Here is today's Green Bay Update from Jeff Ash. If you have any questions
or comments about the update, contact Jeff (mailto:jeffash@netnet.net).
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Greetings from Green Bay, where we have a cool night, clear enough to see
the coast-to-coast jets flying 6 miles high overhead.
-- Nothing is forever, not even Lambeau Field.
The Packers are planning for a new stadium to be built in the next 10 to 12
years, preferably in Green Bay.
On Monday, the Packers canceled their plans to expand and renovate Lambeau
Field. Here's why: Having to pay $28 million to $30 million in signing
bonuses for just 6 players this year has left the Packers short of cash. A
quote from team president Bob Harlan: "We need to put our money into our
football team and keep winning, rather than put it into concrete." The
Packers have a $50 million surplus, $24 million of it from the stock sale
and earmarked for stadium construction.
The Packers weren't getting enough bang for their buck with the expansion.
It would have cost $98 million just to add a couple thousand seats, rebuild
the press box, expand the concourse and add a stadium club, retail stores
and restrooms. The project to add the seats by lowering the field was $11
million alone. The concourse expansion was $30 million alone. A quote from
Harlan: "Everything we wanted to do we found out was very costly."
So the Packers cut back the project to $75 million by dropping the extra
seats. Even that, Harlan said, "was something we simply could not afford,"
given rising player costs. The Packers didn't ask for state or local aid,
so they were going to foot the entire bill. Another quote from Harlan:
"Even if we did the project, we were creating a huge public relations
problem for ourselves by not going to that (ticket) waiting list."
Had the Packers gone ahead with the expansion, they would have made only $5
million in extra revenue each year. A quote from team treasurer John
Underwood: "Is a $5 million return on a $75 million investment particularly
good? I would say no."
The Packers need to get more money out of Lambeau Field. They make $20
million a year in stadium revenue. The NFL average is $36 million.
According to Forbes magazine, the new Browns will make $49 million this
year. The Packers say the new stadium is needed in 10 to 12 years simply to
keep up with other NFL teams' stadium revenue. It has nothing to do with
the physical condition of Lambeau Field. A quote from Harlan: "Our
architects have told us that if we take care of (Lambeau), it should last
another 20 to 25 years. Structurally, it's sound. But economically, it's
not feasible."
Another quote from Harlan: "Our No. 1 source of revenue is television. ...
Your next best source of revenue is your stadium. There are 21 stadium
projects in the NFL right now. 15 of them are new; the other 6 are
renovations. Every time a team gets a new stadium, a have-not becomes a
have, and they jump over the Packers in revenue. And so we're in the middle
of the league in total revenue right now, but the danger signal is we're
much closer to the 31st team than we are to the 1st team, and we're falling
further behind."
So, the Packers have raised ticket prices after all (more on that later).
They're raising the rent for luxury boxes. They've charged $30,000; the NFL
average is $80,000 to $90,000; the Redskins get $165,000 for some of theirs
at their new stadium. They may rent out the Don Hutson Center for pregame
festivities.
However, they won't sell naming rights to Lambeau Field, nor will they have
a new stock sale, nor will they sell seat licenses to Lambeau Field ticket
holders. The latter, a fee just for the right to buy season tickets, hasn't
been ruled out for the new stadium. A quote from Harlan: "We've talked
about seat licenses. But we would probably wait until the new stadium to do
that. That's something you do to raise money to build a new stadium."
No comment from Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson, who was briefed on the
Packers' plans but is in India on a trade mission. A cynic might suggest
the Packers scrapped the expansion as a means of putting pressure on
politicians to come up with state or local aid for a new stadium. Harlan
and Underwood said that isn't the case, and Harlan insists the Packers
won't ask for such aid.
Even so, state or local aid seems a necessity for the new stadium, but
there's little legislative support for a regional taxing district like the
controversial one used to build Miller Park, the new Milwaukee Brewers
stadium. So, a county sales tax or a higher local hotel-motel tax may be
considered. The $24 million from the stock sale, invested over the long
term, and any sale of naming rights or seat licenses could give the Packers
at least $100 million toward a new stadium, and that's considerably more
than the Brewers were able to pony up for their new park.
-- Please understand that few details are available on the new stadium.
Planning began only this week. The Packers haven't looked at any locations
and probably will ask their architect, Ellerbe Becket of Kansas City, to do
so.
The new stadium is expected to cost $350 million in today's dollars. No
word on how many people it would seat, but the Packers want to reduce the
waiting list for tickets. A good guess -- and only a guess -- might be
70,000 to 75,000.
No site for it yet, but most local politicians want it to remain in the
city of Green Bay. A new stadium likely would need at least 100 acres, and
there aren't many such undeveloped parcels in the Green Bay area. Most NFL
stadiums have parking for 20,000 vehicles; Lambeau Field has 5,000. Early
site possibilities include the existing Lambeau Field site, expanding into
areas that today are residential or commercial; the far east side of town,
along Interstate 43; and southern Brown County, along U.S. 41 about 8 to 10
miles south of Lambeau Field.
