The Worldwide Leader's Taxing Hypocrisy

It turns out professional teams and leagues aren't the only billion-dollar sports entities getting big breaks on their tax bills.

The New York Times reports that ESPN, the self-proclaimed "worldwide leader in sports" whose headquarters are located in Bristol, Conn., has received nearly $260 million in state tax breaks and credits over the past decade. According to the Times, the incentives include a $25 million contribution toward the construction of the Digital Center 2, a 193,000-square-foot building set to open in the spring. The boon is the result of a sophisticated lobbying scheme: ESPN has reportedly spent $1.2 million on lobbying expenses since 2007 and counts Connecticut Governor Dannel Molloy and Bristol Mayor Ken Cockayne among its main supporters.