It is "easy to think" that the NFL is "awash in money,"
but many NFL franchises are "merely medium-sized businesses
in the corporate landscape," according to Vito Stellino of
the Baltimore SUN, who examines the financial state of some
of the league's teams. Stellino cites the Packers' annual
statement reporting that half of the teams grossed $102M or
less last year. Lions COO Chuck Schmidt: "With all the
publicity we get and the emphasis on big contracts, it gives
you the impression it's a far bigger business than it is."
Bengals Owner Mike Brown: "People think we have a bottomless
barrel of money." According to NFL rankings, teams in the
"top quarter in revenue" are the Cowboys, Redskins, Rams,
Panthers, Jaguars, Bucs, Dolphins and Ravens (SUN, 7/27).
SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE: The Seahawks sold 534 new season
tickets last week, pushing the total to 54,000, up from
44,000 "at this time last year and 48,000 for the regular-
season opener." Seahawks VP/Ticket Sales & Services Duane
McLean: "Obviously, we're pleasantly surprised" (SEATTLE
POST-INTELLIGENCER, 7/27)....The Vikings have sold out their
entire regular-season schedule, meaning there will be no
local blackouts this season. There were "so few" single
game tickets available because the team's season-ticket
sales rose "nearly" 17,000 over last year. The team has a
season-ticket base of "more than" 60,000, compared with
43,000 last year (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 7/27).
BROWNS BUZZ: Browns President Carmen Policy, on the
sale of naming rights to gates at Cleveland Browns Stadium:
"We are leaving money on the table because the sale of the
gates, under no circumstances, can make up for what we're
losing in terms of the sale of the actual naming rights
themselves. But, there's something gained by way of the
goodwill we're receiving from the community" (CNNfn, 7/26).
