Hot take: FIFA and New Jersey deserve a red card over this turf battle

The big picture: Two things can be true. It's easy to argue over FIFA's turf auction: The organization has already caught flak for sky-high ticket prices, concessions and merch that many fans simply can't afford.

• And now they're selling some pieces of the field for thousands of dollars.
• Sherrill's case: New Jersey is entitled to a slice of the proceeds after spending an estimated $100 million on the tournament, including installing the grass.

Yes, but: It's hard to understand why New Jersey agreed to spend so much money hosting the tournament in the first place.

• Acting like a fiscal hawk now is like putting three defenders on Lionel Messi after the final whistle.

To New Jerseyans, better fiscal stewardship doesn't come from demanding back a few pennies on the dollar.

• It's about reining in spending upfront, including on events whose promised economic benefits economists have long questioned.

The bottom line: This advice also applies to the fans willing to pay through the nose for those commemorative pieces.

• If you really want to send a message, skip the grass. Watch the match at a local restaurant or bar instead, and then use the money you saved to buy your property-tax-weary New Jersey friend a round.