Local sports teams feel economic pinch

Twins president Dave St. Peter is among sports executives in the Twin Cities who are concerned that the slow economy could have a big effect on revenue for the four pro teams and the Gophers in all sports.

While St. Peter didn't offer any figures on Twins income so far this season, people close to the team claim sales in all departments are down 10 to 12 percent.

"The economy is going to be a factor with corporations cutting down different things, including their budget for tickets and such," St. Peter said.

The Vikings' season ticket renewal is reported to be down some 20 percent, and executive suites aren't as easy to sell as they have been in the past at $8,000 per game or $80,000 for a season. The Wolves are really struggling at the gate, and you would have to expect that with the poor product they have put on the court.

Even though the Wild announce sellouts at every game, you have no trouble buying tickets on the street or at the box office before every single game.

The Wild no doubt have the most loyal following of all sports in this area, with hockey fans less likely to give up on the team than ticket buyers for the other pro teams in town.

A Conventions Sports and Leisure (CSL) market analysis made late in 2006 gave a good indication how competitive it will be for the sports dollar once the Twins and the Gophers football stadiums are open, and when and if the Vikings get a new stadium.

Once the new Gophers and Twins stadiums are built, and if a Vikings stadium is built, there would be potential for 364 suites and 16,160 clubs seats. This would include 37 suites and 1,500 club seats in the new Gophers football stadium, and 150 suites and 8,000 club seats in a new Vikings stadium.

So even if there wasn't a recession in progress, the competition for the suite and club seats ticket buyer is going to be pretty stiff.

These local franchises will get hurt financially if they don't put a winning product on the field.

Wolves make progress Flip Saunders likes the young players on the Wolves, but the former Wolves and current Pistons coach said he believes their problem is the strength of the Western Conference.

"Yeah, they've got a future," said Saunders, after the Pistons -- with three starters not dressed -- beat the Wolves 94-90 on Tuesday after trailing by 21 points in the second quarter. "The problem is that in the West there's so many teams -- not just the top teams, but there's teams 5 through 10 that all are very good teams. And there's a lot of those teams that are young teams, so they can make a lot of progress and get a lot better, but still it might be tough to jump some of those teams in the Western Conference.

Saunders was impressed by Al Jefferson, who continues to dominate opposing centers. He scored 26 points against the Pistons.

"Al's a load down there," said Saunders, whose team has all but clinched the No. 2 seed in the East behind the Celtics. "Al's got great ability to score. What people don't understand is he's got such quick feet. He's a very, very explosive offensive player."

Let's face the facts. Saunders didn't leave on the best terms with Wolves owner Glen Taylor and vice president of basketball operations Kevin McHale when he was fired, so Tuesday's victory over the Wolves with his three All-Stars (Chauncey Billups, Rasheed Wallace and Richard Hamilton) not playing had to give him some personal satisfaction.

Jottings Royce White, the outstanding basketball player who had some problems at DeLaSalle and was dismissed, enrolled at Hopkins on Tuesday, according to Hopkins basketball coach Ken Novak Jr. "We had nothing to do with his enrolling," Novak said. He said he believes White will be eligible right from the start of next basketball season.

Reliever Joe Nathan was a teammate of new Twins starter Livan Hernandez for two years in San Francisco, where Hernandez was an effective pitcher. "He's going to go out there and take the ball and he's going to chew up innings. The guy can pitch; the guy keeps you in ballgames and keeps hitters off-balance. He throws pitches anywhere from 88 [miles per hour] down to 58, so he can keep hitters guessing even when they're in hitter's counts. They can't sit on one pitch. So a guy that can keep you in games and win a lot of ballgames for you."

Angels manager Mike Scioscia said former Gophers infielder Robb Quinlan is a solid member of the Angels' 25-man roster. "Here is a player who can play so many position well, and you don't find many players who can do what Rob can," Scioscia said.

Three former Gophers wrestlers -- Cole Konrad, Jared Lawrence and Damion Hahn -- are training for the Olympic tryouts in Las Vegas on June 13-15.

While there have been rumors that former Gophers associate athletic director Jeff Schemmel -- now athletic director at San Diego State -- is a candidate for the athletic director vacancy at Kansas State, school president Jon Wefald said Schemmel hasn't applied for the job. Schemmel is a former Kansas State track athlete.

Jack Hillen, a former Holy Angels and Colorado College hockey player, has signed with the Islanders and was in their lineup Tuesday night.

Defensive lineman Walker Ashley of Eden Prairie and running back Brylee Callender of Lakeville were at one time two of the top recruited football players in the country. Ashley spent some time at Southern California and never finished out there. Callender started with the Gophers, transferred to the University of Nevada and after one year is no longer a member of the team.