-- About the increase in ticket prices, the 3rd in 4 years: End zone seats
are $37, up from $32; seats from there to the 20-yard-line are $41, up from
$36; seats between the 20s are $46, up from $39; skybox seats are $50, up
from $44; club seats are $108, up from $90; and wheelchair seats are $40,
up from $36. This puts the Packers in the middle of NFL teams in ticket
prices. Ticket revenue is split 60-40 with the visiting team.
-- The Packers expect to report a record net income of $6.7 million for the
1998 fiscal year ending March 31. However, they would have lost $10 million
without the one-time $16.5 million franchise fee from the new Browns.
-- For the record, the 6 players getting the big signing bonuses are RT
Earl Dotson, DT Santana Dotson, LB George Koonce (new deals), RB Dorsey
Levens and TE Mark Chmura (roster bonuses guaranteed as signing bonuses to
spread them out for salary cap purposes), and ...
-- ... G Raleigh McKenzie, who last week signed a 4-year, $6 million deal
with a $1.8 million signing bonus. The salary cap-friendly breakdown:
salaries of $400,000 this year, $605,000 in 2000, and $3.2 million spread
over 2001 and 2002, but it's unlikely McKenzie, 36, will see the last 2
years of that deal. McKenzie will start, though it isn't known whether
it'll be on the right or left side. That makes Joe Andruzzi the top backup
at G. McKenzie also can play tackle and center, so he's insurance in case C
Frank Winters has trouble returning from his broken leg. That versatility
makes Jeff Dellenbach's return uncertain. McKenzie, is 6-1, 283, a 15-year
veteran out of Tennessee. He wears No. 63 with the Packers. He played for
the Chargers in 1997 and 1998, under Ray Rhodes with the Eagles in 1995 and
1996, and with the Redskins for 10 years before that. He's durable, having
started 126 consecutive games. He's also the twin brother of Reggie
McKenzie, the Packers' director of pro personnel.
-- To make room for McKenzie under the salary cap, the Packers cut T Matt
Willig, whom they'd exposed in the expansion draft. The Packers cleared
$900,000 in salary and bonuses by doing so. As noted earlier, they also
gained $2.3 million under the cap by converting the roster bonuses of
Levens ($2 million) and Chmura ($1 million) to signing bonuses.
-- CB Craig Newsome had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee, but doctors
couldn't find anything wrong. That's the one he blew out in 1997, and it
started bothering him after he hurt his right knee against the Vikings in
November. He's expected to be ready for the 1st minicamp at the end of the
month.
-- The Packers have signed 2 street free agents. DL Pat Ivey is 26, 6-4,
277, out of Missouri. He wears No. 76. He was cut by the Broncos during
training camp and was on the Chargers' practice squad in 1996, but was cut
during their 1997 camp. ... WR Tyrone Goodson is 6-2, 186, out of Auburn.
He wears No. 20. He was undrafted last year and was cut by the Rams during
training camp.
-- Only 3 Packers will play in NFL Europe this spring. QB Ronnie McAda will
be with the Frankfurt Galaxy, CB Denorse Mosley with the Scottish Claymores
and FB Edwin Watson with the Berlin Thunder. McAda now wears No. 7 for the
Packers, and Mosley wears No. 23.
-- Jim Nelson, who earlier was reported to have been bound for NFL Europe,
has been switched to FB from LB. He now wears No. 39. Brian Manning, signed
late last year as a WR, has been switched to CB. He now wears No. 29.
-- Other numbers of recent additions: S Rodney Artmore is No. 46, TE Rod
Lewis is No. 49, LB Daryl Carter is No. 59, T Antone Davis is No. 73 and DE
Chris Reed is No. 79.
-- GM Ron Wolf says the Packers have no interest in bringing back S Mike
Prior or CB Rod Smith, both of whom played poorly in the 2nd half of the
season. Both have been dropped from the roster posted on the Packers' Web
site.
-- The Packers have lost 2 more players in free agency. P Sean Landeta
signed a 3-year deal with the Eagles. The Packers likely will look at a
free agent to replace him before using a draft pick. Backup DT Bob Kuberski
signed a modest 2-year, $1.8 million deal with the Falcons. A little
surprising because it looked as if he, too, was going to the Eagles.
-- LB Lamont Hollinquest and CB Roderick Mullen are expected to sign with
the Panthers by week's end. The Packers knew they couldn't afford to keep
Hollinquest and they didn't want Mullen back. It also looks as if the
Packers will lose backup RBs Darick Holmes and Travis Jervey in free
agency. The Chiefs are hot for Holmes, or so says his agent, but still no
word on where Jervey might wind up. If all 4 leave, the Packers will have
lost 8 free agents, the same as last season.
-- There's been little interest from other teams in FB William Henderson,
so he may be back with the Packers.
