With the start of the NFL® pre-season, now is a good time to discuss why public monies should not be paid to professional sports franchise owners. Since Mayflower® brought the Colts to Indy in the dead of night in 1983, Indiana & Indy have made Colts owners rich. We gave them: 1/6

a new stadium, tax breaks and so many goodies that for a while the Colts were the NFL®’s most profitable franchise. Indy extended largesse to the Indiana Pacers. Studies show gov’t investment in pro sports is not cost-effective, but we don’t need studies. We have experience! 2/6

Owners have cool suites & elected political officials are frequent guests, while ticket prices sky rocket. People will really cry “foul!” when we’re hit w/pay-per-view. But wait! There’s more! Indiana banned abortion in nearly all cases & faces backlash such loss of job creators 3/6

(Eli Lilly, Cummins) & conventions (Gen-Con). In pro sports, WNBA requires players be college grads. NFL (46%) & NBA players (21%) have higher percentages of college grads than Hoosiers (10.7%). Support for abortion rights correlates w/college grads (42% v 29%). 4/6

As employers leave Indiana and conventions choose other places, realize that the Colts® lent to the tone for the last four decades. Players associations & leagues support women’s rights. Cities & States that want professional franchises will not be seen simply as hungry for money. 5/6

The minority that pushed to overturn Roe didn’t care about the carnage to women that will ensue. They might care about sports. I’m Mark Small: pro-choice, pro environment, pro-science GOP nominee for Indiana House District 86. I approve of this blog. Hell, I wrote it. 6/6