Topline: Taxpayers in New Jersey will spend $750,000 to help bring an exhibition soccer game to Red Bull Arena in Harrison on July 31, even though the match is sponsored by the multibillion-dollar energy drink giant.
Key facts: The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority will cover the costs of bringing England’s Aston Villa team for the match, according to NJ.com. The Germany-based football club RB Leipzig, owned by Red Bull, will also travel to New Jersey to play the English team.
The state expects the game to generate $6 million in economic benefits and bring media attention to the city of Harrison, but it’s unclear why Red Bull can’t pay for it themselves. The company is worth $18.9 billion, per Forbes.
A spokeswoman for the state was reportedly evasive when asked by NJ.com if public money will also be spent on future sports games, such as the World Cup final coming to New Jersey in 2026.
Supporting quote: A state spokesperson told NJ.com the soccer game expense is justified because Red Bull “remains responsible for a majority of the costs of the event.”
“On occasion [the state] provides assistance to New Jersey venues to help attract and secure marquee sporting events [that] benefit the state by increasing tourism, generating significant tax revenue and facilitating job creation.”
Critical quote: “I don’t think there should be any public entities giving money to anybody for stuff like that,” Harrison Mayor James Fife told NJ.com. “Red Bull is a multi-billion-dollar corporation and those two [teams will] probably sell out the arena.”
Background: The soccer game’s economic benefits won’t entirely offset the amount New Jersey taxpayers spend on payroll at the Sports and Exposition Authority.
The agency’s 91 employees collectively earned just under $8 million last year, according to records at OpenTheBooks.com.
Senior Vice President John Duffy led the way with a $200,000 salary, and 25 others earned six figures.
Search all federal, state and local government salaries and vendor spending with the AI search bot, Benjamin, at OpenTheBooks.com.
Summary: The soccer match is a “friendly” that won’t count toward either team’s record. The only number that will change is the one in New Jersey’s bank account.
The #WasteOfTheDay is brought to you by CEO & founder, Adam Andrzejewski, with Jeremy Portnoy. Learn more at OpenTheBooks.com.
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