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Bruce Levenson exits the Hawks as billionaire Ressler arrives

BVbaseball — Wed, 19 Aug 2015 15:44:07 +0000

News has leaked out of the Atlanta Hawks NBA franchise that the initial $1 billion valuation placed on the team and rights to Philips Arena was overvalued. This means the reported $730 million sale of the franchise by Bruce Levenson‘s Atlanta Spirit consortium to Tony Ressler saw the franchise sold for a fair price. Levenson and the rest of the Atlanta Spirit consortium had announced their intention to sell the franchise towards the end of 2014, despite the franchise completing their season as the number one seed in the eastern conference of the NBA. Ressler has now gained majority control of the Atlanta Hawks to pair with his minority ownership of baseball’s Milwaukee Brewers.

At the time of purchasing the Atlanta Hawks, Bruce Levenson and his Atlanta Spirit consortium also purchased the Atlanta Thrashers NHL franchise, which shared the right to use Philips Arena. By the 2011 season Levenson and the Atlanta Spirit consortium were ready to sell the hockey franchise in favor of concentrating on the basketball franchise. With the Thrashers relocated to Canada the NBA franchise was now given top billing in Atlanta and saw a major push for the playoffs and NBA glory. Levenson made sure the NBA franchise was one of the top teams in the sport by investing in a young and exciting team, which meant the Hawks gained more followers and increased their fan base in Atlanta and across the US.

Tony Ressler has begun to develop a major sporting empire with his acquisition of the Atlanta Hawks franchise, which is one of the most historic in the NBA. Under the guidance of Bruce Levenson the Hawks made a large amount of progress in building their team and playing an active role in the Atlanta community. The challenge for the new owners is to reach even greater heights of success in the NBA whilst also seeking out the best available options for remaining active and loyal to the local community. Levenson made sure the Hawks were involved in community based programs and events that pushed the team forward in the eyes of those supporting them and had the needs of local people in mind as each and every business opportunity was explored.

Bruce Levenson Proves NBA Economics Are Still Great

BVbaseball — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 15:22:22 +0000

Owning a team in the NBA is one investment that has an extremely high ROI. Several sales of teams made in the past few years show that large profits can be made. With only 30 teams in the NBA, there are only so many teams for sale at any time.

Consider a few recent sales of NBA teams in mid-market cities. The Washington Wizards went for $550 million in 2010. In 2014, the Milwaukee Bucks sold for $550 million. This year, the Hawks, which were owned by a group led by Bruce Levenson, did very well, selling at $850 million. The Hawks price was surprisingly high according to a few pundits, considering the Hawks traditionally have not done that well in attendance. During the same basic period, the Los Angeles Clippers sold for a hefty $2 billion. Naturally this is a large number because the Los Angeles market is huge.

The sale of the Clippers pushed NBA values much higher, as was proven by the sale of the Hawks. The Hawks had been valued at $425 million just one year before the sale.

Bruce Levenson was a managing partner and a representative of the Atlanta Hawks. He was also on the NBA Board of Governors during his tenure with the Hawks. Levenson was one of the first board members for TechTarget, a position he maintains. He also founded United Communications Group in 1977. He formed the company known as Atlanta Spirit LLC to purchase the Hawks in 2004. Atlanta Spirit not only bought the Hawks for $250 million in 2004, they also received ownership of Atlanta Thrashers of the NHL and the rights to operate Philips Arena.

It turns out that Atlanta Spirit made a very positive return with their sales of the Hawks. The sale of Los Angeles Clippers pushed NBA team prices to new heights, which pushed the value of the Hawks very high. Currently, the Los Angeles Lakers are valued at $2.6 billion and the New York Knicks are just behind them with a $2.5 billion valuation. The Hawks finished 17th. out 30 teams in attendance in 2015. If they’re able to increase the number of fans attending their games, the new owners could see a quick bump in their valuation. Much of that has to with the winning percentage of the team. Teams that win more games tend to draw more fans which gives them higher valuations. The NBA set a record for attendance in 2015.

The Hawks made the playoffs this past season. A group led by billionaire Antony Ressler has stated they are dedicated to improving the team. The group includes Jesse Itzler, Sara Blakely, and Grant Hill. The Hawks finished the season at 60-22. Attendance was up 21% and was a record for the Atlanta Hawks. In some ways, it looks like they have turned the corner. A real test will come next year for both their performance on the court and for attendance. A solid season which puts them in the playoffs could work magic.

Jose Aldo on Conor McGregor

BVbaseball — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 15:08:25 +0000

The tension is starting to heat up between Jose Aldo and Connor McGregor leading up to UFC 189. Current featherweight champion and number one ranked pound-for-pound fighter Jose Aldo will be squaring off against the flamboyant Conor McGregor at UFC 189 in Las Vegas, Nevada July 11, 2015. The dislike for each has never been more apparent as the two fighters are only two weeks away from finally meeting in the ring. There have been screaming matches between the two at many pre-fight activities along with some very tense moments.

