The Arizona Immigration Law is undoubtedly stirring a lot of emotions. If you have not heard of it, then feel free to go back to sleep. Your government will take care of you—that’s a promise—well, from them.
In 2011, Major League Baseball’s All-Star game is scheduled for Arizona.
This has people in a tizzy, calling for the MLB to move it, cancel it, have all the players wear pink berets instead of ball caps, hold special ceremonies honoring the vast number of Hispanic ball players, etc.
None of that will happen. Especially the pink berets—that was just made up.
In fact, it would not be at all surprising to see MLB’s commissioner, Bud Selig, fine players who boycott the game on the grounds that the law is unjust.
If the Arizona Diamondbacks had a non-sponsored baseball stadium like, for example, Cincinnati’s Great American Ball Park, the commissioner would relocate the game in half of a hiccup.
Even if it were corporately sponsored by, say, Target—like Minnesota’s new stadium, it is fairly likely that Mr. Selig would move the game.
So why won’t the 2011 MLB All-Star Game be moved from Arizona? Simple two-word answer: Chase Field.
It may as well be called JP Morgan Chase Field. The Chase Manhattan Corporation merged with JP Morgan & Co. in the year 2000, forming the third largest financial institution in America.
It is known as one of the “Big Four” banks in the United States—along with Bank of America, Citigroup, and Wells Fargo.
For all the power and money that Major League Baseball is worth, comparing the wealth of MLB to JP Morgan Chase & Co. is sort of like trying to buy a new car with couch change.
Major League Baseball and Selig are way too smart to even entertain or suggest moving the game for fear of repercussions that would assuredly arise if they went against the will of any of the “Big Four.”
The entire situation has been called a political issue—not true.
It’s an economic issue.
Take the 2008 Presidential campaign, for example. The investment firm Goldman Sachs was the largest contributor to the Presidential campaign of Barack Obama.
And, get this; Goldman Sachs was also the largest contributor to John McCain’s run for office—talk about hedging your bets.
What does Goldman Sachs have to do with the “Big Four?” They act as the conduit so Bank of America, Citibank, JP Morgan Chase, and Wells Fargo can keep their hands clean.
It is a common misconception that politicians actually run this country. While they do wield power, big decisions come down to money and the “Big Four”—a pickle in which Major League Baseball finds itself concerning the 2011 All-Star Game.
Selig knows that to move the game from Arizona’s Chase Field would infuriate JP Morgan Chase—and JP Morgan Chase has the power to bankrupt baseball faster than the speediest typist in the world can put “qwerty” on their screen.
There is one unlikely scenario that would make a move from Arizona possible: if the faltering bank were allowed to go bankrupt itself, like Houston’s former Enron Stadium.
But Enron was an energy corporation, whereas the “Big Four” are financial institutions—the heart and soul of what keeps this country running, albeit on life support.
Given Washington’s propensity to lend the “Big Four” trillions of dollars makes it even more unlikely.
There is a lot that could happen in this country over the next year and two months.
The “Big Four” could all go bankrupt.
However, if that were to happen, it is unlikely that baseball would exist as we know it today.
Baseball fans would probably be looking at John Rocker coming out of retirement and named the starting pitcher, possibly the only pitcher, on the National League’s staff.
Long story short: Don’t mess with the “Big Four.”
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