1997-04-29, By Glenn Rogers Express-News Staff Writer
马刺队在财务担忧面前依然乐观
马刺队的老板们过去三个赛季一直在谈论如何走过财务上的钢索。他们还没有跌落下来。账簿最后的那几行一直都用黑色墨水写着。
马刺队在1994-95赛季结束后，账面显示盈利451万美元。这笔利润来自于400万美元的季后赛奖金。
球队在1995-96赛季结束时盈利306,072美元。常规赛的亏损被480万美元的季后赛奖金和220万美元的SA One活动收入抵消。
此外，马刺队还从扩张球队的一次性付款中获得了960万美元的收入。
黑色数字固然令人高兴，但它们掩盖了这样一个事实，即球队在常规赛期间实际上是在亏损运营。
大多数观察家都认为，本赛季马刺队将踏上通往财务灾难的快车道。预计球队将亏损400万至500万美元，但伤病球员的保险应该能让球队实现收支平衡。
此前有一些迹象表明，马刺队将能够分享一部分NBA资金，这些资金旨在帮助小市场球队。这笔款项可能高达300万美元，但现在看来圣安东尼奥将无法获得任何帮助。
“我们不期待任何这笔钱，”董事会主席彼得·霍尔特(Peter Holt)说道。“这有点令人沮丧和困惑。我们不明白为什么我们能成为最小的（电视）市场，但却得不到帮助。”
“我们一直在与（联盟总裁）大卫·斯特恩(David Stern)和其他联盟成员进行沟通，”霍尔特说道。“看来我们做的市场营销工作太好了，不符合获得这笔资金的资格。”
联盟的援助是提供给那些市场收入没有达到一定水平的球队。
“我们听到的初步消息是，有两支球队会得到这笔资金，但我们不是，”霍尔特说道。“我们把自己的产品推销得和你能做到的一样好。”
霍尔特表示，联盟甚至派代表前往圣安东尼奥，学习执行副总裁拉斯·布克宾德(Russ Bookbinder)的市场营销方法。
“我认为这惩罚了那些竭尽全力带来生意的人，”总裁杰克·迪勒(Jack Diller)说道。“如果我们能花不到1美元的成本赚到1美元，我们会这样做。我们会去科珀斯克里斯蒂、拉雷多，那些密尔沃基和其他城市都不考虑的地方。”
“这个NBA项目只显示了收入，没有显示带来收入的成本，”迪勒解释说。“我们向我们的广告客户出售在学校、H-E-B停车场进行的活动，这些促销活动成本很高。我们并没有袖手旁观，尽管这将是获得NBA（帮助）项目资金的最佳方式。”
但是，即使没有NBA的收入，马刺队的老板们仍然可以从本赛季的收入活动中获益。
老板们将能够分享最终财务数字汇总时计算出的折旧摊销金额。
去年的金额为1080万美元，前一年超过1500万美元。
上赛季1000万美元的折旧摊销金额帮助老板们减少了球队利润（306,000美元的赛季利润和900万美元的扩张球队收入）的税负。老板们可以从利润中扣除折旧摊销金额，从而减少税负。
本赛季，毫无疑问，老板们将能够在将这笔数字加到赛季亏损后显示亏损。老板们可以根据他们在马刺队的股份分享这笔亏损，并将由此产生的金额作为亏损应用于他们的其他商业活动。
据报道，最初的老板们选择了3年半的时间框架来使用折旧金额。这个时钟已经快结束了。但霍尔的五年时钟从去年夏天开始。
霍尔特表示，今年不会有现金调用，也不预计明年会有。
“我是最大的股东，我不会投入任何资金，”霍尔特说道。“我们认为不应该有现金调用，并希望在接下来的两年里没有现金调用。”
马刺队预计，直到他们能够搬进新球馆，他们将会面临艰难的挑战。
控制成本可能是一项艰巨的任务，尤其是在球员薪水不断上涨的情况下。
马刺队应该能够避免球员成本大幅上涨。现有的阵容中，球员的薪水将根据个人合同有所增减。球队的选秀权将被锁定在三年合同中，对于第三顺位的球员来说，起薪约为210万美元。如果马刺队能够为查尔斯·史密斯(Charles Smith)获得医疗豁免，另一份薪水可能会来自自由球员签约，约为170万美元。
但霍尔特警告说，1998年夏天，1995届新秀（如乔·史密斯(Joe Smith)）进入自由市场时，可能会出现打破收入平衡的薪资水平。
“关键是我们希望在圣安东尼奥保持一支有竞争力的球队，”霍尔特说道。“我的直觉告诉我，我们可以在圣安东尼奥呆很长时间，这个市场已经支持了马刺队25年。EN2901CGR2 -05/01/97-11:38
“但我们不想像快船队一样。他们多年来一直拥有联盟最低的薪资总额，而低薪资通常不会让你进入季后赛，”霍尔特说道。
“我们的所有权集团对运营一支没有竞争力的球队没有兴趣，”他说道。但为了保持竞争力，马刺队必须满足市场上的薪资要求。
“1998年将定下基调，”霍尔特说道。“如果我们看到一个1.5亿美元的球员，联盟将不得不找出如何应对。我们最终会形成四支球队——公牛队、湖人队、尼克斯队、凯尔特人队——处于顶级，然后是另一层完全不同的级别吗？
