The research, carried out by University of Maryland-Baltimore County economics professors Dennis Coates and Brad Humphreys, follows detailed examination of all 37 US cities that had one or more pro-football, baseball or basketball franchises between 1969-96.
Said the report: ?Our research suggests that professional sports may be a drain on local economies rather than an engine of economic growth.
?Subsidies of sports facilities may actually reduce the incomes of the alleged beneficiaries [the tax payers].?
The study was published in `Regulation? a journal of the Cato Institute in Washington DC.
Taxpayer-financed sports stadiums lower per per-capita incomes in their areas ? according to a study carried out by two US academics.
