Game Theory: Why do US sports owners spend millions on politics?

Keep sports out of politics. Well, that's what we're told anyway. But apparently that doesn't apply to the billionaires who own the biggest sports teams in the US. In fact, they're spending millions backing political candidates and causes. So what's in it for them? This is Game Theory, where sports is more than just a game. 132 million dollars. That's roughly how much American team owners across the major sports leagues in North America donated to federal political causes between November 2020 and October 2024, according to a Guardian investigation. And with the US midterms nearly here, outside political groups had already spent a record $2 billion by the end of September, according to the Brennan Center for Justice. To understand this, we spoke to Michael Butterworth, Director of the Centre of sports communication and media at the University of Texas at Austin. Overwhelmingly, people at the top tier of income in the United States and globally tend to favor conservative politics and practices. They're looking for economic policies that are favorable. They believe that Republican officials and organizations are going to be more likely to ensure those favorable outcomes. But it's not just about political donations. Owning a major sports franchise gives these billionaires something else, And let's be honest, that can be particularly valuable. It provides a platform for access to other people, whether it's people in the entertainment industry or perhaps more relevant people in politics. And so it's a good way to build relationships with legislators and other people who have influence over perhaps the business of their own organization. And those relationships matter. Take the Buffalo Bills, for example. They secured $850 million in public funding towards a new stadium in New York. And over in Chicago, the owner of Chicago Fire donated $25,000 to the mayor's re-election campaign after she backed a controversial deal involving public land for the club. That donation prompted a call for an independent investigation. Two very different examples and neither proved any wrongdoing or that political donations bought decisions in their favor. But it just goes to show why access matters when serious dollars and business interests are at stake. So, yeah, it's nice to win a few rings, but owning a team isn't just about winning championships. They're often using it not to make money strictly off of that specific team, but as a piece of leverage to make money doing other things. It's about diversifying a portfolio. It's about being in a circle of influence. OK, so not every political donation guarantees influence. But this is the United States, and owning a billion-dollar sports franchise can give you more than wealth and prestige. And at the midterm elections, maybe the question isn't whether politics belongs in sport. is how much political influence or access it can buy.