“我不明白犹他爵士队、菲尼克斯太阳队、波特兰开拓者队、我们以及其他小市场球队如何才能竞争。你只能削减到一定程度。你会有因果关系，而影响将是一支没有竞争力的球队。”
自从上赛季开始的狂欢，以及全明星赛证明是一个有效的销售工具以来，门票销售一直在下降。
“这是一个令人担忧的情况，”霍尔特说道。“我们仍然对门票收入感到担忧，预计下个赛季的收入会下降。我们现在处于为每美元而战的境地，以保持收支平衡。我们没有犯错的余地。
“每个企业都有一定的风险，但年复一年地这样做就有点太冒险了，”他说道。
尽管如此，迪勒表示，他相信马刺队可以在圣安东尼奥取得成功。
“我们这里没有其他球队拥有的企业基础，或者电视人口，但我们是城里唯一的主要职业球队，”他说道。“马刺队的篮球已经在这里存在了25年。这是人们显然喜欢的东西。如果我们不认为它会奏效，我们就不会这样做。”
迪勒表示，门票销售下降是球队搬到圆顶体育场之后发生的，最大的失败之处是公司包厢。
“两侧没有售出任何包厢，”他说道。“在34个包厢中，只有14个出租了。它们在去年之后都到期了，很少有被续租。”
根据迪勒的说法，包厢的租金从4万美元到9万美元不等。
“所以，在最初的34个包厢中，我们损失了20个，”他说道。“边线上的包厢很受欢迎，我认为这表明它们会在新的体育场中销售。”
迪勒表示，新体育场的可能性将使投资者更加乐观。
“你必须愿意在一段时间内承担亏损，这是投资者必须回答的问题，”迪勒说道。“但如果你看到隧道尽头的光明，你就会更愿意承担亏损，而不是说你在没有真正希望能够摆脱困境的情况下承担亏损。
“毫无疑问，在新体育场建设期间，我们将处于亏损状态，”他说道。“这不是一场危机，但这是我们必须立即解决的问题。这不是未来某个时间点要发生的事情。”
普遍的看法是，市场营销部门今年将得到很好的提升，宣传大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson)和肖恩·埃利奥特(Sean Elliott)的回归，以及选秀权的到来和潜在的交易。
“除非你是一个乐观主义者，否则你不会进入这个行业，”霍尔特说道。“我已经开始期待下个赛季了。”
霍尔特表示，重新配置阿拉莫圆顶体育场，使其更适合球迷，吸引更多顾客，这可能不太可能。
“我们会就可能的重新配置进行一些讨论，但我不知道是否会有什么结果，”他说道。“我听说过关于NCAA在安装额外的看台（通常是布帘所在的地方）时取得的良好效果。
“但那是针对两三场比赛而言的。没有一个NBA体育场像我们一样大，”他指出。“我们开放5美元的座位，却很难填满。NCAA有41,000名球迷。这对我们来说不合理。最大的城市都没有像那样吸引人群。你不可能在41场比赛中做到这一点。”
“事实证明，体育场应该有22,000到24,000个座位，”他说道。“这给了你合适的尺寸，篮球所需要的亲密感。我们也明白，一个新的建筑必须是一个多功能体育场，否则公众不会接受。”
迪勒表示，他预计新建筑的资金将来自私营部门。
“我认为社区将此视为一种公私合作，”迪勒说道。“私营部门的贡献反映了市场规模。我不明白为什么球队、音乐会或使用该设施的其他人会认为它可以免费提供。它可能是通过租金、债券支付或更直接的贡献。”
迪勒表示，最终，投票者将决定他们认为对社区来说重要的事情。
“我看到不时出现的一件事是，人们说马刺队有一份10年的租赁协议，”他说道。“我在《快报》上看到了。
“但实际上，这是一份年租协议。我提出这一点是因为有些人认为我们没有履行我们的承诺，试图违反租赁协议。但协议赋予我们随时终止或取消的权利，除了在赛季期间。”
霍尔特表示，他还没有听说过任何老板想要退出这个企业的言论。他还表示，他还没有进行过任何收购额外所有权的谈判，但他指出他可能会在今年夏天打几个电话。
这位董事长同意，外部收购球队的尝试总是存在的，但他表示他最近没有接到任何询问。
“自从有城市打电话来已经有一段时间了，”他说道。“这种情况仍然存在，但我们已经发布消息，说我们没有兴趣。纳什维尔几个月前打电话来，只是为了确保。”
点击查看原文：Spurs optimistic in face of financial worries
Spurs optimistic in face of financial worries
Spurs owners have been talking about walking a financial tightrope for the past three seasons. They have yet to tumble off. Those lines at the bottom of the bookkeepers’ sheets keep showing up dressed in black.
