7 Sports Teams and Venues That Pay You To Watch Games

The New York Knicks, Rangers and Liberty
Parent company: Madison Square Garden(MSG)

The Nasdaq's been a lot more fun to follow since Cablevision spun off its sports holdings into MSG back in 2010. When Linsanity gripped Knicks fans this season, MSG stock followed Linsanity's ups and downs. When the Rangers advance through the Stanley Cup playoffs, MSG stock moves as well. Sure, MSG stock also buys a piece of cable television stations, a minor league hockey team, the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular and the Garden itself, but it's the legal and potentially lucrative way of betting on New York franchises that's the stock's biggest draw.

The Toronto Blue Jays
Parent company: Rogers Communications(RCI)

While owning a bit of Canadian media has a Degrassi Junior High appeal all its own, keeping the Blue Jays competitive in the American League East and returning them to the World Series for the first time in 19 years is the much tougher challenge. Rogers has owned the Jays since 2000 and bought their stadium, then known as SkyDome, five years later. The team hasn't been to the playoffs under Rogers ownership and has finished better than third in the AL East only once in that span (2006). As the Tampa Bay Rays have shown in recent years, all it takes is some sports savvy and investment to compete with the Yankees and Red Sox. With both teams hobbled this year, the Jays' window may be opening.

The Miami Heat
Parent company: Carnival(CCL)

If fans want a say in which players take their talents to Miami next, buying Carnival shares may be the best way to be heard. Carnival itself doesn't own the Heat, but CEO Micky Arison does. Fans have a better chance of beating Chris Bosh in horse right now than they have of talking to Arison as ticket-holding plebes. As shareholders, fans can at least drop the occasional hint about trading Dwayne Wade while he has value or scouring the free agent market for a decent point guard.