A study commissioned by Civic Arena landlord SMG and
done by PricewaterhouseCoopers concluded that the Penguins'
lease at the arena "is about average compared with those of
other teams," according to Ann Belser of the PITTSBURGH
POST-GAZETTE. The new study comes just days after the
Penguins issued a news release saying that their study "had
determined the lease to be one of the league's most onerous"
(See THE DAILY, 5/14). The SMG-sponsored study showed the
team ranked "in the middle" in a comparison of leases at
eight arenas occupied by only one pro sports franchise. SMG
President Wes Westley said: "Hopefully, this report will put
to rest all of the false and misleading accusations that the
Penguins' lease is the worst in the [NHL]." Though SMG
released a statement about the report, it did not make the
report available (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 5/15).
SMG'S SIDE OF THE STORY: In Pittsburgh, Bob Smizik
writes that SMG "would be putting its entire operation in
peril" if it decided to renegotiate its lease with the
Penguins, because teams occupying its other facilities
"would be expected to do much the same elsewhere." Smizik
adds that SMG "shouldn't be the only group expected to make
concessions" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 5/17).
DON'T GIVE UP THE FIGHT: In Montreal, Jack Todd
examines the Penguins' plight: "There aren't many corners of
this continent outside Canada where the NHL has such a
clear-cut advantage over the NBA; it's territory the NHL
can't surrender without a fight" (Montreal GAZETTE, 5/17).
