy about or get our hopes up than winning at sports, no?
It's not just the team doing well. But think about it this way: If the Wings make it to the Stanley Cup Finals, there will have been a dozen or so extra hockey games played at the Joe. Maybe half the people at the game are people from Detroit, Detroit money spent in Detroit, so it's a wash, effectively. However, at each of those games, there are people from outside of Detroit, outside of Michigan, showing up and spending money on things like a ticket, concessions, hotel room, wherever they had dinner that night, parking, etc. This is not enough to turn around the state's economy, but it certainly helps.
but again, wouldn't those ticket and concession $'s still be spent by UCONN or Villanova fans? Moreover, fans of those schools would spend money on airfare (of which Detroit Airport would get a share) and buy hotel rooms, which is likely cut into by a local team playing. Moreover, people who live elsewhere are more likely to eat all their meals in a detroit are restaurant - local people will drive into the D for the game, and then go home. If anything, this BLUNTS tourist dollars.
Maybe not. Less people travel to the game and watch it on TV.
I'll give you a perfect example to counter that argument. My wife and I took the kids to the zoo yesterday. We packed food and beverages, threw everything in the wagons and headed off. By the end of the day, we'd spend $100 on misc. stuff. Kids wanted to ride the merry-go-round, feed the stingray's, eat some popcorn, etc. We spent the money due to the element we were in. So: someone eats at the house before going to see the game. Doesn’t mean they won't eat and drink out, especially if State wins tonight.
You can bet win or lose, there will be someone purhasing matches and lighter fluid in East Lansing to burn some !@#$.
Maybe your argument holds! More police force needed means more jobs, the mess to clean up means more jobs, firemen etc. Maybe the team success or demise has more positive effect than I originally thought! LOL
The Griffins play hockey too? They even named the team after them???? Before I just hated Blake and Taylor Griffin. Now I see why CBS is so high on the guys. Sorry couldn’t resist.
I completely disagree with your argument. I’m not an economics guy, but I know if I don’t have the money to pay my guys (going rate for their experience), I may lose them to a competitor, potentially putting me and my company (or team) at a disadvantage. On top of that, sprinkle in a bad economy and a losing season which further affects sales of tickets, food and merchandise. Look at New Orleans for example. The cloud of Katrina remained until the first NFL game where NO went on to beat the Falcons. It was a magical event that helped a city overcome so much devastation. That night didn’t resolve any of the existing problems, but it started a healing process and spark for the resurrection of New Orleans.
By the way, the team may not get me to buy something, but the ad campaign Chevy has going just may. “America needs a comeback."
Not apples to apples. Katrina was a natural disaster that really hurt New Orleans the city. Not Louisiana the state. Now I can hear you saying right now that NO IS Louisiana, and I would agree to some extent, but the success or non-success of the Saints really has nothing to do with the status of the recovery of New Orleans. Again, what happened against the Falcons was a feel good story and helped morale, but like you said "That night didn’t resolve any of the existing problems".
I guess I just don't see the relevence to bringing the economy and sports together in a monetary argument other than immediate event dollars(bars, hotels, food, etc).
Winning team good for morale- YES!
Winning team pull us out of recession- NO!
Good morale leading to pulling out of recession- YES!
Good morale from sports pulling us out of recession- NO!
Who wins the argument? I don't know, but I had better get back to work and help this Michigan economy while doing my job.....ultimately the place where the economy will turn around.....I guess I win then. (proving that job growth helps the economy more than sports teams succeeding)
I got nothin'.
Actually, I think the only way that MSU being in this Final Four helps is in that it's making this Final Four a huge success, making it more likely that the Final Four comes back to Detroit again. I think it's a pretty decent bet that Detroit gets another one, if not in the rotation full-on.
Otherwise, I don't think it makes a lick of difference. The State fans in attendance simply are taking the place of fans of a different school that would have shown up had their team made it. If anything, it might actually REDUCE the amount of money that the Detroit businesses make -- State fans living in the metro area don't need hotels and restaurant meals and such. Out of towners do.
Good point
if you believe the notion of state stimulating the state economy by being in the final 4 your dumb. if anything, what happens in detroit will be a small hiccup on the statewide economic landscape. it is short-term and it has no long-term value. plus, detroit really isn't in a condition to be shown off right now.
so, in conclusion, rooting for state b/c it is good for michigans economy is a dumb reason to support them.