Episode 20: Lotteryism, Part II -- A Most Dangerous Game: How Sports Are Used to Fleece Public Trusts

Citations Needed, co-hosted by Nima Shirazi and Adam Johnson, delves into the concept of "lotteryism," where communities and individuals compete for resources from corporations and billionaires, often at the expense of solidarity and collective action. They explore how sports, particularly stadium deals and Olympic bids, exemplify this trend, extracting public money through tax breaks and real estate development. Featuring guest Dave Zirin, the discussion highlights egregious examples of this corporateocracy, such as Amazon's headquarters competition and the exploitation of cities through sports stadium scams, emphasizing the media's role in perpetuating this system and the importance of activism in combating these forces. The podcast also touches on the psychological manipulation and emotional extortion involved, as well as the erosion of public infrastructure and democratic processes in favor of corporate interests.