Weekend Plans With WNBA Sky's Michael Alter Ratner Confident In Isles Playing In Nassau Anticipation High For Griner's WNBA Debut ABC Looking For Indy 500 Ratings Uptick EA Used Tebow Name In NCAA Game Classified Advertisements Executive Transactions Mohegan Sun Not Getting NCAA Tourney Games Roc Nation Sports A "Legitimate Threat" Wild Raise Season-Ticket Prices
Sections
SBD/19/Franchises
Print All-
BENGALS' BROWN GIVES CINCINNATI A YEAR-END DEADLINE
Bengals President & GM Mike Brown says local officials have until the end of the year to guarantee a new football stadium. Meanwhile, Brown says he will let Baltimore officials "woo" him during that time. Brown admitted he has met with MD officials about moving the Bengals, saying he needs to have "alternatives." Brown: "If one alternative is a bird-in-the-hand and the other is a promise to review the issue further, I don't know how long we can ride with that." In an interview in this morning's CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, Brown says he is "not convinced that local business and political leaders are serious about building a new stadium," even if some officials have said they will do whatever is necessary to keep the team. Brown added he is "confused" by mixed signals from city and business leaders and that he is "no longer certain" he would accept a plan to raze Riverfront Stadium and build a new stadium on that site while the team plays on the road for two years. The ENQUIRER also reports that Maryland Stadium Authority Chair John Moag met with Brown in Cincinnati in the past two weeks. A state-funded stadium near Camden Yards would generate as much as $25M/year for a team, while Riverfront Stadium "produces a fraction of that." Any team that moves to Baltimore would reportedly play rent-free, while in Cincinnati, the Bengals pay rent based on attendance and other factors. Moag says any team planning on moving to Baltimore must commit by the fall; he expects stadium funding to be channeled to public education in January if it is not used (Richard Green, CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 4/19).
-
BLUE JAYS FOCUS ON FANS' STOMACHS -- CUT BEER, FOOD PRICES
The Blue Jays, a team that averaged over 4 million fans for each complete season since '91, are responding to a decline in fan interest this year with discounts on food and beer at SkyDome. With 12,000 tickets remaining for their home opener and declines in group sales, the Jays are "going to be doing a lot of things to try and get people back." However, SkyDome Dir of Ops George Holm denied any "sense of panic." Holm: "There's no question, from the time the World Series was cancelled on, we knew it was going to take time to win people back." In addition to the C$1 discount on beer and various discounts on food, the team will give fans free admission to an April 23 exhibition against the Mets, and offer half-price food and soft drinks to that game (Robert McCloud, Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 4/18).
-
DONE DEAL FOR NORDS IN DENVER, PROVIDED THEY LEAVE QUEBEC
Comsat has negotiated a deal to buy the Nordiques for $75M should the team leave Quebec, according to sources close to the deal cited in yesterday's ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS. Although Comsat President Charlie Lyons would not comment on the deal, sources said it "had been completed in principle" and Comsat must now "await results of talks between the Quebec government and the Nordiques." Quebec Premier Jacques Parizeau announced last week that his adminstration would make recommendations on financing a new arena by mid-May -- about the time a final contract and plans for Denver's new Pepsi Center go before the Denver City Council (Curtis Eichelberger, ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, 4/18).
-
FINANCIAL WORLD'S YEARLY FRANCHISE VALUATION
In their upcoming May 9 issue, FINANCIAL WORLD releases its annual franchise valuations for teams in the four major sports leagues. Overall, franchise values rose by 8.1% over the past year. On average, NBA teams increased most (15.1%), followed by NHL (14.6%), NFL (4.8%) and MLB franchises (3.3%). The values are in millions:
