Let's all make a pact where we agree to stop believing every nonsensical thing AEG tells us
The Kansas City Star
So Tim Leiweke, trying to strong-arm the NFL into relocating to his AEG profit machine in Los Angeles, said something offensive to Kansas City:
“We won’t have a cloud of uncertainty over our heads for the next two years and chase this. Phil (Anschutz, AEG boss) has made it clear to me it is not his lifelong ambition to own an NFL team so we’re going to do the best we can to try and get this done in the next year or two. We’re not the kind of company that will be sitting here five years from now chasing this dream; we have other things need to go do.”
I first saw this through Pro Football Talk, and sarcastically mentioned on Twitter that AEG seems to have plenty of patience when it comes to the Sprint Center.
I’ve written plenty of times about all of this, but was a little surprised on Twitter that at least some are still buying AEG’s rhetoric about an anchor tenant somehow being bad for Sprint Center business.
Look, I don’t have access to their financials. And if I did, maybe I’d understand how the Sprint Center is better off having three events this entire month rather than the nine that are at, for instance, the Chesapeake Energy Center, where the NBA’s Thunder play.
This entire month, the Sprint Center has three events listed on its website: bull riding this past Sunday, Lady Antebellum on Friday, and Jimmy Buffet on the 21st.
Next month is busier, with six events: two Command games, a pro skateboarding show, Miranda Lambert, Van Halen, and AVICII.
So back off, NBA. We don’t want your stupid basketball. We’re all booked here.
Look, there are 30 NBA teams that play in arenas that also host concerts and other events, and all of them seem to be making it work. If having 15,000 or so fans^ in an arena 41 nights a year is such a horrible idea, why isn’t Oklahoma City or Memphis offering us their teams to make DAMN sure they land that bull riding event?
^ NBA average attendance looks to be about 17,000.
Oklahoma City, by the way, has had a lot of the same events as Sprint Center: Drake, bull riding, motocross, etc. Same thing with Memphis.
Bruce Springsteen’s might be the summer’s biggest tour, and by my count he’s playing 10 shows in cities with NBA and/or NHL teams this month. Even with all of the Sprint Center’s open dates, he’s not coming here.
One of AEG’s arguments is that it can offer the biggest acts the best dates, but Madonna’s coming on a Tuesday in October. By my count, of her 43 shows, all but four are in cities and/or arenas that have an NBA/NHL team. Those other 39 — including New Orleans, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Charlotte — made it work around their teams’ schedules and other events that help pay the bills.
I’ve written this before, but I’d be a lot angrier at AEG if their misdirections and fibs left us with debt on Sprint Center. Even without a team, I’m glad we have the arena (even as the Power and Light district across the street suffers).
I just wish they’d have been upfront and more honest. I also wish more of you could see what they’ve done.
Brandon Hochstedler
1 year, 1 month agoI’m hesitant to want or even care if KC gets someone for the Sprint Center. The chances of that team being any good anytime soon are pretty low, based on who would relocate. This could be too much of a short term view, and one that’s probably irrelevant when considering revenue, but does KC really need another mediocre to bad professional team?
M. Bagsen
1 year, 1 month agoSam, you mention OKC and Memphis in your article but there is a distinct difference between KC and those cities. We have two other pro sports franchises, they do not have any. Each of those towns is a one (pro) trick pony. As long as the Sprint Center is making money I say leave the terrible teams that would relocate where they are. Less wear and tear on our shiny little Roomba Center. Now if we could just flush the popped collars, spray tans and DJ who-gives-a-S* out of P&L we might make some progress
nick Bell
1 year, 1 month agoYou could always take this opportunity to mention that SKC is playing the AEG owned LA Galaxy this week. AEG thinks they can buy the league title for the Galaxy every year, but it’s SKC that is 4-0-0.
Anonymous
1 year, 1 month agoCouple of things: -Kevin Collison was wondering yesterday why cities still believe the Cordish spin. The lesson here, as always, is that if you want something, you’ll believe someone who says they can give it to you. -This was mentioned above, but there was a study done that pegged KC as being tapped out as far as supporting sports franchises goes. -I don’t hear anyone clamoring for an NBA or NHL team. It’s more business for sportswriters, but you guys get in free anyway.
Sam Mellinger
1 year, 1 month agoBagsen, whether Kansas City is overextended as a sports market is an entirely different issue.
Greg A
1 year, 1 month ago“I’ve written this before, but I’d be a lot angrier at AEG if their misdirections and fibs left us with debt on Sprint Center.”
There is debt on the building. KC pays for it from the rental car and hotel fees that were voted in 2004. The City also gets a 50/50 split of whatever is left in operational profits after AEG takes the first dibs (16%.) By not having an anchor tenant, the City has received a sizeable ‘bump’ from what AEG is returning back - which helps greatly to pay for the debt. Where it becomes murky is if the rental and hotel fees dip (bad economy, lack of attraction to bring out of towners, etc), or if the building doesn’t continue to kick profits (too many low selling events), then KC is in trouble. With the scenario how it is, if KC did land an anchor tenant, then most of those profits that AEG and KC splits would most likely go to the team. That is how most major sports teams contracts are set up with their stadiums they play in. And THAT is where it gets ugly in paying off the building.
The caveat here is that by not having 365 nights filled in the arena schedule, the P&L takes a hit because its debt is paid off of profits and taxes paid by patrons to the establishments. Cordish makes that tough because A) the rent is high so owners are having a hard time staying in business and B) the pressure is on the local community to eat/drink up even when the SC is dark. Filling the arena with Disney events doesn’t help either. Right now, the P&L is a major problem for the City because of how its debt is paid for based on the scenario above.
It goes deeper. Sam, hHit me up for a beer and wings at Johnny’s if you ever want some down and dirty on it. As a fan, I too would like to see an anchor tenant. In a perfect world, though, it would have to be an owner who would be willing to operate with a City-favored deal and we both know that isn’t going to happen. Until then, we need to keep putting pressure on the City to play a bigger part in tourney events, championship games, All-Star events and hope the Stones will go for their own banner in the rafters.