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May 28, 2004 - Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels December 8, 2003 Blazer crowds shrinking to all-time Garden lows Fans may be turned off by drug use, team infighting PORTLAND (AP) - The Portland Trail Blazers are having problems on the road, but some are developing at home, too. Fans that used to pack the Rose Garden are staying home. The 11 worst-attended games in the Rose Garden's nine-year history all have come among this year's first 12 home games. The arena that seats 20,000 is routinely getting crowds of 14,000-15,000. Fans appear put off by drug use, fights, team squabbles and a new management still trying to make good on a promise to cleanup the team's act. "You've got a broken brand that needs to be fixed," said Blazers President Steve Patterson, hired by team owner Paul Allen in June. In fatter times, the Trail Blazers would sell out virtually all season. Blazers have cut some ticket prices and launched aggressive sales appeals to try to bring that back. The team and its sister organization, Oregon Arena Corp., have lost money for at least three consecutive years. Their $100 million loss in the 2002-03 fiscal year made them among the more unprofitable franchises in professional sports. Some reasons are beyond the Blazers' control. Oregon has led the nation in unemployment for months. Large corporations, which typically furnish a critical fan base for the NBA, have left Portland. But marketing experts say there is more than that at work. "It's not about wins and losses now," said Hadrian Shaw, owner of Shaw Sports Business in Monterey, Calif., a consultant to professional sports franchises. "We're talking about a team that has qualified for the playoffs 21 straight times. For them to not be drawing well, it points to reasons other than performance." Rasheed Wallace, Damon Stoudamire, Zach Randolph and Qyntel Woods - have been charged with marijuana possession in the past 13 months. Bonzi Wells, newly traded to Memphis, gestured obscenely toward home fans and launched an obscenity-laden tirade against head coach Maurice Cheeks. There have been fistfights, threats against referees and driving violations. The Blazers finished No. 110 out of 121 professional sports teams in ESPN's fan poll and last in the categories of fan relations and player effort and likability. None of this is lost on Patterson. "It's the ultimate result of a win-at-all-cost approach in a community that doesn't favor that as a style of operation by its corporate citizens," he said. Local television ratings are down. "A couple thousand" season ticket-holders have given up their tickets, Patterson said. A drive to persuade 45 suite owners to sign new contracts fell way short. The organization's annual revenue this year will exceed $100 million. But its expenses likely will surpass $175 million. Blazers ticket sales bring in about $40 million a year. Club seats and suites produce another $15 million. Sponsorship sales, concessions and national and local television money make up the balance. The Blazers' expenses are dominated by player salaries - about $86 million this year. Under a league luxury tax, teams are fined $1 for every $1 they exceed the salary cap. That cost the Blazers $45 million last year. It should reach $30 million this year. Just as Patterson demands better behavior of Blazers players, he also expects to end the days of unrestrained spending. "If you're going to have discipline on one side of the operation," he said, "you've got to have discipline on the other." At season's end player salaries could drop. The team will save $15 million a year when former Blazer Shawn Kemp's contract expires. It can cut ties or renegotiate contracts with Wallace and Wesley Person, whose contracts together cost nearly $25 million annually. In the end, reconnecting with fans may be the Blazers' most pressing task. Marketers say Patterson can't be the only person showing his face more often. Management also needs to prod Blazers players to make more public appearances - outside of courtrooms. "I think that Paul Allen's doing the right thing in bringing the new group in," said James Kahler, who directs Arizona State University's M.B.A. Sports Business Program. "But it's going to take those guys a while to clean up the mess." DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams