In the June 23 front-page article “Qatari fund seeks stake in local pro franchises” readers learned that the Qatar Investment Authority is seeking a minority share of Washington’s NBA, WNBA and NHL franchises. This attempt follows the purchase of free agents and stakes in many teams by many buyers — foreign and domestic — of different types. These kinds of purchase arrangements further complicate the sense of belonging affecting fans, players and owners.
Children’s dirt-lot games have metamorphosed and become dominated by adults and money. The Olympics are a prime example. The best players in the National Basketball Association and the National Hockey League, for example, compete in “amateur” Olympic contests for the United States and other countries. Are the Washington Capitals really the “Washington” Capitals?
It was bound to be this way. LIV Golf and the PGA Tour have combined to steamroll both the players and many fans. Never an avid fan, I’m now agnostic. I watch only a couple of major events per year. I like it this way. I don’t care who wins.
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