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Thomas (c) And James Dolan (r)
Announcing Larry Brown As Coach |
The Knicks on Thursday introduced Larry Brown as their new head coach, and the N.Y. POST’s Marc Berman reports Brown received a four-year deal worth $36-40M, “the richest coaching contract in NBA history.” More than “250 people and dozens of cameras” were at the announcement, marking what is “believed to be the most heavily attended news conference in Knick history” (
N.Y. POST, 7/29). Also in N.Y., Richard Sandomir writes Cablevision President & CEO James Dolan wants Brown to get the team “into the playoffs, ... increase ticket sales ... and increase Knicks ratings” on MSG Network and FSNY. Sandomir: “Whether you believe that Brown will be fairly compensated or grossly overpaid, it is market value for a championship-winning coach and a positive investment of Cablevision’s cash as long as his health and his interest hold out” (
N.Y. TIMES, 7/29).
WORTH IT? BLOOMBERG NEWS’ Scott Soshnick wrote the Knicks “would have to reach the conference finals to recoup” Brown’s salary. MSG Sports President & COO Steve Mills said that the Knicks make $2.7M per playoff game, retaining $1.5M after the NBA takes 45%. The team would also earn about $500,000 per game from MSG Network. Mills said when the Knicks are playing well, “they positively affect virtually every aspect of our business.” Hutt Sports Group President Harry Hutt: “The Knicks weren’t going to look at sponsors and advertisers with a straight face and ask them to renew with Herb Williams as the coach” (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 7/28). The Knicks sold 98.7% of tickets available last season when they went 33-49. California State Univ.-Bakersfield sports economist David Berri asked, “If there doesn’t seem to be a correlation between winning and attendance with the Knicks, why are the owners paying Brown this kind of money?” But Univ. of Chicago economics professor Steven Levitt said, “They’re obviously not paying Larry Brown that kind of money to fill the seats. I think it’s more about the fact that they own their own network and any profit that they make on advertising, they don’t have to split with anyone.” Washington State Univ. sports economist Rod Fort: “If Larry Brown was worth $6[M] in Detroit, I believe he is worth $10[M] in New York, just given the difference in revenue streams” (Darren Rovell, ESPN.com, 7/27).
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Knicks Hoping Brown Will Improve
Team On And Off The Court |
HOPE SPRINGS: In N.Y., William Rhoden writes the Brown hiring “wasn’t the case of a franchise hiring a coach to save a floundering team. What the Knicks needed was someone to jump-start an entire corporation, a combination basketball Ph.D. and CEO who would send electric bolts of excitement throughout Cablevision” (
N.Y. TIMES, 7/29). Mills: “Larry has re-energized our fan base and re-energized this city” (
N.Y. TIMES, 7/29). Chicago Sun-Times columnist Jay Mariotti said of the Brown hiring, “Everybody loves to sell hope in sports and that’s what they’re doing in New York. ... This guy is going to fill the Garden, create excitement (and) be on the back page of the tabloids” (
“Around The Horn,” ESPN, 7/28). Bloomberg News’ Soshnick: “This is a team that charges upwards of $1,000 for courtside seats. You better give those people a product that they want to see” (
“OTL,” ESPN, 7/28). ESPN’s Tony Kornheiser: “Of the major franchises in the NBA — the Knicks, the Celtics and the Lakers — only ... the Celtics made the playoffs last year, so this is good for the NBA” (
“PTI,” ESPN, 7/28).
MIDDLE MAN: On Long Island, Barbara Barker writes Knicks President of Basketball Operations Isiah Thomas “has to do a better job than [Pistons President of Basketball Operations Joe] Dumars did in acting as a buffer between Brown and team ownership. If Brown had problems with the relatively hands-off [Pistons Owner] Bill Davidson, he’s going to go crazy with control freak Jim Dolan” (NEWSDAY, 7/29).
