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Franchises

Franchise Notes

In Milwaukee, Don Walker reports the Bucks have added "some well-connected lobbyists" in their efforts to land a new downtown arena. In addition to Bucks VP/Business Affairs Robert Cook, a licensed lobbyist who has been "meeting with public officials at City Hall, Milwaukee County and in Madison, the Bucks have added former Assembly Speaker Jeff M. Fitzgerald and seasoned lobbyist Eric J. Petersen to the fold." Meanwhile, Fitch Ratings announced that it had "upgraded" the NBA's "leaguewide revolving facility borrowings and senior notes." According to the research report, the NBA "plans to issue senior notes and increase the bank revolving facility as part of the league's plan to increase club allowed debt" (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 1/23).

PACKED HOUSE: Attendance for the Eastern Conference-leading Hawks' games at Philips Arena is up more than 2,200 fans per game from last season, while local TV viewership is up 61% through 39 broadcasts on SportSouth. Through 20 home games, the Hawks are drawing 16,328 fans per contest. The team has sold out five of their last six games at home. Meanwhile, SportSouth viewership in the 18-34 year-old demo has increased by 196% from last year. Earlier this season, the club drew its highest single-game TV rating since '11-12, generating a 2.78 rating in the Atlanta market for a Dec. 23 victory over the Clippers (Hawks).

BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITI: On Long Island, Steven Marcus reported Mets ticket sales "suggest a rise over last year's total of 2,148,808, the first time attendance increased" since Citi Park opened in '09. Mets Chief Revenue Officer Lou DePaoli said, "We're still trying to wrap our hands around exactly what that could look like. Ticket sales are up 19.26 percent ahead of last year, season tickets are up 12 1/2 percent." DePaoli said that the team will "again focus its promotions on the weekends, where ticket sales grew 3.4 percent" (NEWSDAY, 1/21).

THE WHOLE "KID" & CABOODLE: Orlando City SC announced it has sold 10,000 season tickets for its inaugural MLS season, with former MLBer Ken Griffey Jr. being recognized as the 10,000th Central Florida resident to purchase season tickets (Orlando City). In Orlando, Brian Schmitz reported Orlando City is “hoping to expand” its season-ticket base from 10,000 to 14,000 “heading into the opening” of its new 19,500-seat downtown stadium next year. Orlando City SC President & Founder Phil Rawlins “predicts the Lions will sell out their new stadium, meaning fans won’t be able to get tickets.” He said that that “will force the fledgling franchise to start a waiting list” (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 1/22).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 25, 2024

NFL meeting preview; MLB's opening week ad effort and remembering Peter Angelos.

Big Get Jay Wright, March Madness is upon us and ESPN locks up CFP

On this week’s pod, our Big Get is CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jay Wright. The NCAA Championship-winning coach shares his insight with SBJ’s Austin Karp on key hoops issues and why being well dressed is an important part of his success. Also on the show, Poynter Institute senior writer Tom Jones shares who he has up and who is down in sports media. Later, SBJ’s Ben Portnoy talks the latest on ESPN’s CFP extension and who CBS, TNT Sports and ESPN need to make deep runs in the men’s and women's NCAA basketball tournaments.

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

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