MONEY
MAKER A few issues ago we took
a look at the 2007 NFL draft and discovered that 28 of the 32 players selected
in the first round were Black and that 52 of the first 64 players were Black.
The 52 Black players will sign contracts with guaranteed money in excess of $250
million dollars. While the NBA is going “European”,
the 2007 NBA draft produced similar results. Of the 30 players selected in the
first round, 23 were Black, led by No. 1 pick Greg Oden. With the 2007 NBA draft
behind us, I thought I would take a look at what the No. 1 pick is worth to the
Trailblazers. The Blazers finished 22nd in
the NBA in attendance in 2006 with 16,3260 fans per game. Historically, the team
with the No. 1 pick got an average attendance boost of 11.5 percent (1,881 fans)
the following season. Billionaire owner Paul Allen bought back the rights to the
Rose Garden last season so the Blazers get to keep the club seat and suite revenue.
With an average ticket price of $43 per game, the Blazers will earn $3.3 million
more in gate revenue alone from having won the NBA draft lottery. Assuming
that the additional 1,881 fans spend an average of $10 at the concession stand,
the Blazers will reap an additional $771,210. If every three people are paying
for a parking space, which costs an average of $10, the Blazers will reap an additional
$257,070 in parking revenue. The average increase
in wins for the team with the No. 1 pick is 11 ½ games, which would put
the Blazers at a solid 43, good enough for at least an eight seed. An eighth seed
translates into at least 2 more home games, worth a gross of approximately $1
million per game or $2 million. While it is
impossible to calculate the financial impact of additional TV revenue, the Blazers
will be part of the new Comcast SportsNet Northwest network and they are certain
to earn more TV money as a result of having the No. 1 selection…especially
since 21 of the Blazers games were not even aired locally last season. When you
add up the additional ticket, parking and concession income, the Blazers will
earn an additional $6.3 million as a result of having won the NBA draft lottery.
Can you imagine what would have happened in
Greg Oden and his high school teammate, Mike Conley, Jr. (the No. 4 selection
overall), had selected Virginia Union, a perennial top team in Black college basketball,
instead of Ohio State? Ohio State athletics generated $101.5 million in revenue
in 2006 and basketball, which had an $8.9 million surplus, earned $11.7 million
in revenue or more than all of Black college basketball combined. If
you have questions or require additional information, please contact Everett L.
Glenn, Esq. at eglenn@espsportslawpro.com
or call 562.619.8460.
| 
