Since the beginning of the summer – and the subsequent lack of cable television in my room compounded with TV's in my house ALWAYS being occupied – I have been listening to what most would consider an excessive amount of sports radio. Sirius/XM Radio has a fantastic variety of sports news and talk channels, along with NBA, NHL, MLB and select conferences of college football, baseball and basketball games. In fact, I haven't watched a second of the NBA Conference Finals games on TV – I have listened to a large majority of the games on ESPN Radio, though. Those of you that know me well know that this is exceedingly rare. I have found that listening to the games on the radio brings a completely different level of anticipation and edge-of-your-seat thrill than does its visual counterpart, providing a fully-enriching, though not necessarily better, experience.
In addition to listening to the NBA on ESPN Radio – which is available locally for free on 100.9, along with Loons games – I have become enthralled with sports radio talk shows, particularly The Herd with Colin Cowherd. What sets Colin apart from most other sports radio talk show hosts is the fact that he talks about things that transcend the boundaries of sports on a daily basis, while still making them relevant to the world of athletics.
One point that he continually makes that I have taken great interest in is the role of state income tax in regards to where a player chooses to play – and more importantly, live and settle down with his or her family. I know, pro athletes and team owners and other executives make enough money to not have to worry about how much they are paying for state income tax, right? I don't think so. Pro athletes are human just like the rest of us and it is human nature to want to keep as much of their earnings as possible.
One example that Colin frequently cites in regards to this is Tom Golisano, the owner of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres, who moved from Buffalo to Naples, FL, to avoid having to pay state income taxes. In an article written by the Business Review in Albany, NY, Golisano is quoted as saying that he will save $13,500 per day in what he would have previously payed to the state of New York. Yes, you are reading that correctly - $13,500 per day.
Holy crap.
If you haven't already done that math, that is $4,927,500 per year. Now regardless of your political beliefs on the issue of taxes, no one is going to turn down an extra five million per year. Sure, that money could be better served, perhaps, within the government funding some of the programs that they are running and balancing the debts they are compiling/trying to erase, but it's his money and he is not doing anything illegal to keep it. I say more power to him.
Aside from Florida, which is obviously a top destination due to factors other than the non-existent income tax – beaches, Disney World, consistently warm weather and booming cities like Miami, Tampa Bay and Orlando – there are several other states that do not levy state income taxes, though some local governments do. These states are Alaska, South Dakota, Wyoming, Washington, Nevada and Texas. Now, of these states only two are currently relevant in the world of sports – Washington and Texas. Texas has obviously taken advantage of this with three NBA teams, two MLB teams, two NFL teams and an NHL team, and Seattle has its fair share of franchises – and it is my belief that they were wrongly denied an NBA team and will get one back in the near future. But those other states could become relevant in the near future.
Enter Reno, NV.
Why there isn't a big-time professional sports team there yet is a mystery to me. Having been to Reno, I can tell you that it certainly lives up to its billing as “The Biggest Little City in the World.” The place has the feel of a big-time town. As we have witnessed in my home town of Midland, when a pro sports team comes to town, the economy of that area is boosted, regardless of the level. New stadiums require people to build them, which means an influx of jobs; the operation of the stadium requires hundreds of people, which creates jobs; and the areas directly around the stadium experiences an increased amount of traffic, which leads to to greater economic success for businesses located in those areas and fosters the growth of new businesses. Plus people get a form of local entertainment on most given nights within a certain time of the year. It's a win-win for everyone involved. Midland is on the upswing, especially the downtown area, because of the baseball team.
Within the past year-and-a-half or so, pro sports have begun to make their way into Reno, albeit at the minor league levels. They have the Reno Aces, a Triple-A affiliate for the Arizona Diamondbacks and the owners of a really snazzy name, and the National Basketball Developmental League's Reno Bighorns. These teams arrived in the area in 2009 and 2008, respectively.
It is my prediction – and you can say that you heard it here first – Reno will have a major pro sports team in the next seven years.
Why not Vegas? you may ask, as it seems a more logical first step into Nevada. Think of it in these terms: would you want to have a bunch of young athletes - who are in many cases immature and unfamiliar with how to handle large sums of money – running around Vegas if you were the owner of a team? Me neither. Besides, you will still draw the same regional audience from Reno that you would in Vegas.
And Reno is perfect for fostering a major pro team. Its growing – the 95th fastest-growing city in the country; it has a large population of 18-35 year-olds, roughly 25% or so, which is the core of the sports demographics and it has a consistently warm climate – without the humidity of Florida. That alone is enough to make me want to live there. That's not even mentioning the benefits for an owner of a pro franchise not having to pay state income taxes. As proved by the owner of the Sabres, this could be a very profitable option, who could, in theory, put that money saved back into the organization to give it the best competitive advantage possible.
It may not have all the amenities that Florida or Texas has, but it is certainly an area on the rise and an area that I believe will be the home of a major pro franchise within the next seven years.
http://www.bizjournals.com/albany/stories/2009/05/11/daily53.html
http://www.american-apartment-owners-association.org/blog/2009/03/30/top-10-fastest-growing-cities/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reno,_Nevada
http://www.govspot.com/know/incometax.htm
Think I made some great points? Did I say something that you disagree with? Anything that you think I missed? Let me know: comment below.
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