Edgeworth Analytics economist Dr. Stephen Bronars was interviewed for a September 9, 2020 article published in NOLA entitled, “How a Saints Season Like No Other Brings More Uncertainty to New Orleans Businesses.”
The NFL season kicked off on September 10, 2020, but with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic forcing many teams to play in empty stadiums, NFL cities that once relied on the revenue generated by fans have seen their economies suffer.
The article quotes Dr. Bronars, stating “‘the economic contribution of professional football teams can sometimes be overstated, as studies are often done by franchises on the hunt for public subsidies.’ Still, he said, the depleted Saints season will add to the economic misery. ‘We’re talking about a relatively small part of the overall tourism industry, but it certainly doesn’t help the leisure and hospitality sector, where employment is already down a third from a year ago.’”
