Post by TheShadow on Nov 6, 2005 10:58:49 GMT -5
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TWO-MINUTE GRILL: RAIDERS OWNER AL DAVIS
Compiled and written by Jim Jenkins
When Raiders owner Al Davis speaks publicly, which isn't often, he attracts an audience. So, with the team's future in Oakland still in question, Davis easily fielded more questions than the city and county politicians next to him during a news conference Wednesday. They announced an end to their legal battles and the personal seat license arrangement that has caused the team's attendance problems. Beginning next year, the Raiders will run the box office operation but with no PSL up-front-costs to secure season tickets. Some extended comments from Davis during the question-and-answer session:
Q: If the PSLs (set up to help pay for Coliseum renovation) are being dropped, what will this deal do to ticket prices?
A: They will be competitive with the ticket prices in the National Football League. We think it will be positive for the fans. We want to be viable economically with the rest of the league. That's a tough question to answer right now, other than to say we want to bring championships back to Oakland, we want our players to succeed, we want our fans to be happy. And we think we can do it. We've always done it.
Q: Do you think if the team, instead of an outside agency, had been in charge of its ticket sales over the last 10 years , it would have made an appreciable difference in sellout crowds?
A: I came back because I was told (the Coliseum) was sold out, the suites were sold out, the PSLs were sold out. But the past is the past. We'll see what we do in the future. And that is the idea of this, to see if we can make it work for everybody.
Q: What can you say to the taxpayers about how much is still owed after this deal?
A: I have no idea (of the financial breakdown), but I will say Oakland has three premier professional teams. No one else in America has that. We remodeled (the Coliseum) 10 years ago, and even that is going to have to come to the forefront. (The A's) are out looking for (a new stadium) ... and there are a lot of cities just waiting to say, We're interested. The dollars they'll pay are very great. ... So, whatever (the cost), you have to think of the quality of life that (sports teams) bring to a community. ... I think Oakland should be very proud.
Q: Do you regret returning to Oakland?
A: All the people that came with me (from Los Angeles) came with the idea that it would be euphoria, that everything would be done ... and then we got into a fight (with the city, county), a war. We're trying to alleviate a lot of that. Do I regret it? I regret what happened, not necessarily that I came back. I also want to make this very interesting point. Up until 1973 in the league, if you were sold out, you didn't televise. If you weren't sold out, you televised. What happened was, (the Redskins) were sold out, and it wasn't on TV. So, Congress called in the NFL and threatened certain sanctions. They wanted (the process) to go the other way. If you were sold out, you televised. ... In any event, we changed the rule.