Since the cancellation of the first two weeks of the NBA season—then another two weeks—many have expressed their anger and disappointment at the league. If a deal is not reached by tomorrow, the deadline imposed by the NBA for the players’ union to accept its offer, much of the season may be lost.

There is one group of fans who may have cause for frustration beyond not seeing their favorite teams play. That would be members of Congress, who use NBA games as a opportunity to fundraise for their campaigns.

NBA Commissioner David Stern

Going back to 2008, there have been at least 45 fundraisers at NBA games, all but four of which were held at the Verizon Center, home to the Washington Wizards, according to an analysis of Party Time records. Right now, perhaps because of the lockout, there are no upcoming NBA fundraisers on the schedule. Rep. Albio Sires, D-N.J., hosted the most recent one: a Boston Celtics versus Wizards game in April. (Since Party Time invitations come from lobbyist sources, as opposed to official reports, there could be events scheduled that are not in the database.)

Members of Congress sometimes hold these swanky events back in their home states. Rep. Donald Payne, D-N.J., held one at the Prudential Center, home to the New Jersey Nets, in April. Just in case donors weren’t sure, the invitation clarified that “Food & Beverages will be served in Luxury Box.” Rep. Ed Pastor, D-Ariz., included a Phoenix Suns game in his “All Sports Weekend” fundraiser back in March.

Fundraising at NBA games, as with other sporting events, is a very good way for lawmakers to bring in thousands of dollars per supporter. The ticket prices on invitations ranged from $500 for an individual ticket to $5,000 for a PAC to be named a ‘host.’ In federal reports, there is no way to track how much a particular politician rakes in at a specific game–contributions reported later to the Federal Election Commission do not indicate where the money was raised.

What can politicians do if a deal is not reached? There’s always college hoops. Plenty of fundraisers—at least 26—have been centered around the NCAA Tournament, known as March Madness, in March and early April, according to an analysis of Party Time files. These events include both watch parties held at bars and luxury suites at the games. Eleven such events were held earlier this year alone, when part of the tournament was played at the Verizon Center. Another nine congressional fundraisers have been scheduled at Georgetown Hoyas games, also played at the Verizon Center, over the years. Former Rep. Dan Maffei, D-N.Y., whose old upstate New York district encompasses fierce Georgetown rival Syracuse University, scheduled fundraisers in 2009 and 2010 when the Orange came to the District.

Hockey is also an option. So far this season, three congressmen (Sander Levin, D-Mich., Sires, and Mike Quigley, D-Ill.) have booked fundraisers to watch the Washington Capitals play. The invitation to Quigley’s event, scheduled for Nov. 29, features a photo of the congressman hoisting the Stanley Cup when his favorite team, the Chicago Blackhawks, won in 2010. This will be the fourth consecutive season that the congressman is hosting a hockey moneymaker at the Verizon Center.

It is also still NFL season and lawmakers have planned at least three fundraisers at football games this year. Rep. John Larson, D-Conn. will be having a leadership PAC fundraiser at FedEx Field on Dec. 11 when the Washington Redskins take on the New England Patriots. On August 25, Dutch Ruppersberger, D-Md., hosted one at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore for a preseason matchup between the Ravens and Redskins. On Oct. 9, Tom Rooney, D-Fla. had a fundraiser at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh featuring the Steelers and Tennessee Titans. Politicians have even held tailgating fundraisers.

In the spring and summer, baseball has also been a popular option for legislators’ fundraisers. Two such events stand out. In 2009, the Leadership PAC for Allyson Schwartz, D-Pa,. hosted an exclusive event at the Philadelphia Phillies’ spring training complex, including a brunch with players and broadcasters and a private tour with the team owner (tickets could be had for $2,500 or $5,000). In 2008, James McGovern, D-Mass., offered a tour of Fenway Park to go along with a Boston Red Sox game. Tickets went for $5,000 and $2500 for PACs and $2,300 for individuals.

Finally, there’s always tennis, at least for one lawmaker. Congressman Lamar Smith, R-Texas, has used the US Open in Queens, N.Y. to hold events each of the past two summers, attempting to raise $2,500-per-head for his leadership PAC.

If the NBA season ends up being canceled altogether, members of Congress will be sure to find other sporting events—or other attractive forms of entertainment—to raise money.

Party Time has received invitations for two upcoming fundraisers benefiting recovering congresswoman Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz. On May 31, Reps. Sander Levin, D-Mich., and Henry Waxman, D-Calif., are hosting an event in honor of Rep. Giffords at the headquarters of the DNC. Donors to the event are being asked to pay from $250 for an individual supporter to $5,000 for a PAC host. The following month on June 22, Giffords will be the beneficiary of a breakfast reception hosted by the Blue Dog PAC at the Strategic Healthcare Townhouse. Giffords, a member of the moderate Blue Dog Coalition, received $10,000 from the PAC during her 2010 campaign. For this event the PAC is asking for donations from $500 to $5,000.

Since the tragic shooting in Tucson in January, the congresswoman has been unable to actively fundraise for her 2012 campaign, but this has not put a stop to the inflow of campaign cash. On March 15, a fundraiser was hosted by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., Rep. Adam Smith, D. Wash., and Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Shultz, D. Fla., along with a slew of other Democratic House members, on behalf of the recovering representative at the offices of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Giffords, along with 14 other Democratic representatives in competitive districts, was also the beneficiary of a fundraising event on March 30 at the Democratic National Headquarters.

