Until now, Mayor Greg Ballard hasn’t weighed in on the topic of financially assisting the Indiana Pacers. When last asked
by the IBJ in late December, Ballard offered the following response.
“[The Pacers] haven’t approached me about that yet,” Ballard said. “I mean, I’m hearing rumblings about that, but they haven’t formally approached me about that. I think you probably know that would fall more directly into the purview of the [Capital Improvement Board]. So we’ll have to see how that plays out in the future.”
The CIB announced yesterday a plan to pay $15 million in expenses at Conseco Fieldhouse in 2010.
You don’t have to be an economist or sports business expert to know the Blue and Gold are bleeding red—and have been for a while.
“I think they’re losing a little bit of money each year,” Ballard told IBJ in December. “I think that’s what’s happening. I haven’t seen the numbers. [CIB member] Pat [Early] has indicated to me that they may be in some difficulty. Obviously, until the CIB comes to me and talks, it’s their business. That’s what we put the board in there for. That’s why they’re there.”
The mayor, who appoints six of nine CIB members, went on to explain to IBJ last month that he’s not a “micromanager by nature.”
Local taxpayers most likely will be expecting Mayor Ballard to give them his vision for how he intends to steer us through this storm. After all, it’s the mayor taxpayers elect, not the CIB.
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He hasn't a clue what's going on. AS - You might as well just call Bob Grand over at Barnes & Thornburg - he's running the city.
Pacer renegotiation is dead on arrival.
Keep in mind both the Pacers and Colts were given non-Pacer and non-Colt revenues at Conseco and Lucas Oil to get the city out of the business of government bail outs and massive tax subsidies.
If they cant make money maybe they shouldn't pay players and management so much.
http://advanceindiana.blogspot.com/2009/01/cib-bankrupt-grand-wont-ask-colts-to.html
Huh? You've got to be joking. The Pacers are losing more than a little bit. Part of this has to do with poor team management and a string of bad decisions (many made by the man now managing the NY Knicks), but not all of it. Ballard wanted the job as mayor, so now it's time for him to stand and deliver. And no more of this waiting to see what the CIB does or says. The voters didn't vote for Bob Grand, the voted for Ballard. Time to get it done mayor.
The city is scraping for pennies.
You do the math.
Yes, times are bad, and yes the city needs to be frugal and diligent with the money, but any sports team belongs to the city as well as the owners. Check out all the Colt and Pacer shirts worn throughout the city. The pride brought to the fans when the team wins. The community service given back by the players. This counts for something.
All I know is that we have a vibrant downtown that does not exist in any other comparable city. Conseco with the Pacers, the Big Ten tournament etc, is a vital part of that foundation.
I'm not saying giveaway the bank, I'm saying crack it open a bit. Let's not be penny savy and dollar foolish.
If this blog was truly sports business, we'd hear about the $20MM from the Colts side or the 25+ Colts employees (including Lamey) laid off for financial reasons even though every NFL teams makes a profit every year, or the drastic differences between the Pacers/Colts deals w/ CIB. Even IndyStar reports that.
I appreciate someone in this town reporting stuff like this. I just wish it were a bit more balanced w/ a lot more actual reporting. I do have to give him credit -- he allows us to post our unedited feelings, which no one else does.