Sports Management 101
I hate to break it to you but winning a championship is not at the very top of any Sports' Franchise agenda. That's great for the papers, but these are all businesses.
Take Dolan's goggles off and read this and really think about it:
EVERY business in the world operaters under the chief goal of MAKING MONEY and getting their owners/executives rich.
-The popular theory is that winning a championship will be a catalyst for several outcomes.
a) Gives a team instant certification as being the top brand in its industy, which will in turn gives its customers legitimacy as consumers of the cheif product in a field on many (other products = Bulls, Nets, Mavs, ect.)
b) Gives advertisers (arguably the real customers), a case that the team with a championship will ideally have the biggest fan base of all. (Advertisers/Companies don't give a rat's ass about stats and rings, its demographics that they are interested in.
c) Gives a team security that since it is the best in league, the host arena can forecast impressive attendance figures for the next 3-5 years.
d) Gives a team instant MAINSTREAM media access by being the best. Media outlets and networks are forced to cover the story.
Reasons a) b) and c) are why teams really stride for being a championship team. But in this modern era of sports and business, not every team goes into the season thinking about rings. Some teams have strategic plans that span over next decade that probably don't waste time thinking about a championship.
Here are some cases.
The Bulls. In the last 2-3 years of The Bulls championship run, Jerry Reindorf had a larger issue to deal with. It was clear Jordan and Pippen were leaving, and he had to prepare for the fall out. While the Bulls were winning rings, Don't think Jerry would have traded them all away for another 3 more years with them. During that time, the larger issue (above winning a ring) was how to keep his product viable. We all know how that story ended.
The Lakers. Similar to above, keeping Shaq and Kobe around- not necessarily for rings, but for advertisers/investors, to surround the team was the real issue at hand. Many today question why Jerry Buss sits on his ass while his team doesnt do anything to improve. Again, its not because winning a championship is the goal. (Kobe ensures revenue, whether he likes it or not)
Alex Rodriguez. Read the papers. Anyone of you hear his agent, Scott Boras case for signing ARod to a 30 mil year deal. Evidently, A-ROD brings MONEY to teams. You think A-Rod went to Texas to win a ring? You think Texas signed him because he would bring a ring? Texas thought A-Rod would be enough to keep their fans happy and franchise afloat. This is proven because Texas did not do much else to improve roster when Arod played there. Any in negotiations now, Boras isn't arguing that Arod will bring rings, be brings advertisers and fans with him- which equal big money for owners.
Colorado Rockes. They probably will win a championship this year. Does anyone care? Nope. Will fans flock to Coors Field next year, or will any networks pick up there games next season? Probably not much.
In Conclusion, all I'm saying is to dig a little deeper on these "PR Stories" and why they outweigh retaining a no named rookie or Jerome James.
The Knicks make money. That is not a question. But on a popular poll last year on fan treatment, the Knicks ranked 27 in the NBA, and wayyyy below in spanning all sports. Investors catch on to this sort of thing, and I think that regardless of how much we all love David Lee, this team is far far FARRR away from having the same repuation it had in mid 90s. Back then the Knicks were pride of the city.
And I do mean it when I say this, I rather have the Knicks play high above .500 and be in the playoffs everyyear for next 5 seasons than have Knicks win a fluke championship at 7th seed one year, and back to bottom of basement for next 4 years.