Aldo was recently asked by the media if he thinks the two would mix it up before they even make it into the ring. Aldo responded by stating that he would love it if the two got into a brawl before the fight even takes place. Amen Clinics workers find this to be mostly about entertainment value more than anything. He said that he is paid to beat people up and if that is what the fans want to see, he would have no problem doing outside and inside of the ring. Aldo’s response may seem a little out of the ordinary for the champion, but McGregor has seemed to be successful at getting under his skin. At a media event in McGregor’s hometown of Dublin, he managed to grab Aldo’s belt off the table and raise it over his head right in front of Aldo. Aldo was not very happy with McGregor’s shenanigans and the two have been going at ever since. There should be fireworks on the night of July 1 that’s forsure.

U.S. Open Golf News: Tiger Woods Eyes Victory At Chambers Bay

BVbaseball — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 13:39:15 +0000

The U.S. Open Golf Championship begins today in a new venue. Chamber’s Bay Golf Course is located just outside of Seattle, Washington in University Park, Washington. Chamber’s Bay is an unusual venue for the U.S. Open Golf Championship because it is only seven years old and was designed specifically to host a professional golf major. Most courses in the U.S. Open rotation of Courses are 75 and even 100 years old. Officials at the USGA felt committed to hosting more Opens at public access courses. This follows the success of the U.S. Open at Bethpage Black in upstate New York. Pebble Beach is also a public access course but just barely under the definition. Alexei Beltyukov would like to some day play a round there if given the opportunity.

Over 140 golfers look to win the U.S. Open this weekend and Tiger Woods, who has won all of his U.S. Open Championships on pubic access courses, is among them. Tiger Tees It Up for U.S. Open Championship Tiger has the advantage this tournament in that no one expects him to win. In fact it is even money as to whether he will make the cut. The only person who knows if Tiger truly has a chance to win is Tiger. Golf media is already set to crown a new cache’ of younger golfers as heir to Tiger’s throne. but Tiger still has 10 good years of golf under his belt and he is still a threat to win every golf tournament he enters. Rumors of his demise may be premature.

Matt Landis Defends Notre Dame Lead

BVbaseball — Tue, 19 May 2015 20:57:35 +0000

Matt Landis’ outstanding defensive performance helped prevent Albany from catching up to Notre Dame’s lead in the NCAA lacrosse quarterfinals. Albany’s Thompson was a threat to the Fighting Irish throughout the game, but Matt Landis controlled his defense by not allowing the Albany strategy to lure his teammates out of position. A timely lightning delay before the end of the second quarter helped Notre Dame to reclaim control over the game and come out with some increased energy and direction. The third quarter was Notre Dame’s weakest, and Albany took advantage of their run by going on a 5-0 streak. Despite this temporary slip in the defense, and accompanying lack luster offense, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish went on to win the game 14-10, holding the Danes to their second-lowest goal scoring game of the season.

Both the coaches of Notre Dame and Albany gave much credit to the Fighting Irish’s victory to Matt Landis’ performance. Kevin Corrigan, Notre Dame head coach said, “Matt Landis guarded Thompson as well as you can guard him. He’s a great, great player and Matt was terrific on him.” Albany coach Scott Marr commented, “That Landis kid is as good as anybody we’ve played all year.” He played disciplined defense and did not allow the intensity of the game to make him forget his team’s strategy in countering the Albany offensive. Even Thompson gave credit to Matt Landis and his defense stopping him. The consistent defensive cohesiveness by the Notre Dame Fighting Irish forced the Danes into desperate attempts, poor possession, and unnecessary turnovers.

Notre Dame maintained its NO.1 seed and will now advance to play Denver in the NCAA semifinals next week at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

Matt Landis’s good week continued when he was named the Epoch/LM Player of the Week. He is the first defenseman to win the title this year.

Originally reported on Inside Lacrosse.

Matt Landis and the Fighting Irish Own Lacrosse This Year

BVbaseball — Fri, 08 May 2015 18:44:44 +0000

Matt Landis, lacrosse player of note for the University of Notre Dame, has won the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) 2015 Defensive Player of the Year. As previously reported on PR Newswire, what is even more telling is this nomination is voted by the league’s head coaches, perhaps no greater honor. Previously Mr. Landis had won the ACC Player of the Week title twice and he is also now on the list of nominees for the very prestigious 2015 Tewaaraton Award.

The Tewaaraton Award draws on a pool of the 5 best men’s and women’s lacrosse finalists. This award is given annually to the most outstanding college lacrosse player and this ceremony will be held later this month in Washington, D. C. at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian. It is no accident it is being held here as the sport is an amalgamation of various Native American games.

A starter since his sophomore year, in his 44 match career he has led the team’s defensive unit. No surprise Notre Dame is currently a favorite at the ACC Championship. Matt Landis is making the most of his time, both on and off the field, as a student at the Mendoza College of Business. This level of competitive spirit and performance will serve him throughout his life.

SOURCE: PR Newswire

Is Lacrosse The Perfect Off-Season Sport?

