Lawmaker Hopes Plates Drive Fans Wild
State lawmakers might be on the verge of an unexpected monetary windfall if proposed legislation goes through, enabling Illinois drivers to order specialty license plates featuring the logos of their favorite professional sports team or NASCAR drivers.
Rep. Kurt Granberg, D-Centralia, is behind the proposal, hoping Illinois can cash in like other states have on the loyalty of their sports fans. Illinois law allows for specialty plates bearing pro sports teams’ insignias, but none are currently offered. Authorized teams for Illinois would be the Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Black Hawks, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, St. Louis Rams and St. Louis Cardinals.
There would be a $30 fee for a pro sports or NASCAR-related logo.
"I think this would be a great way for people to show their pride and support their favorite team or NASCAR driver, while bringing in greatly needed revenue to the state," Granberg said.
Ten states are either offering the program, or will be beginning next year. One of those states with an existing license-plate plan, Mississippi, has collected $2 million alone on its NASCAR plates over the past three years.
"We should expect a tax break after all of the money the state will make off race fans from this plan, if it is approved," said Jeff Scott, assistant general manager at Quincy Raceways. "NASCAR fans would miss two meals in order to get those plates. They’re a little different. They don’t think like other people."
Scott said his wife, Shari, is a prime example.
"We’d definitely have Jimmie Johnson plates … definitely," Scott said.
Scott emphasized this would be a natural moneymaker because of sports’ fans devotion to their favorite drivers and pro teams.
"This could be huge," Scott said.
Dick Chapin of Quincy, who owns Diamond Cards, 3626 Maine, is a longtime Chicago Cubs fan and also thinks the license plate proposal is a gold mine waiting to happen.
"That’s easy money for the state, a no-brainer," Chapin said. "It would be a great, great moneymaker. I would think 90 percent of the cars around here would have Cubs or Cardinals license plates. The $30 fee wouldn’t hurt anyone."
John K. Potts of Quincy agrees with Chapin — sort of. Potts is a diehard Cardinals and Rams fan and thinks the majority of plates will bear the logos of those teams, not the Cubs or Bears.
"I imagine the state of Illinois will be surprised to see the Missouri teams on so many of its license plates," said Potts, the director of public relations at Culver-Stockton College in Canton, Mo. "People will stay away from (supporting) the epidemic of losing teams in Chicago."
All kidding aside, Potts said he thought the idea "was great" and would further whet the appetite of the state’s sports fans. Potts said it would not be a problem choosing between the Cardinals and Rams for a license-plate logo.
"We have two vehicles," he said. "We’ll get the Cardinals for one and the Rams for the other."
