Q: Police in Britain are investigating Sir Jimmy Savile on allegations of child sex abuse. What did Savile do to be knighted? If these allegations are proved to be true, can his knighthood be revoked?
A: Savile, who died at age 84 in 2011, was a popular disc jockey and TV host and presenter from the 1940s through the early 2000s. He was knighted for his contributions to charity throughout his career. He raised more than $64.3 million, according to his obituary in The Daily Telegraph, often working with hospitals and people with disabilities. He was honorary president of PHAB (Physically Handicapped in the Able Bodied community) from 1974 to 1988 and sponsored medical students at Leeds University.
Savile was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1971 and as a Knight Bachelor in 1996, according to the BBC. He received a papal knighthood later that year.
The government’s Honours Forfeiture Committee could strip Savile of his knighthood, if he’s “judged to have brought the honours system into disrepute." There is precedent for having knighthood stripped while living but “no legal arrangements in place to remove honours posthumously," the BBC reported, because a knighthood expires when a person dies.
More than 200 of Savile’s potential victims have been identified, dating to 1959, and Scotland Yard is investigating.
Q: The Dallas Cowboys are worth $2.1 billion; the Atlanta Falcons are worth $837 million. How is the value of sports teams determined?
A: A combination of factors, including ticket prices and revenue from TV deals, sponsorships and merchandising, helps determine the worth of professional sports teams.
The Cowboys generated $500 million in total revenue in 2011, a record for a pro team in the U.S., and made $108 million more than any other NFL team and “either the entire" NBA or NHL, according to Forbes. The franchise made $80 million alone from sponsorship deals for Cowboys Stadium.
The Falcons, which had $239 million in total revenue last year, according to the magazine, ranked 28th in the 32-team NFL.