While almost any Web sports site "can woo [job]
applicants with either stock options or the promise of an
[IPO], the four leagues are all private entities -- and
stockless," according to David Sweet of the WALL STREET
JOURNAL, who examines the "lack" of available options
offered by the NHL, NBA, NFL and MLB to their Web site
employees. Sweet writes that many prospective employees "are
impressed by the surroundings" of majorleaguebaseball.com,
but job offers are "routinely" turned down due to the lack
of options. MLB Dir of New Media Alex Kam: "I've had so
many conversations where they want to work for the league.
But balanced against getting equity, it's very difficult for
a league to compete against ... the thought of a pot of gold
at the end of the rainbow." Kam estimates that "more than a
dozen potential hires have been lost to the lure of stock
options elsewhere." More Kam: "You're competing against
iVillage and CDNow. This year, it's even harder to have the
(initial) conversation." Tom Richardson, NHL ICE GM, also
"acknowledges" that his site "faces stiff competition," but
said, "Although we may have lost some past and prospective
employees to companies offering stock options, we have
recruited and retained many talented employees who seem to
enjoy the stability of the league" (WALL ST JOURNAL, 11/24).
LOOKING TO CASH IN: Sweet writes that the situation "is
a little different" at the NBA and NFL, where their Web
sites are run by ESPN Internet Ventures. Sweet: "Most
editorial workers are employed by Disney; in advertising,
some sales representatives work for Disney, and others
report to league bosses." Sweet adds that while many Disney
employees "will be eligible for Go.com stock options soon,
league employees will not." But "brimming with stock
options is CBS SportsLine," which uses the "pitch of instant
wealth" to "attract workers from around the U.S." CBS
SportsLine President of Sales & Marketing Mark Mariani:
"There's not a soul in this place whose not carrying stock
options. We're all working for the same bottom line --
shareholder value." Maxfootball.com co-Founder Mark Newman
also offers stock options to his employees in its parent
company Max Broadcasting Network, although an IPO "isn't
expected for years" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 11/24).
