Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders wants professional sporting events to become more affordable for working Americans, and he says he plans to introduce legislation to make it happen. The independent senator announced his plans while throwing his support behind New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s latest effort to get cheaper US Open tickets into the hands of locals.
In the post, Senator Sanders writes, “Mayor Mamdani is right. Working people should be able to afford to attend live sporting events.” He added that taxpayers help pay for the stadium and deserve to be able to afford to sit inside.
The post that Senator Bernie Sanders is responding to on the social media platform X features New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and his plans to make 1,000 US Open tickets available for New Yorkers. What makes this shocking is that he plans to do this at a discounted price of $100.
Senator Sanders backs this idea with his own support, writing in the post, “I’ll soon be introducing a bill demanding that professional sports teams make their tickets affordable. If taxpayers helped fund a stadium they must be able to afford to sit in it.”
That taxpayer connection is the center of Sanders’ argument, especially since this isn’t his first attempt to challenge how professional sports franchises operate. Earlier this year, Sanders and Texas Representative Greg Casar introduced the Home Team Act, which would allow communities to purchase professional teams before owners relocate them.
This comes at a time when attending major sporting events is becoming increasingly more expensive for ordinary fans. A recent report found that state and local governments have spent billions subsidizing professional sports venues over the decades, even as stadiums come with fewer seats and more expensive tickets.
Comments and Reactions to Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders’ Sports Ticket Proposal
Not everyone was sold on Sanders’ solution, with several commenters under his post arguing that the government shouldn’t make these sorts of decisions to begin with. One user wrote, “Such a commie move, dictating to private companies how much to charge for their product. How about this, how about Mamdani and other city officials don’t get a raise until taxes are cut!!! What say you comrade!!! Commies are the bane of society.”
Others questioned whether Sanders was targeting the right part of the ticketing industry in the first place. A different commenter suggested focusing on third-party sellers, writing, “Maybe just focus on the third party resellers and tickmaster fees and bot buyers / resellers. The actual ticket prices aren’t a problem. Also, not everything is for everyone. Sad fact of life. For instance I don’t have my own McLaren, call the exotic car companies about prices.“
As more people weigh in on the conversation, they are leaving their thoughts, opinions, and frustrations in the comments below the post.
