Franchise Notes
In Charlotte, David Scott writes the Bobcats in February acquired the bobcats.com domain name from a “domesticated bobcat breeder in rural Montana.” Barbara Roe, the previous owner of the site, said that team officials began inquiring about purchasing the site during the team’s inaugural season in ’04. Roe: “They began at a couple thousand dollars, but they wouldn’t meet my price.” She said the team ultimately agreed on a price of "about" $50,000. Meanwhile, Bobcats President & COO Fred Whitfield said that all but three of Bobcats Arena’s 60 luxury suites have been sold, and floor seats, which sell for $1,000 per game, are sold out (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 9/18).
WIZARDS: In K.C., Pete Grathoff writes with Galaxy MF David Beckham expected to miss the remainder of the MLS season with a knee injury, the Wizards were “approached about removing Beckham from the billboards in town” that touted the September 27 match against the Galaxy, but Wizards Dir of Marketing & Communications Rob Thomson “said to keep them up.” Thomson: “There’s been no official word that he won’t be here.” The Wizards have been billing the match as the “Midwest Sporting Event of the Year,” and have been “targeting fans from Iowa, Oklahoma, Nebraska and eastern Missouri” (K.C. STAR, 9/18).
CHIVAS USA: Chivas USA President & CEO Shawn Hunter “plans to double Chivas’ sales staff to about 20 account executives.” He will “aim for group sales – a grassroots strategy that has successfully worked for AEG – to expose church and community groups and AYSO teams to the franchise.” He also plans to “boost the club’s largely moribund advertising and marketing efforts” (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 9/18). SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's Tripp Mickle writes Hunter will continue "to target Latino fans but will focus more on kids and families than the team has in the past." Hunter will "oversee the team's roll-out during the next six months of a series of soccer clinics, to be held in 40 parks around [L.A.]. He also plans to create a board of directors composed of civic leaders and passionate fans" (SBJ, 9/17 issue).
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