The hot topic on sports-fan message boards up in the Meadowlands is the steep prices that the New York Giants will be charging their fans for Personal Seat Licenses (PSLs). The Giants, you see, are building a new $1.6 billion stadium with a heated field, to open in 2011.

And to pay the price, the franchise is fleecing the fans. If you want to see the 2007-2008 World Champions live, you’ll have to not only pay the season ticket cost, but first, you’ll have to pony up for the PSL, a one-time charge that’ll run you up to $20,000. No PSL, no season tickets.

The Star-Ledger’s Steve Politi called PSLs one of the “great rip-offs in sports, a one-time fee for the privilege to cough up more cash to buy tickets.”

I say they’re not one of the great rip-offs in sports. Full disclosure here: I am not an expert in professional sports rip-offs, though I have been suckered by them now and again. I just refuse to believe that any revenue-producing gimmick that’s not authored by Redskins owner Daniel Snyder is among the great rip-offs in sports. Only schemes that originate with Snyder can claim such bona fides.