A noted baseball economist says the Reds can't merely rely on their status as a small-market team as a reason they can't compete without a new ballpark.
''From 1982-92 they turned a profit and they had good teams, playing in the same stadium in free agency, just like they are now,'' Andrew Zimbalist said. ''The Reds would benefit from a new ballpark, but the situation being drawn for them is much too extreme.''
Mr. Zimbalist, a Smith College professor whose most recent book argues there is no proof stadiums and teams provide positive economic impact, will speak today before the local Smith Club. The Reds say they lost $49 million from 1994-96, but Mr. Zimbalist says the first two years were influenced by the players' strike, and a hangover marred the '96 season.
''They were atypical years,'' Mr. Zimbalist said. ''The baseball organization is a very big part of this. In the last 10 years, Minnesota won two World Series, Montreal has been very competitive. Small market teams have been successful.''
John Allen, the Reds' managing executive - who said he hopes to hear Mr. Zimbalist today - said Friday that a new stadium would not solve all of the team's problems, ''but without it, we don't have a chance.''
''A new stadium will generate maybe $20 million more in revenue - that's not all we need,'' Mr. Allen said.
Mr. Zimbalist doesn't deny the Reds are at a disadvantage without a new ballpark, but he urges taxpayers to make better deals for themselves. ''Another alternative is to straight-out subsidize them,'' Mr. Zimbalist said. ''Take half of what it may take to build a new ball park and just give it to them. Or provide benefits covering expenses.''
In Sports, Jobs & Taxes: The Economic Impact of Sports Teams and Stadiums - written with fellow sports economics expert Roger Noll of Stanford - Mr. Zimbalist questioned whether teams are worth keeping with mega-million-dollar palaces.
''There is no statistical significant evidence there is positive (economic) impact of new sports facilities beginning from 1950,'' Mr. Zimbalist said. ''It's usually nil and possibly it could be negative for a city because of debt.''
Christine Wolff contributed to this report.
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