The Bobcats have cut "roughly 35" members of their front-office staff as part of a
major reorganization effort, according to a source cited by Rick Bonnell of the CHARLOTTE OBSERVER. Bobcats President & COO Fred Whitfield said that the team "provided severance packages and is in contact with NASCAR and [FSN], looking to help displaced employees find other positions." Two sources said that the Bobcats "considered eliminating radio broadcasts as a cost-saving measure, but were dissuaded" by the NBA. The Bobcats "have also signed corporate partnerships with a janitorial service and travel agency to lower day-to-day costs." Two industry sources estimated that the team has "roughly 5,000 to 6,000 season-ticket holders" (
CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 9/27). Whitfield said the Bobcats have retained business consultants The Parthenon Group to assist in the team's efficiency study. The Parthenon Group has offices in Boston, London, Mumbai and S.F. (
John Lombardo, SportsBusiness Journal).
HARD TIMES: In K.C., Bill Reiter reported the NBA, as a result of the current economic climate, "plans to get rid of 6[%] of its work force and has closed its office" in L.A. In addition, the NCAA "has held meetings on spiraling travel costs," and MLB will "see its first attendance drop in four years." Fenway Sports Group Exec VP Mark Lev said of the economy's impact on sports, "People are absolutely thinking about this -- they'd have to have blinders on if they weren't" (K.C. STAR, 9/27).
