CT residents "support" the plan to use state funding to
bring the Patriots to Hartford by "better than 3 to 1,"
according to a new poll by the BOSTON GLOBE. Asked whether
they support the use of state funding to bring the team to
Hartford, 69% said yes, while 21% said no. But 56% said the
state's proposal to pay off the deal through proposed taxes
will not be sufficient, while 34% feel the taxes will cover
the costs. As far as interest in football, 67% of CT
residents called themselves football fans and 55% said
having the team in Hartford could "make them more likely" to
be Patriots fans. If the team moved to Hartford, 27% said
they would attend Patriots games often and 43% said they
would attend once in a while. Patriots Owner Robert Kraft
was seen as favorable by 42% of respondents, with 10%
viewing him unfavorably. The telephone poll of 400 CT
adults was taken by KRC Communications Research on Friday
and Saturday -- before details became known of the
"extraordinary perks and benefits" offered by the state to
Kraft. KRC's Gerry Chervinsky said that results indicate
that if CT residents become more familiar with the deal "it
may give them cause for concern, but I don't believe that
many people are aware of them yet" (BOSTON GLOBE, 11/23).
WILL TEAM DRAW? The Patriots currently sell 57,000
season tickets and have a waiting list of 10,000 names. Of
the team's season-ticket holders, "only" 12% come from CT,
and Matthew Kauffman wrote that there "will clearly be a
shift in the team's fan base," with "fewer fans" from NH,
VT, RI and the Boston area, and "more fans" from CT and
Western MA (HARTFORD COURANT, 11/22). A Patriots exec said
Friday that the team received 3,000 requests for season
tickets, while business leaders "said they were interested
in leasing" luxury suites. Keith Anderson, a spokesperson
for Citigroup's Travelers Insurance -- based in Hartford,
said, "The reaction among employees is one of enthusiasm."
In addition, the team will aim to "retain" support from MA-
based corporations. BankBoston has already said they plan
to support the Patriots in Hartford (N.Y. TIMES, 11/21).
WELLINGTON'S BEEF? Giants co-Owner Wellington Mara, on
the Patriots' relocation to the CT market: "We do have fans
in Connecticut, but I don't have any reason to believe that
the move would adversely affect us in that regard." But
Mara added, "I don't like to see the league moving this way,
especially moving out of the big cities. ... For that
reason, I can't say I'm happy about this move." Mara, on
the Hartford market: "I'm sure they feel assured of success,
but I'm little uneasy over the fact that the hockey team had
to leave town" (NEWSDAY, 11/22). In N.Y., Gary Myers wrote
that the "presence of the Patriots could" impact the
popularity of the Giants and Jets (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 11/22).
A LEAGUE FOR TV STUDIO AUDIENCE ONLY? In Chicago, Don
Pierson noted Kraft's statement calling Foxboro Stadium a
"studio" where most of the fans watch the games and "that
studio is moving to Hartford." Pierson: "The concept of
stadiums as studios, mere props for the cameras, reveals
sports owners' priorities" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 11/22).
