PGA TOUR THRIVING ON TAX BREAKS

By Torleif Sorenson on 12/17/13

Back in September, we told you about S.1524, "The Properly Reducing Overexemptions for Sports Act" — legislation proposed by U.S. Senator Tom Coburn (R-Oklahoma). Coburn's bill seeks to:

• Define a major professional sports league as an organization with gross receipts over $10 million and involved with fostering sports competitions.


• Remove statutory language from the tax code allowing "professional football leagues" to enjoy the same tax-exempt status as industry trade associations.


• Amend the tax code to prohibit any professional sports organization substantially involved in running league affairs from qualifying as a 501(C)(6) tax-exempt trade association, typically used by industry organizations or chambers of commerce.

Now, ESPN's Paula Lavigne is reporting on hard numbers.

The PGA Tour's donations to charitable and community amount to $2 billion over the last 75 years, offsetting tax breaks totaling roughly $200 million over the last 20 years. The Tour's contributions far and away outweigh those of the National Football League, which amounts to some $368 million over the last 40 years.

Whether or not you agree with the NFL and the PGA Tour receiving non-profit status, Lavigne's report is definitely worth seeing and reading.


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