YAHOO SPORTS' Adrian Wojnarowski reports Clippers coach and Senior VP/Basketball Operations Doc Rivers signed a "new five-year contract" that is "worth more than" $50M. The team "replaced the remaining two years" on his original three-year, $21M deal with a "new contract that runs through" the '18-19 season (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 8/27). In L.A., Ben Bolch reports the deal makes Rivers the NBA's "highest-paid coach, though he also" holds the exec role. Rivers will "make more money a season than every Clippers player except" G Chris Paul, F Blake Griffin and C DeAndre Jordan (L.A. TIMES, 8/28).
NOT JUST A MIRAGE: Coyotes Exec VP Mike Humes said that the club is "hoping for big increases in concessions and merchandise sales this season," and he "expects even bigger growth in merchandise sales." In Phoenix, Mike Sunnucks noted the Coyotes are partnering with Jacksonville-based Fanatics Retail Group to "renovate the team shop" and "handle merchandise sales." The team's name change to the Arizona Coyotes could "help propel some merchandise sales." Humes said that the Coyotes "could see as much as a 400 percent increase in merchandise sales this season" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 8/26).
TOUGH TO BEAR: In Chicago, Gordon Wittenmyer asks of the Cubs' rebuilding efforts, "What happened to that business-plan timeline we were told on Opening Day in 2013 was ‘timed to sync up’ with the baseball plan? Where are the shovels that were supposed to be in the ground by now?" Cubs President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein said, "As we get closer to a new TV deal and as we start to realize some of the revenues associated with a renovated Wrigley Field, I believe that will only enhance our flexibility and our aggressiveness. That’s down the road. I’m very confident in our business side" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 8/28).