The Spurs showed earnings of $4.51 million after the books were closed for the 1994-95 season. The profitable bottom line came from $4 million in playoff money.
The team emerged from the 1995-96 campaign $306,072 in the black. Regular-season losses were blotted out by $4.8 million in playoff dough and $2.2 million from SA one events.
But, in addition, the Spurs enjoyed a windfall of $9.6 million in revenues from a one-time payment from the expansion teams.
The black figures are nice, but they do disguise the fact that the team operates in the red during the regular season.
This, most observers figured the Spurs were on an express train to financial disaster this season. The team is expected to tally losses of from $4 million to $5 million, but insurance covering the injured players should allow the team to about break even.
There had been some indications that the Spurs would be able to share in a pot of NBA money designed to help smaller market teams. The contribution could have been as high as $3 million, but now it appears no help will be coming San Antonio’s way.
We don't expect any of that money,'' Chairman of the Board Peter Holt said. That is a little frustrating and confusing. We don’t understand how we can be the smallest (television) market and yet not receive help.
We've been talking to (Commissioner) David Stern and others in the league,'' Holt said. Apparently we’re doing too good of a marketing job to qualify for the money.‘’
The league’s aide is granted to teams that are not generating a certain revenue flow from its market.
The preliminary talk that we're hearing is that a couple of teams are going to receive it, but it's not us,'' Holt said. We market our product about as well as you can.‘’
Holt said the league even has sent representatives to San Antonio to study the marketing methods of Executive Vice President Russ Bookbinder.
I think it penalizes somebody who goes out of his way to bring in business,'' President Jack Diller said. If we can bring in a dollar that cost less than a dollar to bring in, we’ll do it. We’ll go to Corpus Christi, Laredo, places so far away that milwaukee and other cities wouldn’t consider it.‘’
This NBA program just shows revenue brought in, it doesn’t show the costs of bringing it in,‘’ Diller explained. ``We’re selling our advertisers things that go on in schools, in H-E-B parking lots, promotions that are expensive to deliver. We don’t sit on our hands, although that would be best to earn money from that NBA (help) program.‘’
But, even without the NBA income, the Spurs’ owners still can benefit from this season’s revenue activity.
The owners will be able to share in the depreciation-amortization figure that will be calculated when the final financial figures are toted.
The amount last year was $10.8 million, the year before more than $15 million.
The $10 million depreciation-amortization figure of last season helped the owners lessen their tax burden from the team’s profit ($306,000 through season profits and $9 million from the expansion teams). Owners are allowed to deduct the depreciation-amortization figure from their profits, lessening their tax burden.
This season, the owners undoubtedly will be able to show a loss after the figure is added to losses from the season. The owners can share in this loss according to their shares in the Spurs, and apply the resulting amount as losses in their other business ventures.
Reportedly, the original owners selected a 3 1/2-year time frame in which to use the depreciation figure. That clock has about run out. But Holt’s five-year clock began last summer.
Holt said there would be no cash call this year and didn’t anticipate one next season.
I'm the biggest owner and I'm not going to be putting any money into it,'' Holt said. We feel there shouldn’t be a cash call and hope to struggle through the next two years without one.‘’
The Spurs do expect it to be a struggle until they are able to move into a new home.
Holding down costs can be a difficult maneuver, particularly in the face of ever-increasing player salaries.
The Spurs should be spared any dramatic rises in player costs. The current roster will have rises and falls in salaries, according to the individual contracts. The team’s draft choice will be locked into a three-year deal, about a $2.1 million start for a No. 3 pick. Another salary may come from a free-agent signing for about $1.7 million if the Spurs are able to obtain a medical exception for Charles Smith.
But Holt warns about a revenue-cracking pay scale that could be initiated during the summer of 1998 when the crop of 1995 rookies, such as joe Smith, hit the free market.
