Quote:
Originally Posted by SSW
I think time will tell whether building the stadium in Santa Clara was such a great idea for the TEAM or not. The Yorks were dead set on building that stadium and refused to work w/the City in order to build one there. But, I think that had more to do BUSINESS than the good of the team and/or the fan base.
The team has always been identified with San Francisco but, as a native San Franciscan, I do not identify w/the team any more, especially since it's run by owners from Ohio and is located in Silicon Valley over 40 miles away from the City. Frankly, I'd prefer it if they'd complete the split by renaming the team the Santa Clara or Silicon Valley Forty Niners, so that San Francisco won't have to be associated with the mess they've made of the team in any way anymore.
Some local businessmen saved the Giants from being sold and moving from the City. Perhaps there are some other local businessmen in the City who might be interested in trying to save the Niners in a similar way. We lifelong 49er fans can only hope.
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building a privately financed stadium is never an indication of anything. It's an excercise in expected returns over an assumed peroid of time. Given the low interest rates for borrowing, local business support (Levi's, SAP, etc.), and deep pockets of current owners, I can see how it financially makes a lot of sense to build your own. (Same can't be said about a privately financed stadium in say smaller MSAs such as Denver, St. Louis, Kansas City or San Diego.)
Needless to say, a privately financed stadium allows the owner to collect the vast % of event revenue and without the city holding leverage if/when the team ever decide to leave.
Given the fan base support and the near monopoly over this base in the bay area, I would have been surprised if the organization elected for a publicly financed stadium.
This year, I often read comments from fans who are so disgusted by the team that they refuse to "support" the team by going to the game. Well if they actually put their money where their mouth is, then don't even watch the game on TV. Don't watch the local 49ers pregame/postgame shows. Don't buy fan gear, heck don't even go to the stadium area on game day to support the local merchants. If this actually happens enmass, then the TV ratings system would catch up on it in 1 to 2 years. A complete boycott of the system is near impossible, b/c fans just can't resist watching even garbage for 3 hours every Sunday, and due to the NFL TV revenue sharing agreement. So even if 49er fans don't watch, if the league itself is increasing viewership, then Jed York still gets paid the same or more each year. Last year each team got about $225M.