Rethinking Fandom: How to Beat the Sports-Industrial Complex at Its Own Game

Calcaterra does a nice job exposing the follies of modern fandom without making the reader feel bad about themselves. His critique of the so-called 'sports-industrial complex' is really a jab at the modern, professional sports leagues that have been absorbed by corporate interests. Calcaterra, a baseball journalist, hones in on Major League Baseball in particular, presenting several anecdotes to demonstrate that the league's goal is financial profit over anything else. He contends that professional sports leagues, and the teams within them, often exaggerate the positive spillover economic benefits associated with, for example, stadium construction, to the city councils and general public that yearn for growth in their communities. Calcaterra champions critical thinking on the part of fans and local government decision-makers. Much to the chagrin of die-hard fanbases around the country, Calcaterra asserts that one can indeed change or shift their team allegiances, for whatever reasons they want to, whenever they want to. He demonstrates that public investment in private sports franchises are typically very one-sided arrangements, benefitting the teams and leagues, and the wealthy owners and operators of those teams and leagues, at the expense of the taxpayers. A nice, short read that is worth your time.