ESPN.com's Darren Rovell cited sources as saying that Nets Owner Mikhail Prokhorov "has ended his agreement" with Evercore Partners, which he "hired to explore a sale of the team." Prokhorov, who owns 80% of the team and 45% of Barclays Center, "hired the bank in January" (ESPN.com, 3/10).
THE BEES' KNEES: Hornets Exec VP and Chief Sales & Marketing Manager Pete Guelli said that it is "unlikely the team can match new season-ticket sales from last year," when the team sold a franchise-record 4,000 full-season tickets. In Charlotte, Erik Spanberg noted this makes season-ticket renewals "even more important" for the Hornets. In the NBA, the benchmark for financial stability "is 10,000 full-season equivalents." The Bobcats "never reached 10,000; this season, the Hornets did." The team "hopes to reach 12,000 within the next couple of years." Season sales "would likely be capped" at 14,000 (BIZJOURNALS.com, 3/10).
HOW 'BOUT DEM BUMS? MLB Network’s Dan O’Dowd said of the Dodgers, “It’s hard to be a great front office when money is no object. The definition of success now changes for them now completely. It’s no longer about having a good year and winning and putting yourself in a position to contend. It’s about (being) all in to win." O'Dowd: "These guys were masterful with small budgets. Now, will they have the discipline to take those same practices they had in place in those places and apply that to a club that had a $279 million payroll last year?" (“MLB Tonight,” MLB Network, 3/10).
