With about one-fourth of the inaugural IBL season
complete, "no teams are going bankrupt" and "no plans are in
the works to move struggling franchises," according to Brent
Jones of the Baltimore SUN. IBL President Thaxter Trafton:
"We're very happy in some of our cities with the effort that
has been made in marketing our product. ... I don't believe
our problems have anything to do with the talent level or
entertainment of the game." The IBL is reporting an average
of almost 3,500 fans per game for all eight teams, about 500
more than the CBA's nine-team league average, but Jones
writes that IBL teams "have the advantage" of being in
"major markets" like Cincinnati and Las Vegas, as compared
to smaller CBA markets. However, the league's stated
attendance goal that is necessary for them to make a profit
is 4,000. Trafton noted the Richmond Rhythm are "struggling
the most" with a league-low 1,850 fans per game: "Our
weaknesses are on a team-to-team level, not on an
organizational level. We might have dropped the ball in
some cities on getting the organizational structure in
better shape. ... [But] we are not in any fear of losing any
one of our eight teams." Trafton, on the league's future:
"It might take a couple of years to make money, but [teams]
have to have the wherewithal to stay" (Baltimore SUN, 1/14).
WAGERING A SILVER DOLLAR ... OR MORE: In Las Vegas,
Jeff Haney reported that Las Vegas residents can bet on the
local IBL Silver Bandits, as the Imperial Palace sports book
"posts a line and total" on each Silver Bandits game.
Silver Bandits Dir of Communications & Broadcasting Tim
Neverett, on allowing bets to be accepted on a local team:
"The IBL does not have a problem with it; in fact the league
thinks it helps increase interest in the games. We had
discussions with the IBL before the season ... and their
attitude was 'What is it going to hurt?'" (L.V. SUN, 1/12).