NFL VALUE+/- '94MLBVALUE+/- '94Cowboys $238+25%Yankees $185+11%Dolphins 186+16Orioles 164+2749ers 186+11Rangers 157+19Eagles 182+ 6White Sox 152+14Bills 172+ 5Blue Jays 146- 3Chiefs 172+12Red Sox 143+ 1Saints 171+11Dodgers 143+ 4Giants 168- 5Cubs 135+12Browns 163- 1Mets 134- 9Bears 161+ 1Braves 120+25Oilers 158+ 1Rockies 117+ 6Falcons 156+ 5Cardinals 110+ 5Cardinals 155+ 6Indians 103+ 3Vikings 154+ 5Giants 102+ 9Packers 154+ 9Athletics 101-11Chargers 153+ 8Phillies 960Rams 153+ 3Royals 96+ 2Seahawks 152+ 3Marlins 92+14Redskins 151- 4Astros 92+ 8Buccaneers 151+ 6Angels 88- 5Patriots 151+ 6Reds 84- 3Broncos 150+ 2Tigers 83- 7Jets 149+ 5Twins 80- 3Raiders 145- 1Mariners 76- 5Steelers 1440Expos 76+ 1Lions 141+ 2Brewers 75-22Bengals 137- 4Padres 74-13Colts 134- 5Pirates 70-11NBAVALUE+/- '94NHLVALUE+/- '94Pistons $180+17%Red Wings $124+20%Knicks 173+27Mighty Ducks 108n/aLakers 169+ 1Rangers 108+33Bulls 166+11Bruins 106+20Suns 156+45Blackhawks 102+27Cavaliers 133+13Maple Leaf s 90+18Trailblazers 132+ 9Canucks 87+27Celtics 127+ 8Canadiens 86+ 5Jazz 127+29Flyers 85+23Supersonics 119+24Kings 81- 4Spurs 110+10Penguins 75+21Hornets 110+ 6Blues 69+16Kings 108+29Sharks 66+26Magic 101+20Sabres 60+ 9Timberwolves 99+ 8Capitals 59+25Bullets 96+23Senators 56+11Rockets 95+13Lightning 55+41Warriors 93+10Devils 54+ 6Bucks 92+20Islanders 53+ 1Nets 92+17Flames 50- 1Nuggets 88+27Stars 50+ 7Heat 88+15Nordiques 49+13Clippers 87+ 4Panthers 47n/aHawks 84+16Whalers 43- 676ers 81- 2Oilers 42-10Mavericks 81+ 2Jets 350Pacers 77+15NFL VALUE+/- '94MLBVALUE+/- '94Cowboys $238+25%Yankees $185+11%Dolphins 186+16Orioles 164+2749ers 186+11Rangers 157+19Eagles 182+ 6White Sox 152+14Bills 172+ 5Blue Jays 146- 3Chiefs 172+12Red Sox 143+ 1Saints 171+11Dodgers 143+ 4Giants 168- 5Cubs 135+12Browns 163- 1Mets 134- 9Bears 161+ 1Braves 120+25Oilers 158+ 1Rockies 117+ 6Falcons 156+ 5Cardinals 110+ 5Cardinals 155+ 6Indians 103+ 3Vikings 154+ 5Giants 102+ 9Packers 154+ 9Athletics 101-11Chargers 153+ 8Phillies 960Rams 153+ 3Royals 96+ 2Seahawks 152+ 3Marlins 92+14Redskins 151- 4Astros 92+ 8Buccaneers 151+ 6Angels 88- 5Patriots 151+ 6Reds 84- 3Broncos 150+ 2Tigers 83- 7Jets 149+ 5Twins 80- 3Raiders 145- 1Mariners 76- 5Steelers 1440Expos 76+ 1Lions 141+ 2Brewers 75-22Bengals 137- 4Padres 74-13Colts 134- 5Pirates 70-11NBAVALUE+/- '94NHLVALUE+/- '94Pistons $180+17%Red Wings $124+20%Knicks 173+27Mighty Ducks 108n/aLakers 169+ 1Rangers 108+33Bulls 166+11Bruins 106+20Suns 156+45Blackhawks 102+27Cavaliers 133+13Maple Leaf s 90+18Trailblazers 132+ 9Canucks 87+27Celtics 127+ 8Canadiens 86+ 5Jazz 127+29Flyers 85+23Supersonics 119+24Kings 81- 4Spurs 110+10Penguins 75+21Hornets 110+ 6Blues 69+16Kings 108+29Sharks 66+26Magic 101+20Sabres 60+ 9Timberwolves 99+ 8Capitals 59+25Bullets 96+23Senators 56+11Rockets 95+13Lightning 55+41Warriors 93+10Devils 54+ 6Bucks 92+20Islanders 53+ 1Nets 92+17Flames 50- 1Nuggets 88+27Stars 50+ 7Heat 88+15Nordiques 49+13Clippers 87+ 4Panthers 47n/aHawks 84+16Whalers 43- 676ers 81- 2Oilers 42-10Mavericks 81+ 2Jets 350Pacers 77+15 -
TOUGH TIMES IN THE IRON CITY
PENGUINS REVEAL UP TO $6M IN LOSSES: The 103-day NHL lockout could cost the Penguins up to $5-$6M in losses this season, marking the first time the team will lose money under owner Howard Baldwin's four-year reign. The losses "will just about wipe out" the estimated $6M in profits the team made in Baldwin's first three years. Baldwin: "We have to accept that as the price to be paid to get a revised collective bargaining agreement." Lost revenue is due mainly to lost home games and Tv appearances on KBL sports network (Steve Halvonik, PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 4/15). ROUGH SAILING FOR THE PIRATES: A survey of 984 people by the PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE and KDKA-TV (April 10-13) "gives credence to the idea that Pittsburgh isn't a great baseball town." The poll shows that 58% have no plans to attend any games in '95. Adelphia Communications Chair John Rigas said the numbers "are a little bit more negative than I would have expected" but that they would not "affect his attempts to acquire the Pirates." Other numbers: 57% oppose the use of public funds to keep the Pirates in Pittsburgh (Tom Barnes, PITTSBURGH POST- GAZETTE, 4/17).
