NFL Future in San Antonio "Tough Call"

TallySaint · 01-23-2006, 03:04 PM

NFL future in S.A. 'tough call,' study finds

Tom Orsborn
San Antonio Express-News Staff Writer

A feasibility study commissioned by the city paints a cautiously optimistic picture that an NFL team would enjoy financial success in San Antonio.

"It's not a slam dunk or a 100percent certainty, but I believe a team in San Antonio could be successful if certain pieces of the puzzle fall into place," the report's author, Patrick Rishe, said.

In the study, obtained by the San Antonio Express-News, Rishe predicted a San Antonio franchise would enjoy a two-year "honeymoon" highlighted by strong attendance and corporate support.

But Rishe warned in subsequent seasons the success of the franchise would hinge on the team's on-the-field performance and whether it could market itself regionally.

"If the team suffers from a prolonged drought from playoff contention, fan and corporate support may wane," he said.

Mayor Phil Hardberger and other city officials declined comment, saying they had yet to receive copies of the study.

The city contracted Rishe in October at a cost of $10,000 when it appeared the New Orleans Saints were considering permanent relocation to San Antonio.

The study was based on fan surveys collected during the Saints-Atlanta Falcons game Oct. 16 at the Alamodome. Rishe is an economics professor at Webster University in St. Louis who has been a consultant for Major League Baseball and the NCAA.

"The purpose of the study was to give (City Council) a rough sense of the feasibility of bringing professional football to San Antonio and whether it would succeed," Rishe said.

His conclusion?

"It's a tough call," Rishe said. "The region certainly has enough enthusiasm. Certainly for the short term, selling tickets would not be an issue. But because San Antonio is a smaller market relative to other NFL cities, there is cause for concern about the long-term sustainability of a franchise in San Antonio."

Based on data obtained from more than 530 surveys from the Saints-Falcons game, Rishe estimated the game's economic impact was $3.7 million for Bexar, Comal, Guadalupe and Wilson counties.

Rishe projected the per-season economic impact for the four-county region would be between $24 million and $37million during the honeymoon period. After that, it would fall to $20 million, he predicted.

Attendance also would dip, particularly if the team were to lose on the field, said Rishe. He pointed out that San Antonio ranks ahead of only New Orleans and Detroit among NFL teams in average household income at $43,516.

"It would be prudent for the team to use a far-reaching campaign to market the club," Rishe said. "For starters, that would mean reaching out to the more affluent Austin community."

The report makes no mention of the need for a new stadium or that San Antonio's television market ranks 37th in the country. The Alamodome has only 38 suites. New Orleans' TV market ranked 43rd before Hurricane Katrina, but the Louisiana Superdome has 137 suites. Reliant Stadium in Houston has 188 suites.

"The issue has never been attendance," County Judge Nelson Wolff said. "We have proved that a million times over with games here. The issue to the NFL is premium seating, advertising and television revenue. Whether we like it or not, the NFL looks at those three issues."

Said Marc Ganis, a Chicago-based sports industry consultant: "The Alamodome, as currently constituted, is inadequate as a permanent home for an NFL franchise. When it was designed and built it was fine, but the stadium arms race has increase exponentially the past 10 years."

The study also concluded that:

Fans were willing to pay ticket prices consistent with single-ticket and season-ticket averages for Saints games in New Orleans ($60 per ticket or about $600 per season ticket).

An NFL team in San Antonio likely would block at least $6million to $8 million annually in local money from being spent by fans attending NFL games in other cities.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/f....1c963632.html

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01-23-2006, 03:04 PM	#1
TallySaint 1000 Posts + Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Tallahassee Posts: 1,367	NFL Future in San Antonio "Tough Call" NFL future in S.A. 'tough call,' study finds Tom Orsborn San Antonio Express-News Staff Writer A feasibility study commissioned by the city paints a cautiously optimistic picture that an NFL team would enjoy financial success in San Antonio. "It's not a slam dunk or a 100percent certainty, but I believe a team in San Antonio could be successful if certain pieces of the puzzle fall into place," the report's author, Patrick Rishe, said. In the study, obtained by the San Antonio Express-News, Rishe predicted a San Antonio franchise would enjoy a two-year "honeymoon" highlighted by strong attendance and corporate support. But Rishe warned in subsequent seasons the success of the franchise would hinge on the team's on-the-field performance and whether it could market itself regionally. "If the team suffers from a prolonged drought from playoff contention, fan and corporate support may wane," he said. Mayor Phil Hardberger and other city officials declined comment, saying they had yet to receive copies of the study. The city contracted Rishe in October at a cost of $10,000 when it appeared the New Orleans Saints were considering permanent relocation to San Antonio. The study was based on fan surveys collected during the Saints-Atlanta Falcons game Oct. 16 at the Alamodome. Rishe is an economics professor at Webster University in St. Louis who has been a consultant for Major League Baseball and the NCAA. "The purpose of the study was to give (City Council) a rough sense of the feasibility of bringing professional football to San Antonio and whether it would succeed," Rishe said. His conclusion? "It's a tough call," Rishe said. "The region certainly has enough enthusiasm. Certainly for the short term, selling tickets would not be an issue. But because San Antonio is a smaller market relative to other NFL cities, there is cause for concern about the long-term sustainability of a franchise in San Antonio." Based on data obtained from more than 530 surveys from the Saints-Falcons game, Rishe estimated the game's economic impact was $3.7 million for Bexar, Comal, Guadalupe and Wilson counties. Rishe projected the per-season economic impact for the four-county region would be between $24 million and $37million during the honeymoon period. After that, it would fall to $20 million, he predicted. Attendance also would dip, particularly if the team were to lose on the field, said Rishe. He pointed out that San Antonio ranks ahead of only New Orleans and Detroit among NFL teams in average household income at $43,516. "It would be prudent for the team to use a far-reaching campaign to market the club," Rishe said. "For starters, that would mean reaching out to the more affluent Austin community." The report makes no mention of the need for a new stadium or that San Antonio's television market ranks 37th in the country. The Alamodome has only 38 suites. New Orleans' TV market ranked 43rd before Hurricane Katrina, but the Louisiana Superdome has 137 suites. Reliant Stadium in Houston has 188 suites. "The issue has never been attendance," County Judge Nelson Wolff said. "We have proved that a million times over with games here. The issue to the NFL is premium seating, advertising and television revenue. Whether we like it or not, the NFL looks at those three issues." Said Marc Ganis, a Chicago-based sports industry consultant: "The Alamodome, as currently constituted, is inadequate as a permanent home for an NFL franchise. When it was designed and built it was fine, but the stadium arms race has increase exponentially the past 10 years." The study also concluded that: Fans were willing to pay ticket prices consistent with single-ticket and season-ticket averages for Saints games in New Orleans ($60 per ticket or about $600 per season ticket). An NFL team in San Antonio likely would block at least $6million to $8 million annually in local money from being spent by fans attending NFL games in other cities. http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/f....1c963632.html 8)
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