Quote:
Originally Posted by Jay Random
Actually, the owners have revealed that they are losing money on the arena overall, because the cost of running the hockey team is eating up all the profits from other events and then some. Their business plan just didn't allow for a $51 million salary floor. And now, according to multiple reports I have seen, they are negotiating to get out of that contract, and Broward County politicians are seriously looking at the possibility.
If they can get into the playoffs and put some bums back on the seats, this will help to put the overall business back in the black and take the immediate pressure off. But the immediate pressure is real enough.
The rest of what you say, I agree with 100%.
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Interesting. I hadn't heard they were actually still losing money. Not that I don't believe you, but source?
The Broward County stuff was posturing in order to get attention in the media that the team is in jeopardy, and to possibly extract some funds from the taxpayers to help support the team while they were building it. It was brushed off as a bluff at the time, but now I'm not so sure.
I agree about getting fans in the seats though. Tampa's been able to do it. South Florida isn't much different in terms of people and attitude towards sports. The problem has been almost 20 years of ineptitude. They need a few years in a row of playoff rounds, not just a one off like they had a couple years back, but sustained success. That's the only thing that will bring fans back. You have to start with this year and do everything you can to make it, especially when you're only a couple points out with 20some games to go.