Bucks Owner Herb Kohl revealed that the team is losing
money and said that he wants to find ways to "keep the team
anchored and prosperous in Milwaukee," according to Don
Walker of the MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, who wrote that
Kohl is now "supporting efforts" by a Greater Milwaukee
Committee task force "to consider ways to renovate and
upgrade the 11-year-old Bradley Center." Kohl, who has
"rarely spoken so candidly about the team's bottom line":
"We're hopeful that people will see that the Milwaukee Bucks
are a community asset and they deserve our support. But I
also want to emphasize that if a decision is made to
renovate and upgrade, we are not the only ones to benefit
from it." Kohl noted that the team "was losing ground
financially to the other 28 teams in the NBA" and "would be
at or near the bottom in arena revenue." The Bucks' average
attendance of 15,456 this season is up only 1% from last
year. Kohl called the number "disappointing" and said that
the team "needs more support from the community." The
team's season-ticket base is 7,500, and Kohl has set a goal
of 12,000 for next season (MIL. JOURNAL SENTINEL, 2/20).
