Not In Their League

This article appears in the February 2026 issue of The American Prospect magazine. Read more from the issue.

My dad grew up in Philadelphia, and by law is an Eagles fan. In 1960, when he was 13 years old, a friend from junior high offered him a ticket to the NFL Championship Game at Franklin Field on the day after Christmas. It was a box seat in the upper deck on the 50-yard line, right next to one owned by Grace Kelly’s family. They were the best seats in the house.

In front of 67,325 cheering fans...