Marlins Owner Wayne Huizenga said Saturday that "he is
disappointed with the team's attendance this season and will
consider selling the franchise if the crowds do not
improve," according to Barry Jackson of the MIAMI HERALD.
Huizenga: "[W]e are going to lose more than $30 million this
season and that cannot continue. Selling is one of our
options. ... We are trying to determine what to do. We
will make a decision before the end of the season."
Jackson: "This is the first time this season Huizenga has
spoken publicly about the state of the franchise, and the
most concerned he has ever sounded about it." The Marlins
are averaging 28,688 fans per game, up from the '96 average
of 21,565. But Huizenga said, "When you see clubs like
Colorado averaging 48,000, and we're at 28,000, that's
disappointing." Huizenga said he "has no interest" in an
IPO for the Marlins, like he did with his NHL Panthers.
Huizenga: "The Panthers situation is different because there
you could see a light at the end of the tunnel because we
are building a new arena" (MIAMI HERALD, 6/15).
