I can't believe the hypocrisy in this thread. You think Alex Rodriguez getting $220 million is not going to benefit the Dallas economy at all!?! First of all, lets count how many people are going to make $ off me going to see a Rangers game:
1. Car dealer for me to buy the car to go see the game
2. The guy who sweeps the floor at the car dealership
3. The guy working at the gas station that I buy gum from and pay for my gas with
4. The guy at McDonalds where I stop to get my pregame snack
5. The people and executives of Budweiser, where I buy my pregame beer
6. The cooler that I buy to put the beer in, and the company that makes it
7. Tom Hicks (owner of Rangers)
8. Ticket sales guy
9. A-Rod himself
10. Etc.
and that's just me and my lowly self. Now why am I going to see the Ranger game? Because they have a good chance of winning now that they have arguably the best player in the game on their team, and they should be exciting to watch.
Granted, I am not keeping any of those people in business/supporting their livelihood my own self, but I am spending money, stimulating the economy, and helping ppl keep their jobs.
Of course I could always sit on Anandtech and chat and not help anybody out. Oh wait, I am helping out Anand, and his employees, and the American Express people (using their ISP with the ads that they show), and my phone company to pay for the phone line. And all the people who work for the companies that I have their components in my computer.
Isn't capitalism great!?!?