Glory for Sale: Fans, Dollars and the New NFL

There was a seismic shock among fans when Art Modell, owner of the Cleveland Browns and longtime critic of owners who moved their teams for financial gain, transferred his franchise to Baltimore in 1995. The irony was that Baltimore had lost its beloved Colts in 1984, when the team left for Indianapolis under cover of night. Baltimore Sun journalist Morgan, who covers the economics of sports, not only writes here on the move that saddened Browns fans but also investigates what he calls ""the stadium-powered politics of appeasement."" He treats instances of team owners threatening to leave their communities if they're not given such amenities as new stadiums, luxury boxes, personal seat licenses and the like. He shows here that it's the public, not the owners, who pay for all this through higher taxes, bond issues, increased ticket prices or sometimes special lotteries. Morgan's thorough account will likely have fans questioning their loyalties. (Oct.)