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Sports owners bet big on Republicans. What does their defeat mean for US sports?

United States

The facts<p>A Democratic sweep has changed Washington’s balance of power. But from gambling legislation to stadium subsidies, both parties have helped build the system that enriches American sports’ billionaire owners</p><p>Before a single vote was cast this election cycle, the technocrat

<p>A Democratic sweep has changed Washington’s balance of power. But from gambling legislation to stadium subsidies, both parties have helped build the system that enriches American sports’ billionaire owners</p><p>Before a single vote was cast this election cycle, the technocrats and oligarchs who own American sports had already voted. Pro sports owners put <a href="https://frontofficesports.com/article/sports-biggest-political-donations-2026-midterms/">more than $100m</a> into this cycle, according to Front Office Sports. But Tuesday night was a referendum not just on Donald Trump and Maga policies, but on the puppeteers who pull America’s strings. The people voted, and the owners lost.</p><p>Before anyone frames this as a rescue, a word about the rescuers. Democrats are the instrument for ending Maga, and they are also the other face of the same coin. Think Republicans are behind all of our ills? Think again. New Jersey’s governor, Phil Murphy, <a href="https://www.espn.com/sports-betting/story/_/id/23791949/new-jersey-governor-phil-murphy-places-state-first-sports-bets">placed his state’s first legal sports bet</a> in 2018. Illinois governor JB Pritzker <a href="https://chicago

1. Attributed to The Guardian US. Headline and summary only — we do not reprint the article.