Sports leagues bullish on fans despite economy
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U.S. sports executives are focusing on next week's NFL Super Bowl, baseball's spring training, basketball and hockey playoffs and expecting strong ticket sales despite a weakening economy and tighter spending by consumers.
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TEAM owners last night kick-started a week of intense activity that will help to determine who wins control of one of the richest sports in the world.
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Record attendance and rich media deals have pushed team values to new heights.
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Last week&#39;s basketball brawl in Detroit, triggered by an on-court fight that spilled into the stands when a fan tossed a drink, has set the sports world buzzing.
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By James Walker, The Columbus Dispatch, Ohio  Feb. 9--CLEVELAND -- Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell never worried about jersey sales.   Magic Johnson and Larry Bird didn't compete for fans in China and Japan.
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How odd that a major-market professional sports team blitzing relentlessly toward victory went almost unnoticed.
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Top stars make more than ever, but they raise the tide for the whole league.
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Hometown fans are often more tolerant of an athlete whose alleged behavior on or off the field has drawn the ire of others.
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For much of the regular season, Boston  Red Sox fans fumed about their $70 million right-fielder,  taunting J.D. Drew with boos as he struggled at the plate and  venting their anger in bars and on radio phone-in shows.
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In the early â90s, the N.F.L wagered that North America and Europe would embrace a brand of football that was of lesser quality than the one the leagueâs 32 teams play in the United States. They were wrong.
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As F.B.I. officials, the news media and fans pore over video footage of games refereed by Tim Donaghy, a game between the Bulls and the Warriors in February could attract attention.
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This yearâs first major tournament was a reminder that the desire born of economic despair and cultural upheaval is a powerful motor for an athlete.
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Like baseball or the weather, the economy can be a difficult thing to predict. Nonetheless, hereâs a sampling of what economists expect for 2008.
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Some baseball teams are built for the long grind of the season, some for a short playoff series.
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Sports teams are putting high technology into stadiums to attract fans, generate cash and improve standings.
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As a league that plays through the summer, Major League Soccer is subject to the ebb and flow, players coming and going for major international tournaments.
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Baseball fans anticipate the winter meetings for the trades they expect or hope to happen. But few meetings in recent years have lived up to expectations.