Some random NFL thoughts: Cowboys and Yankees one and the same Posted by David Gladow, NOLA.com October 20, 2008 5:04PM
Well, that statement is as ridiculous as it's meant to sound, but still, I came across something today I couldn't help snicker at: The Dallas Cowboys and New York Yankees are forming a business partnership.
Are you kidding me? The two evil empires of their respective sports (the NFL and MLB), the two teams all opposing fans love to hate, are teaming up?
They don't write this stuff in Hollywood.
Of course this is all laughably hilarious because of Jerry Jones' comment earlier this year (which Peter King was so kind as to reprint this morning) about not wanting to outspend his competition ... about not being a "Steinbrenner."
King made the connection thanks to Jones' recent trade for and signing of wide receiver Roy Williams to a mega-contract (six years, $54 million). It's the sort of extravagant spending Steinbrenner is famous for: a glamour guy at a glamour position ... where the team is already relatively well-off. In other words, it was completely unnecessary, and it was a giant middle finger to the rest of the NFL (small-market teams in particular).
Cowboys, Yankees form company for new stadiums By RACHEL COHEN, AP Sports Writer
NEW YORK (AP) Dallas Cowboys and New York Yankees. Jerry Jones and George Steinbrenner.
Two of the most recognizable franchises in all of sports - and two of the highest-profile owners - are forming a company together. Legends Hospitality Management will handle concession and merchandise sales at the clubs' new stadiums, with the goal of eventually doing the same for other pro teams and college programs.
"Mr. Jones and my dad have had a mutual respect for each other for decades," Yankees co-chairman Hal Steinbrenner said at a news conference Monday. "So it made perfect sense for us."
Each franchise moves into a new stadium next year.
Gerald Cardinale of Goldman Sachs, who has worked with the Yankees and their YES Network, first pitched the idea more than a year ago. The Cowboys already manage their own concessions and merchandising.
Yankees president Randy Levine said his team will have a "market-rate" rights agreement with Legends, and that money will be subject to Major League Baseball revenue-sharing. But the company's profits will not.
Former Pizza Hut president Mike Rawlings will serve as CEO. He said teams and fans alike aren't happy with the current quality of stadium concessions.
Food and drink prices have yet to be set for the new stadiums, Rawlings said. While he insisted the goal wasn't to raise prices, he said increasing "value" was the main objective, from shortening lines to offering fresher food and a greater variety of options.
So let me get this right. The Cowboys already run their own concessions and merchandise and that "company" is separate from the Cowboys. Now that "company" is being named Legends Hospitality Management, and the Yankees are forming an alliance with them. Well actually it's Jones and Steinbrenner who are forming this new company. By doing this, Legends Hospitality Management will pay the Yankees the "market rate" to operate in the new stadium. And by doing this, all profits of Legends Hospitality Management will avoid the revenue sharing agreement? Hmm, does anyone else see this as a quick way for the Steinbrenner's to avoid having to share a portion of their revenues because if the Yankees ran the concessions, all the profits would be included in the revenue sharing agreement? And ten to top it off, they want to expand Legends Hospitality Management to multiple venues, both pro and college level?
Does anyone else see this as nothing more than a business ploy, at least in it's beginnings, to avoid the revenue sharing agreement? I have a feeling the possible expansion was nothing more than an afterthought.
And the best part for the fans is that they allude to increasing prices due to Legends Hospitality Management increasing the quality, selection, and shortening lines. The last time I was at Yankee stadium, a beer cost upwards of $10 and they want to increase that? Come on. Before much longer, it's going to cost your annual salary to take a family of 4 to a sporting event if you want anything but tickets and parking.
smackthefirst wrote:So let me get this right. The Cowboys already run their own concessions and merchandise and that "company" is separate from the Cowboys. Now that "company" is being named Legends Hospitality Management, and the Yankees are forming an alliance with them. Well actually it's Jones and Steinbrenner who are forming this new company. By doing this, Legends Hospitality Management will pay the Yankees the "market rate" to operate in the new stadium. And by doing this, all profits of Legends Hospitality Management will avoid the revenue sharing agreement? Hmm, does anyone else see this as a quick way for the Steinbrenner's to avoid having to share a portion of their revenues because if the Yankees ran the concessions, all the profits would be included in the revenue sharing agreement? And ten to top it off, they want to expand Legends Hospitality Management to multiple venues, both pro and college level?
Does anyone else see this as nothing more than a business ploy, at least in it's beginnings, to avoid the revenue sharing agreement? I have a feeling the possible expansion was nothing more than an afterthought.
And the best part for the fans is that they allude to increasing prices due to Legends Hospitality Management increasing the quality, selection, and shortening lines. The last time I was at Yankee stadium, a beer cost upwards of $10 and they want to increase that? Come on. Before much longer, it's going to cost your annual salary to take a family of 4 to a sporting event if you want anything but tickets and parking.
/rant done
Unfortunatley pro sports seem to have reached a point where it is hard for the average family to be able to afford to go to a game, let alone buy season's tickets. In many cases only the welathiest fans and/or corporations spring for tix these days and the rest of us poor schmoes watch on TV!
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And the worst part is when you do manage to save up money for tickets for the family, you normally end up getting some nice and comfy nose bleed seats. Then top it off with the fact that you have to see that look in your kid's eyes when you tell them they can't have the souvenir they wanted. Little do they know that the souvenir they wanted would have set you back just as much as the tickets.
It really is a sad state of affairs when the majority of kids nowadays will never know the joy of going to a ball game with their father because of how outlandish the cost associated with a day at the ball park has become.
smackthefirst wrote:And the worst part is when you do manage to save up money for tickets for the family, you normally end up getting some nice and comfy nose bleed seats. Then top it off with the fact that you have to see that look in your kid's eyes when you tell them they can't have the souvenir they wanted. Little do they know that the souvenir they wanted would have set you back just as much as the tickets.
It really is a sad state of affairs when the majority of kids nowadays will never know the joy of going to a ball game with their father because of how outlandish the cost associated with a day at the ball park has become.
Exactly the route English football (soccer) has gone. The average lifelong fan and his sons/grandsons etc has been priced out of the game. The clubs and league no longer care about the 'bums on seats' theory, it is ALL entirely about TV revenue. A great product now watched by bland tourists and corporate day trippers.
Thanks for that then Mr. Murdoch
Kudos to the uberdesigner 'soty' for the sig!
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