Why do Governments Fund Sports?

For the final video of the series, it is shown that there is an (indirect) explanation for governments using our (including sports antagonists) taxes to pay for building sports stadiums, bidding for major sporting events, and the like -- and that it can produce socially-optimal outcomes, but is this ever the case in reality? Some material in these videos is based on textbook examples from: Sports Economics (3rd edn.) Selection from Fort, Leeds and von Allmen for Ross Booth (Monash University) and Liam Lenten (La Trobe University). Copyright 2012 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.