A $100m-plus gamble by US team owners flopped on election night, yet both parties helped build the system that keeps them rich.
American sports owners went all-in this election cycle, and the scoreboard did not go their way. Franchise bosses poured more than $100 million into political giving, backing Republicans heavily. Then a Democratic sweep reshaped the balance of power in Washington. For the billionaires who run the leagues, election night was a rough result.
But don't mistake this for a clean win for the fans. Democrats may be the force that stops the Maga movement, yet they have also been among the most dependable partners the sports business has ever had. The idea that one party is behind every problem in the game does not hold up.
Look at the sports betting boom. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy placed the state's first legal wager in 2018. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed sports betting into law a year later. In 2022, New York's mobile sportsbooks went live under Governor Kathy Hochul, with the state claiming 51% of the revenue. All three are Democrats, and Pritzker and Hochul both won again on Tuesday.
So what does it mean for American sports? Expect the fights over gambling rules and stadium subsidies to carry on, with both parties at the table. The owners may have backed the wrong side this time, but the system that makes them rich is still standing.
