C's Better Keep Winning, As New Owners Are In A Ticket Price Raising Frenzy

[Way Of The Ray <wayray@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

A Non Web Exclusive from the Boston Herald:

Here's what the new ownership of the Celtics -- the so-called Boston
Championship Basketball LLC group -- is projecting for the upcoming
years,
in the prospectus they sent to potential investors:

- A ticket price raise of 6 percent per year, with average ticket prices

topping out at $90.00 by 2013.

- That the Celtics between now and 2013 will average 7 playoff games
per year (Bird era: 13.5; Post-Bird era: 2.5 appearances).

- Value of the Celtics franchise by 2012 will be $777 million.

- C's Fleet Center revenues will rise from 0 percent (now) to 30
percent.  So, look for the new Celtics ownership to threaten to leave,
if the Jacob Brothers don't amend their leaseing agreement and cut
the team into part of the concessions and other fiduciary revenues at
the Fleet.

(So, to put this succintly, the Celtics, in order to meet the
projections of the
new ownership, will have to continously win for the next ten years.
Heading
back to the lottery is not an option. One wonders, what folly will
result
from this strategy, when the team suffers injuries or setbacks? Will
they trade away
lottery picks to keep playing their 7 playoff games?  Will they be
willing to deal a Walker
(ala the Indian Pacers avec Dale Davis/Jalen Rose method of success),
and risk
less success in the present  for greater future rewards? Seems unlikely.
And
how will the upcoming luxury tax afect the scenario?)
Ray