Higher Cable Prices Without the Benefits

Quoting from “AT&T; to Raise 2002 Cable Service Rates” [Nov. 3]: AT&T; Broadband “will increase 2002 cable service rates by an average of 5.5%” and said its “programming costs in 2002 will increase by about 15%, with sports programming accounting for the largest portion of the increase.”

We, the Jane & John Q. Publics, continue to fund the outlandish salaries of major league sports performers in various ways. For example, we pay more for basic products we purchase because those companies sponsor major league sports.

Many of these products are not available from other companies that do not fund major league sports.

Is any major voice organizing a 21st century Boston Tea Party to protest our “taxation without representation,” or is major league sports a sacred cow that no one with clout will challenge in order to bring major league sports performers’ salaries back to reality?

I know: As long as people will pay to see or get counted as watching these performers on TV, a basic law of economics will continue to operate and the prices we pay in the supply chain will go up without any benefit to us. I guess it will take something bigger than economics to correct this.

John A. Siewert

La Verne