For a long time I've been bothered and concerned about ticket prices for pro sporting events. The NFL, NBA, Major League Baseball and the NHL have built their sports corporation dynasties on the wallets of the fans. Directly, through ticket sales, or indirectly, through sales of merchandise, sponsor products on broadcasts and parking, food and other related concessions, the fans have made pro sports what they are today. Now, instead of finding ways to continue and build football, basketball, baseball and hockey's fan base and enthusiasm, the leagues are creating economic discrimination and eliminating fan support by escalating ticket prices to an unreachable level. They're saying, "Sure you can come see our sport, but it'll cost you. Can't pay it, tough luck."

The businessman in me says sports owners and leagues deserve to make a profit for running their business. These men and women have paid a lot of money to buy their franchises and deserve, if they run them correctly, to enjoy financial success. However, the business of sports enjoys protections and monopolies when it comes to major television network deals, not to mention being the only game in town when it comes to stadium use. Yes, there are two sport usage stadiums, but let the football tenant scream for a new deal or a better stadium and the baseball tenant will be knocking on the door also making the same demands.

The problem I have with sports owners is their expectation and sometimes demand that they make a profit and that the fans and the community should be the ones to guarantee that profit. Nowhere do they take into consideration the way they run the business/team. If they pay bad athletes big money, why should the fans pay for that mistake? If they cut a bad stadium deal, why should fans and the people of their city pay for that mistake? If they put a bad product on display, let them suffer like any businessman who doesn't provide a good product and good service. Every big time product/business I know provides a guarantee or warranty that lets the customer return it or get their money back if they aren't satisfied. Not sports.

I've been concerned for a long time about pricing the little guy, the fan, the family out of attending pro sporting events. Each time I put it in the back of my mind something brings it back to the forefront. This time it was a report that says it costs $121.00 for a family of four to go see an Atlanta Braves game. It's about the same for other sports as well. Only the rich and corporations can afford that. Baseball is our oldest sport, our national pastime. It's a part of our culture and a tradition. When we remove or prevent someone from participating in that tradition, we're killing a part of our culture. It's even worse when it's done out of greed and can be prevented.

I want to see a conference with representatives from the owners, players, league officials, agents, television networks and the FANS. I want them to talk about solutions to high ticket prices. How to bring them down, control them and how to keep fans involved in professional sports, not excluded. No rhetoric, no defending your position, just solutions. I want an agreement that will be implemented in all pro sports and reviewed before the end of the players' contract or network television contract with the leagues.

Pro sports must either make their games affordable or suffer the most indignant death anyone can: Fan indifference.

I'm Ron Barr.