The key is that we want to keep a competitive team in San Antonio,'' Holt said. My gut tells me we could stay here a long time, the market has supported the Spurs for 25 years now. EN2901CGR2 -05/01/97-11:38
``But we don’t want to be like the Clippers. They have had the lowest payroll for years and a low payroll normally does not get you into the playoffs,‘’ Holt said.
``Our ownership group is not interested in flooring a non=competitive team,‘’ he said. But, to stay competitive, the Spurs would have to meet market-place salary demands.
1998 will set the tone,'' Holt said. If we see a $150-million man, the league will have to figure out how to deal with it. Will we end up with four teams – Chicago, the Lakers, the Knicks, Boston – in a top tier and then another totally different level beneath them?
``I don’t see how Utah, Phoenix, Portland, ourselves and the other small markets could compete. You can only cut costs so much. You have that cause and effect and the effect would be a non-competitive team.‘’
Ticket sales have been dropping since the splurge at the start of last season when the All-Star game proved a useful selling tool.
It's a worrisome situation,'' Holt said. We remain concerned enough about ticket revenue to project lower revenue next season. We’re just at the point where we’re battling for every dollar to stay even. We have no margin of error.
``Every business is a little risky, but this is cutting it a little too close year after year,‘’ he said.
Nevertheless, Diller says he’s convinced the Spurs can make it in San Antonio.
We don't have the corporate base here, or the television population that other teams have, but we're the only major pro franchise in town,'' he said. Spurs basketball has been here for 25 years. It’s something that people obviously like. We wouldn’t be in this if we didn’t think it would work.‘’
Diller said ticket sales fall-off has occurred since the team moved to the dome, the greatest failure coming in the area of corporate suites.
Nothing along the ends has been sold,'' he said. Out of 34 suites, only 14 have been leased. They all ran out after last year and few were renewed.‘’
Suites cost from $40,000 to $90,000, according to Diller.
So, of the original 34, we've lost 20,'' he said. Suites along the sidelines sell and I think that helps indicate that they will sell in a new arena.‘’
Diller indicated the prospect of a new arena would put the investors in a more financially optimistic mode.
You have to be willing to pay the losses for a period of time and that's a question the investors have to answer,'' Diller said. But you’re more willing to pay the losses if there’s light at the end of the tunnel as opposed as saying you’re paying losses without any real hope of being able to dig out of this thing.
``There’s no question we’ll be in a loss situation during the time it takes to build a new arena,‘’ he said. ‘‘It’s not a crisis, but it’s something we have to deal with right away. It’s not something out there on the horizon.’’
The general feeling is that the marketing department will get a nice boost this year, touting the return of David Robinson and Sean Elliott, the arrival of the draft pick and a potential trade.
You don't get into this business unless you're an optimist,'' holt said. I’m already looking forward to the next season.‘’
Holt said reconfiguring the Alamodome to make it more fan accommodating and lure more customers probably is unlikely.
We'll have some talks about possible reconfiguration, but i don't know if anything will come of that,'' he said. I’ve heard the alk about how well the NCAA did by installing the extra stands where the curtain normally is.
But that was for two or three games. There's not an NBA facility as large as ours,'' he pointed out. We open our $5 seats and have trouble filling them. The NCAAs had 41,000 fans. That’s not reasonable for us. The largest cities don’t attract crowds like that. You can’t do it for 41 games.‘’
It's been proven that arenas should have seating capacities for 22,000 to 24,000 fans,'' he said. That gives you the right size, the intimacy basketball demands. We also understand that a new building will have to be a multi-purpose arena or the public won’t go for it.‘’
Diller said he expects money for the new structure to come from the private sector.
I think the community sees this as something that is a private- public partnership,'' Diller said. The private side contribution reflects the size of the market. I don’t see any reason why the teams or comcerts or others using the facility would think it would be provided at no cost. It could be through rent, payment of bonds or a more direct-type contribution.‘’
Diller said that, in the final analysis, the voters will decide what they think is important to the community.
The other thing I see popping up from time to time is people saying the Spurs have a 10-year lease,` he said. I see that in the Express-News.
``But, essentially, it’s a year-to-year lease. I raise this point because sometimes people think we’re not meeting our committments, trying to break a lease. But the agreement gives us the right to end or cancel at any time except during a season.‘’
Holt said he has heard no murmuring from any owners wanting to get out of the enterprise. He also said he has had no conversations to acquire additional ownership but noted he may make a few calls this summer.
The chairman agreed that outside attempts to acquire the franchise are always in the offing, but said he has had no recent inquiries.
It's been awhile since any city has called,'' he said. It’s still out there, but we’ve put the word out that we’re not interested. Nashville called months ago just to make sure.‘’
By Glenn Rogers Express-News Staff Writer, via San Antonio Express-News