These fundraisers thrown by her Democratic colleagues have ensured that the representative does not fall behind any potential Republican opponents in campaign funds raised. According to the latest release of FEC data, the Giffords campaign raised $ 357,737.69 in the first quarter of 2011. This leaves her campaign with $556,013 on hand, which is well ahead of the competition. The Republican with the most campaign cash is her 2010 opponent Jesse Kelly with $19,159. The amount the Giffords campaign has raised also far outstrips its own efforts from previous years. This quarter’s amount is double the first quarter total from 2009, which was $168,459.

It may be a different crowd than Rep. Sander Levin, D-Mich., used to get at a fundraiser this weekend for the leadership PAC, GOAL PAC, at the historic Grand Hotel on Michigan’s Mackinac Island. Since taking the helm of the House Ways and Means Committee in March when Rep. Charlie Rangel, D, N.Y., stepped down while facing an ethics investigation, the congressman has been raking in campaign cash like never before and has seen a shift in the industry groups that are giving him campaign cash.

In just three months, there has been a steep spike in donations coming in for Levin — a windfall of more than $664,000 in the second quarter of 2010 compared to about $101,000 in 2008 and only $50,000 in 2006, according to data from the Federal Election Commission.

Also, there is a change in the industries that are contributing to him. He has collected more money from the financial, insurance, and real estate sector than from labor unions for the very first time since such data are available from the Center for Responsive Politics, and is enjoying new donations from lobbying firms with tax practices. (See chart below)

With several months of the 2010 election cycle to go, Levin has already collected $1.9 million for his campaign committee and leadership PAC combined, more than double the  $754,000 he raised in the entire 2008 cycle, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. While labor unions still figure prominently among his top 100 donors, new names are appearing on this cycle’s list of top donors that have not been there before, including prominent lobbying firms with thriving tax  practices such as Brownstein Hyatt, Capitol Counsel, Hogan & Hartson, and Patton Boggs.

Interestingly, donors from the firms started contributing last year, before Levin picked up the gavel at the House Ways and Means Committee, but when his name was being mentioned as Rangel’s likely successor. Norman Brownstein, one of Brownstein Hyatt’s founding partners, bundled $19,650 to the Congressman during the third quarter of 2oo9. A search of federal contributions shows that several of the firm’s employees made contributions to Levin toward the end of September. The Denver-based firm, which also counts Steven Farber (who organized the 2008 Democratic convention) represents a long list of corporate clients; the firm’s largest lobbying client, Apollo Advisors, which it represents on tax issues, also shows up as a top donor to Levin this election cycle.

John D. Raffaelli, a lobbyist for Capitol Counsel and frequent host of congressional fundraisers, lent his name to this July 2009 fundraiser for the congressman at Johnny’s Half Shell. The firm is the source of $4,000 for the congressman in the 2010 election cycle so far, including a total of $1,750 contributed by Raffaelli himself. The lobbyist represents nearly four dozen clients, including the Edison Electric Institute, Home Depot, and the Real Estate Roundtable.

Levin has been spreading around his new found political wealth, with most of his leadership PAC expenditures going to colleagues. He has been focusing his contributions on three Democratic groups, according to this July report in Politco: junior lawmakers in tight races; Michigan candidates; and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Built in 1887, the Grand Hotel is a popular spot for political events, particularly for the Michigan delegation–ironically, given the state’s main industry, the island permits no cars. According to federal campaign spending data, among the politicians to shell out money to the hotel recently are Michiganers Bart Stupak (D), Fred Upton (R), Dave Camp (R), and John Dingell (D). Sander Levin was there in June along with the rest of the delegation for the annual Detroit Regional Chamber Mackinac Policy Conference. Weekend rates start at $470 per night, according to the hotel’s website.

Emails and phone calls to lobbyists and Rep. Levin’s campaign office were not returned by the time of this posting.

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Rep. Sander Levin (D-Mich.) has taken the reins as acting chairman of the influential House Ways and Means Committee, following Rep. Charles Rangel’s (D-N.Y.) decision to take a leave of absence from this post due to ongoing ethics investigations. Levin is already scheduled to host a couple of upcoming fundraisers for fellow Democrats this month, but he’ll have a long way to go if he’s to match Rangel’s fundraising prowess.

Levin will appear at a breakfast fundraiser for Rep. John Yarmuth (D-Ken.) on March 22 at the National Democratic Club Townhouse.  A few days later on March 25, Levin will attend a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Business Council Breakfast fundraiser, where he will be joined by Rep. Dennis Cardoza (D-Calif.), Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Ron Klein (D-Fla.). Party Time’s database shows only two other occasions when Levin hosted fundraisers for another lawmaker – once in the spring of 2008 and once in the summer of 2008 – but bear in mind that Party Time does not receive invitations to every fundraiser, and the Michigan lawmaker may well have hosted other events.

When it comes to raising money, Levin is overshadowed by his predecessor. Since he became chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee in 2007, Rangel raised nearly $7 million for his campaign committee, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. In the 2008 election cycle, he donated nearly $1.3 million to Democratic candidates, making him the second biggest donor in candidate-to-candidate contributions. Since 2007, Rangel raised nearly $2.5 million for his leadership PAC, of which a nearly $900,000 was donated to other federal candidates.

In the current election cycle, Levin has raised more than $700,000 and has donated $26,000 to fellow Democratic candidates. He has also donated $140,000 to the DCCC. In the 2010 cycle, Levin’s leadership PAC has raised $18,000.