Economics Of Sport: Streaking

Much has been made about the changing economics of being a sports fan over the past 20 years, specifically, how ever rising ticket and concession prices are making attending a game less and less affordable for Joe Six Pack. The cumulative effect is that working class and now even middle class fans can't afford to attend games regularly, leaving most crowds to be upper-middle class, the wealthy, and most of all, corporate.

But the art of streaking has always been available to one and all, regardless of socio-economic station in life. Sure, it's not as pure as it once was, and now some streakers have sold out to corporate entities like goldenpalace.com, but by and large streaking is still accessible and affordable for the masses. You go to the ballpark with your buddies, get loaded, talk shit about how you will totally do it, your buddies call you on it, you say you will do it if they pay the fine/bail you out, and then it is on. You streak, the crowd is amused, you are tackled by a secutiry guard in a light windbreaker jacket, your friends each throw in $25 to bail you out, and everyone has a laugh at the water cooler on Monday morning.


Might be priced out of WC06

But that could all be changing: a judge in Germany has upheld a fine of $12,550 against a streaker at a soccer match, and this legal precedent may very well price the Average Joes, Georgs, Ivans, Jean-Lucs, Nigels, Massimos, Pedros, and Svens out of the streaking market at The World Cup this summer.

*After finding a picture to post, maybe this is a good thing after all.