« Underberg building all but gone | Main | No 1. idea for Nets' arena »
April 17, 2006
Cup half full before coffers are empty
Bruce Ratner feels great about his team's chances of going all the way.
While attendance and revenues are up, he wants you to forget that the team is in the red and groundbreaking on the arena is behind schedule.
NY Daily News, Ratner willing to pay for wins
Ratner is looking forward to his second postseason as owner of the Nets. And he assured fans and players he will do what it takes to keep his team intact and competitive despite reportedly losing over $20 million last season. He stands to lose more the longer his proposed Atlantic Yards project in Brooklyn, which has an arena as its centerpiece, is delayed.
NY Post, FEEL-GOOD 'W'
Owner Bruce Ratner saw the game as another part of an already "great" season for the Nets both on the court and from a business standpoint. Forget financial losses, Ratner wants this team to stay together for as long as possible and hopefully to achieve the dream he holds for this season.
"We're going to win the whole thing," Ratner said optimistically.
Newark Star-Ledger, The way Ratner sees it, his Nets have look of a championship team
"I've never had my doubts," he said. "Even when we lost five (out of six) ... I said, 'Coach, don't worry. We're fine. We're going to do it, just stay with the whole thing. Don't worry about it. It will take care of itself as long as everybody doesn't go after each other and plays together.' And this team has stuck together.
...
He also is confident they'll be the first team on Atlantic and Flatbush avenues."It seems to be going slow, but steady," he said of the move.
The lingering doubt, of course, is that he has deep enough pockets to keep the Nets solvent until the move. Recent reports indicate that even though Arena attendance has increased by 12 percent, the team lost $26.8 million in the last fiscal year.
Posted by lumi at April 17, 2006 11:21 AM