WNBA Fever Owner Herb Simon Says He Wants To Keep Team In Indy
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Fever Owner Says Team Has Lost
"Several Million Dollars" |
WNBA Fever Owner Herb Simon yesterday "offered the strongest sentiment yet that this won't be the team's final season," according to Mike Wells of the INDIANAPOLIS STAR. Simon: "I'm going to do everything in my power to keep the team here. ... Things are looking good, so hopefully we can get it done." Fever management last month was "noncommittal, saying there was no need to comment on the future while the team was chasing its first championship." Simon said the team has lost "several million dollars," and Wells notes the franchise has "struggled to gain fans." Average home attendance at Conseco Fieldhouse increased 3% to 7,939 this season but "still ranked sixth in the 13-team WNBA." The team added sponsorship deals this season with Kroger, Lucas Oil and Old National Bank, but Simon said that the franchise "lost about the same undisclosed amount of money as last season." Simon: "No one likes to lose money. It's more disappointing that we're not getting the fan base. Hopefully, success will help our fan base" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 9/30).
STORM WATCH: In Seattle, Jayda Evans reported the WNBA Storm this season had a 5% "drop in attendance, averaging 7,874 fans." Storm CEO Karen Bryant said that the decline was "partly due to the poor economy and the Storm not having a group-sales staff in place to push packages." Bryant indicated that the team spent "$800,000 on advertising," and the Storm "witnessed strong numbers for heavily pitched games." The team "retains a season-ticket holder base of about 3,000, which ranks among the WNBA's top three." The Storm's ownership group has instructed Bryant to "find television/radio packages with more games," and the team could end its relationship with FSN "because of FSN's extensive Mariners coverage." Meanwhile, the Storm also have received "interest from sponsors wanting to buy the rights to advertise on the front of player jerseys" (SEATTLE TIMES, 9/27).
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