PLAYOFFS PAY OFF? In Boston, Gregg Krupa reported that
the Red Sox "face the possibility of making only a couple
million dollars" from postseason play this season. Red Sox
CFO Robert Furbush: "The revenues are not likely to be
significant. I would hesitate to say that it would make the
difference between making a profit and not making a profit
this year." During the postseason, 60% of gate receipts
from the first three games of the ALDS and the first four
games of the ALCS "benefits the players alone." Instead,
Krupa wrote that the postseason "presents a remarkable
marketing opportunity in their pursuit of future season-
ticket customers" (BOSTON GLOBE, 10/16).
INDIANS DEAL DONE? In Cleveland, Bill Lubinger reported
that since the Indians' ALDS loss last week, "there has been
speculation almost daily" that the Dolan brothers "have a
deal locked up" for the team (PLAIN DEALER, 10/17).
NHL NOTES: The Flames have sold less than 13,000
tickets to each of their last three home games despite an
average ticket price of C$49.43, almost C$18 less than the
league average. "HNIC" analyst Don Cherry: "They have the
lowest ticket prices in the NHL and if the people don't come
out, the team won't be here. If they don't come out, they
don't deserve the club" (CALGARY SUN, 10/17)....Canadiens
President Pierre Boivin said that he is "less than
enchanted" with the team's game presentation at Molson
Centre: "I'm not satisfied with our game presentation. ...
I'm looking at ways to tweak our presentation so that
throughout the NHL our's is regarded as ... the ultimate
hockey experience." Boivin did not reveal what aspects
"annoy him," but he said that he's forming a task force to
look at other NHL arenas (Montreal GAZETTE, 10/17).
NOTES: BSkyB CEO Tony Ball said that the company, which
recently bought a 9% stake in Leeds United and owns an 11%
stake in Manchester United, "had no current plans to acquire
further stakes in British soccer clubs." Ball: "If the
right opportunity came along we would look at it but there
are no direct plans at the moment" (REUTERS, 10/16)....In an
op-ed in the HOUSTON CHRONICLE, IN Univ. School of Public &
Environmental Affairs Associate Dean Mark Rosentraub wrote
that NFL expansion franchise Owner Bob McNair "can only make
money if the value of NFL franchises continues to escalate.
He cannot make a profit operating the team" (10/16).
