A sporting chance - Phoenix Business Journal:

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"If you want to turn a large fortun e into asmall one, just go buy a franchise," Ogdej jokes. Now in its second season, the Thunder operates on a budgetof $1 milliomn annually. The team makee money by filling seats and getting corporate sponsors, but when it fallds short, Ogden, who is president and chiecf executive of SunCor Development Co., fishes hundreds of thousands of dollar s from his own pocket. The Thunder typifiees Valley sports franchises other than the BigFour -- Diamondbacks, Coyotes and Cardinals -- by trying to carves out a fan base and nichwe market with one producr they say the big guys can'ft touch -- the human element. It'as a tough business.
The smaller sports teams are yountg and still struggling to establisgh themselves in a market that some argue is saidBryan Colangelo, vice president of Phoenix Arena Sports. Even the four majof teams, though having winning seasons, are findinvg attendance lagging, Colangelo said. In addition to the the Valleyis supporting: The Phoenix Mustangs, a minor league ice hockeyy team. • The , the Women's National Basketball League team. • The Arizonza Rattlers, an arena football HOW WILL ITSHAKrE DOWN?
Smaller sports franchises have come and gone -- the Sandsharksa proceeded the Thunder in soccer and the Roadrunnera played here before the Mustangs in ice The Sandsharks, owned by a local investmentr group headed by Valley businessmen Briabn Weymouth and Kerri Dunne, folded in 1997 because of financial Roadrunners management, which vowed to keep the Internationap Hockey League franchise in the Valleyg -- even after the Coyotes skated in from Winnipeg -- packer up the team and moved to San Calif. Current owners and operators, say their teams could be the ones tomake it. But, it'sa a tough call, they add.
"Only time will tell," said Seth vice president of operationsw for the Rattlers andthe Mercury, whichb play in America West Arenqa and are owned by the organization. Both the Mustangs and the playing inArizona Veteran's Memoriall Coliseum, have given themselves five years to turn a profiy or at least break What could boost both teams are new The Thunder is expected to move into the Coyotes' new facilityu in Scottsdale in 2002 and the Mustangs are considering buildingb a venue of their own, although specifiv plans or a locatioh are not firm. The owned by Jerry Jenkins and Allan have an operating budget ofabout $2 million per year.
In its third the team is also operating inthe red, said Troy vice president. The Rattlers and the Mercuryh are in adifferent situation, benefiting from the deep pockets of the Suns. Operating items such as mediqa relations, advertising, ticketing, signage and sponsorshilp packages come easier butthat doesn't mean the teams are doinyg any better financially. "I don't know if things are viewe inthose terms, profit or no Sulka said. "There's a lot of otherr reasons to operatethese franchises." For example, they make use of Americas West Arena during the NBA's off-season.
One of the goal s for the WNBA was to keep basketball in front of fans all And perhapsmost importantly, even if they are losing the teams' franchise values are according to Colangelo.