We don’t have a problem with an academic who wants to make a fact-based economics argument against communities investing in facilities to host for-profit sports teams, but we don’t like when a professor puts himself out there as an expert, when he appears to lack understanding of the sports business in question.
According to the Chicago Daily Herald, Lake Forest College (Lake Forest, IL) economics and business professor Robert Baade made these comments below about Zion’s (IL) venture into independent professional baseball with the Lake County Fielders (North American League):
“However, trying to get spectators from outside Zion to see independent baseball and players with little or no chance of making the Major Leagues is a difficult proposition in the Chicago area.”
“What really is the attraction? If you want to see a baseball game, you could see a high school game or a college game.”
Get a clue, Professor Baabe. Non-MLB baseball today is about sports “entertainment.” Go watch an indy pro St. Paul Saints (American Association) game and figure it out.
ballparkbiz.wordpress.com 
i agree with him…from a baseball perspective summer collegiate baseball games are better to watch than indy pro ball. 1/3 of Cape Cod Baseball League alumni is in the MLB, what’s the Frontiers League numbers? Up and coming players vs. On their way out Players?…….but Yes on the Business side….Sports Entertainment is huge…if you’re giving out Free Stuff and Justin Bieber is signing the National Anthem…people will come