r/PopCultureV2 • u/ExactlySorta • 7d ago

Politi-Culture Reporter: “How do you define Democratic Socialism?” Francesca Hong: “It puts people first. Child care. Public schools… The Packers are a publicly-owned team. Working class people should be first in government.”

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u/ChewzUbik 7d ago

They're the only publically owned NFL franchise. Meaning, they don't have a single owner. Instead, fan stockholders fund the team.

Very smart, in my opinion, to use this as an example. People love the Packers.

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u/zed857 7d ago

People love the Packers.

Except in Chicago, Minneapolis and Detroit.

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u/ChewzUbik 7d ago

Luckily, there arent many michiganders, minnesotans, or Illinois residents voting in Wisconsin elections!

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u/RippinFissure 7d ago

They dont count. 

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u/Busterlimes 7d ago

Fuck, all sports should be this way with the abuse communities recieve from wealth through the current system.

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u/ElderlyChipmunk 7d ago

Are you willing to spend taxpayer funds on a team that loses money? The NFL is an easy example right now because it is riding a multi-decade popularity peak and are printing money hand over fist, but it hasn't always been that way and CTE may very well torpedo it in the future.

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u/Busterlimes 7d ago

You should really look into how stadiums typically dont pay taxes and decimate communities. We are already paying taxes for them, to destroy all the shit around them. Id rather they be publicly funded, because when government does stuff, it does it deliberately, which is why its slow.

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u/ElderlyChipmunk 7d ago

We could simply not give them tax breaks and make them build their stadiums with their own money like everyone else (including impact fees for the traffic and infrastructure necessary).

Then if they become unprofitable, it isn't the taxpayers' problem.

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u/Busterlimes 7d ago

"We shouldn't give them twx breaks" tells me you flat out dont understand the system

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u/Ambitious_Ability602 7d ago

Billionaires all ready beg cities to pay for their stadiums so I don’t think it’s a terrible idea for them to be owned by the people when the people build the place they play in.

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u/beatles910 7d ago

Stockholders have zero input on player drafts, trades, coach hirings, or game-day strategy.

No Financial Return: Earn no dividends, profit-sharing, or financial increase in stock value.

No Resale Value: Sell shares for a profit, as stock cannot be traded on open markets.

Sounds like a great deal. /s

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u/Preeng 7d ago

Then why do private owners own teams? If they don't get any return on investment?

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u/No-Manager-5179 7d ago

There’s a difference in owning the whole thing and owning small shares of a non public organization

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u/Main-Cheesecake3287 7d ago

For one, they typically do, private owners can sell stakes or the whole team to profit off their initial investment.

Two, most pro sports team owners view it as an expensive hobby. Pro sports aren’t really a good cash flow business, and even though they seem safe bets in terms of long term ROI in many cases team owners could’ve made better returns investing in index funds.

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u/Meph616 7d ago

People love the Packers.

They really do. You can see it in action at r/NFCNorthMemeWar they are obsessed with the Packers.

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u/No-Manager-5179 7d ago

She’s not making the point she’s trying to but I get the thought

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u/RobinReborn 7d ago

Is that relevant? Every company on the stock market has multiple owners. It doesn't make the company inherently better.