-- Rhodes has been working almost non-stop since being hired almost 2
months ago. He's staying at a hotel, but is spending most of his time at
Packers headquarters, keeping a low public profile. He's declined almost
all interviews and done only a couple of charity events. His family is
still in Philadelphia. His agent, Jim Solano, complains that he has to call
Rhodes at 5:30 a.m. just to pitch business or endorsement opportunities. A
quote from Solano: "He's in the office by 6:30 and he stays late. Every
time I call him, he gets angry. He wants to focus totally on the football
team." Rhodes insists he doesn't even want to do a TV or radio show, from
which he could earn $200,000 to $300,000 a year. Don't be surprised if he
relents on that by the time the season rolls around.
-- The Packers have hired former Chargers CB Gill Byrd, 38, for a new
front-office job. He's executive director of player programs and community
affairs. He'll help players' families, arrange for financial and continuing
education and career internships for players, and will be a part-time coach
during training camp.
-- They also have hired former Oilers RB and heavyweight boxer Alonzo
Highsmith, 32, as the Southwest area college scout, replacing Johnny Meads.
Highsmith, a coach's son, has been trying to break into NFL scouting or
coaching, and this is his 1st opportunity. He's 27-1-1 as a boxer, but
tore a biceps muscle in his last fight in December and doesn't plan to
fight again. His NFL career ended in 1992 because of knee problems. The
Packers have one of the youngest staffs of college scouts in the NFL, with
5 of the other 6 scouts all 28 or younger and the oldest just 36.
-- The Packers are expected to hire Ken Herock, 57, as their college
scouting director after the draft. He's quit a similar position with the
Raiders and is one of Wolf's closest friends. He'll replace John Dorsey,
who went to the Seahawks with Mike Holmgren. Herock has 30 years of NFL
personnel experience with the Falcons, Raiders and Buccaneers. His son,
Shaun, is a scout for the Packers, and his father lives in Milwaukee.
-- The Packer Hall of Fame induction banquet is Saturday night at the
Holiday Inn in downtown Green Bay. WR James Lofton and front-office staffer
Tom Miller will go in with fan Mel Knoke, 91, of Appleton. Lofton will be
presented by LB Mike Douglass, and Miller will be presented by TE Gary
Knafelc, now the public-address announcer at Lambeau Field. SS LeRoy Butler
will be honored as player of the year.
-- If you're looking for draft previews, check out the preview area of the
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Web site. They've already done a few stories
and were at the recent combine in Indianapolis. The Press-Gazette's draft
previews will come closer to the April 17-18 draft. It's expected to be a
deep draft, and the Packers are poised to take advantage with as many as 12
draft picks, including possibly 6 in the top 100. Wolf says he'd like to
find 6 starters or potential starters in the draft. Wolf isn't saying which
positions he'll target, but WR, DB and RB seem logical. He surprises us
every year, though.
-- Finally, I know I promised the annual compilation of player grades in
February, but there has been so much big news for the updates that I
haven't had a chance to get it done. Soon, I hope.
And now, the viewer mail:
-- Here's the Super Bowl ticket lottery information sought last time,
thanks to Dave, Brian, Mike and Scott. To get your name into the drawing
for the right to purchase 2 Super Bowl tickets, send your name and address
via certified or registered mail to: NFL Super Bowl Game, 280 Park Ave.,
New York, NY 10017. Entries are accepted from Feb. 1 to June 1 for that
year's game. Only 1 request per address is accepted. Tickets run upwards of
$300 each. All entrants are notified of their status in the fall. This
information also is on the South End Zone at
southendzone.com
As always, your comments and questions are welcome at jeffash@netnet.net
This week's sources: Green Bay Press-Gazette
(http://www.greenbaypressgazette.packersnews.com/welcome/to/newsandfeatures.
shtml), Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (http://www.jsonline.com/packer/news/)
and Packers (http://www.packers.com) web pages.
This week's soundtrack: Jump blues and swing from the '50s with "Jumpin'
with Joe: The Complete Aladdin and Imperial Recordings" by Big Joe Turner
and a Rhino compilation, "Blues Masters, Volume 5: Jump Blues Classics."
-- Recent adventures with Evan: It's been sunny but cool, so Evan
understandably wants to get outside more often. We usually pick him up from
preschool about 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, but have been informed by him in no
uncertain terms the last couple of weeks that we should "leave and come
back later" so he can go out to the playground with the rest of the kids.
... We live about 2 blocks from his preschool and he rode most of the way
home on my shoulders on Wednesday, delightedly checking out our tall shadow
as we passed the much thinner shadows of trees and power poles. "That's a
little shadow," he'd say. When a guy ran by with a couple of dogs, Evan
insisted he get off my shoulders so we could run for a while. ... Evan was
pretty excited to get an invitation to his cousin Jake's 7th birthday party
this weekend. Even more thrilling is that they're going bowling, a first
for Evan. That should be interesting.
That's it.
As usual, if you wish to show your appreciation for these Packers updates,
volunteer or make a donation to the charity of your choice.
Thanks, Jeff
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