This morning the Tennessean follows up on the story which broke last week about the state of Tennessee possibly implementing a new privilege tax fo $2,500 per game (applied to a maximum of 3 games) for professional athletes playing within the state, with a notable exception for the NFL. In light of the current economic situation, the Predators aren’t complaining too loudly about getting tapped for an extra $7,500. Here’s captain Jason Arnott:
“We’re kind of used to it anyway,” he said. “They’re doing the same thing when we go into other states. So I guess why not pick up on that and make some money for Tennessee?”
As agent Rand Simon pointed out in a blog at The Hockey News last year, professional athletes face a very complicated tax landscape, as these charges are quite common. The Tennessean’s article notes that only 4 states that host professional sports teams do not levy such a tax currently.