Voices
The Business Journal asked, “Does it matter to L.A. whether its sports teams win or lose?”
Steve Soboroff
President
Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks
Sure, there’s a ripple effect to a losing season. I’m sure there’s less merchandise sales onsite or offsite. I’m sure onsite there’s less people, less cars being parked, less hot dogs being sold. When the NBA strike was on, after-school basketball enrollments went down for the first time in 13 years at our parks. We went nuts. Whether a team wins or loses, it has an impact on the spirit of the community. We want kids to be involved in healthy extracurricular programs. That’s why I’m optimistic about the future and the incredible investment that owners have put into teams. They can’t afford to have losing teams. The only way to get a return is to do well, and just like any other business, that takes time and patience.
Mike Hernandez
City Councilman
The pendulum is not swinging in favor of our teams. Historically, if people were to look at us, they would see we have had our fair share of champions. Now we have teams with great players, but they’re not gelling as a family. Angelenos like winners, and they will wait for these teams to turn around. People still enjoy the atmosphere of games and the camaraderie they build. That’s what it’s about bringing people together and giving them something in common no matter who they cheer for.
Nick Rothenberg
Managing Partner
USWeb/CKS
Sure, it’s a drag when our teams are losing, but sports has always lived in the shadow of entertainment in this town, and that shadow is only getting bigger with all the attention on new media and the Internet in L.A. But who knows? Maybe we’ll be the first city with a virtual sports franchise we can program with winning teams!
Tom Lieser
Executive Director
UCLA Anderson Forecast
I think it averages out over time. You don’t have to win the pennant every year. Look at the Chicago Cubs. It’s a cult thing. Certainly, the value of a franchise is reflected in a won/loss record. People tune in to a winner. Fans like the consistency in that. Losing cuts the value of the enterprise for the investor, especially as we see a change in the mobility of franchises. Clearly, the commercial aspects of the game are more manifest when the loyalties among the people aren’t as intense as decades ago.
Kathryn Schloessman
L.A. Sports and Entertainment Commission
Yeah, it matters a lot to all entities involved, from ratings to attendance. I think that L.A. is much more supportive of winning teams. But I think that the ownership we have in place is spending the money and doing what they need to do to get us winning teams. The Lakers brought Phil Jackson on. The Clippers have an outstanding draft choice they have a good shot next year. The Dodgers are a class-act team and will come back even though they’re not doing so well now. It will make us appreciate their comeback even more later. You need the losses to appreciate the wins.
Robert F. Schack
Chairman
American Business Bank
Southern California is a great sports market when teams are winning. That begins to fade when they don’t. People are easily diverted and become more non-committal because this is a city of choice. There are so many outside activities that people have a hard time being loyal when they don’t have to. And the loyalty is tested even more when you keep trading. So the only incentive for people to attend is to see a winning team.
Carlos Cable
General Manager
Dublin’s Irish Whiskey Pub
It sometimes affects us financially, but we showcase other teams. Our business doesn’t just rely on L.A. We have lots of New York fans. They’re diehards. They’re crazy. When their teams are losing, they’re having a bad day. I mean, L.A. doesn’t have a football team and we still do well. Right now, we’ve got women’s soccer on and we’re packed. With so many sports out there and more ways to access it, a bad season here or there doesn’t matter. There’s always something else to watch.