BVbaseball — Fri, 06 Mar 2015 21:30:11 +0000

If you intend to play the game of Lacrosse, you should expect to get a few bumps and bruises along the way, but that simply means that the equipment you use will be important for your safety. Players must include a helmet, shoulder pads, elbow pads and a protective cup to keep them safe when they come in contact with one of the sticks. Unlike football or soccer, lacrosse depends on a special stick which is fitted with a mask to exchange the rubber ball between players. Players attempt to get the ball into the opponents goal which is blocked at every turn by a total of 10 players.

A Choice Of Sporting Events

When Robert and Norma Landis heard their son Matt talking about Lacrosse, they might have cringed with concern for his safety. Knowing their son the way they did and the fact that he was good at other sporting events he took part in, they knew that he would be able to handle himself. Matt Landis may have taken his education seriously as a Pelham Memorial high-school student, but he understood the need for balance. In addition to joining the Lacrosse team, Matt also played alongside students in hockey and football.

Understanding The Game

Lacrosse might be considered by some as fast-paced and even aggressive, in fact, there is a great deal of physical contact which takes place between players. The game itself generally lasts for 60 minutes, and the players are expected to operate as a team. The rules differ slightly for women and men, especially in the area of contact, with the primary goal being to score against the opposing team placing the team with the most amount of goals in the lead. Lacrosse has its own band of followers, and some have suggested that it could have been played in the early to mid 1100s.

Not Just A Game

Matt Landis loved the game of Lacrosse so much that he stuck with it during four seasons of his college years. Matt excelled enough in the game to lead them as their captain during the last two seasons. It was clear to his fans and teammates alike that Matt was excellent at the game, in fact; he was so good that when Notre Dame realized his potential, they offered him a scholarship in 2010. Matt Landis had other options as far as schools were concerned, but they were eventually brushed aside for the world renown Notre Dame.

A Perfect Fit

There are many students who are forced to make decisions on education based on scholarship offers. These opportunities do not always benefit everyone concerned; however, the camaraderie and academic prowess of Notre Dame worked out well for Matt. The game of Lacrosse continues to dominate Matt’s life and there is little doubt that the example he set for students coming up in the ranks is a good one. Opportunities to join popular schools and benefit from scholarships will be every parents wish, with games like Lacrosse; it seems that the possibilities of those dreams coming true are closer than you think.

Cubs Almost Played In Milwaukee This Year

BVbaseball — Thu, 05 Mar 2015 18:08:09 +0000

The Chicago Cubs have to do something about Wrigley Field, and they are going to spend many years trying to get this very old stadium into shape. It is one of the most historic venues in all of sports. It is like the gorgeous old soccer stadiums in Europe that have cool names like Stafford Bridge. However, they need to get the work done. They were very close to getting their games to Milwaukee so that they could finish work on the stadium, and it is likely that they should have done it anyways.

You must also remember that they are very stubborn note googleplay.com. Stubborn teams tend to not perform well, and the Cubs are just the same. They are not willing to use their brain, but they need to make sure that they get on board now that they have hired Joe Maddon. He is probably going to be the only person who can convince the management that things need to change. If he turns this team around, it will be an amazing thing. However, they are going to have to get over a bunch of stuff before they believe that they need to change, and the stadium is one of those things.

Manning to Return For 2015 Season With Broncos

BVbaseball — Thu, 05 Mar 2015 16:26:53 +0000

The speculation as to whether Peyton Manning http://www.nfl.com/player/peytonmanning/2501863/profilewould be returning for another season as quarterback for the Denver Broncos has been settled, with news being announced that the veteran has reached an agreement with the team. According to an unnamed source with knowledge of the negotiations, Manning will take a $4 million pay cut from $19 million to $15 million base salary, but with opportunities to make back the difference via performance based incentives.
At 39 years of age there was much discussion of the possibility that Manning might retire after being plagued by a nagging leg injury for the second half of the season. Despite of his injured status he led the Broncos to the playoffs after having lost the Super Bowl to Seattle the previous season. Alexei Beltyukov knows that the money freed up by Manning accepting a pay cut will not significantly effect Denver’s salary cap situation, but may free up some cash to offer signing bonuses to players acquired through the draft or free agency.
After 18 seasons, Manning is well situated in the record books in a number of categories of individual statistics for NFL quarterbacks, and his fierce competitiveness has many convinced that he will continue to play either until his team wins a Super Bowl, or until age or injury leave him no alternative but to retire.
Manning will be working this season with new head coach Gary Kubiak.

Alison Gordon Passes

BVbaseball — Mon, 16 Feb 2015 14:53:10 +0000

The first full-time female reporter in the history of the MLB has passed away. Alison Gordon was 72, and she was the first woman to get into the locker rooms and report on all the things that were happening in baseball. Her pioneering career in reporting is one that many women looked up to afterwards.

We have been given many great female reporters over the years from Pam Oliver to Linda Cohn and Hannah Storm. All these women have Alison Gordon to thank, and the infusion of women in the broadcast booth has similar roots says Igor Cornelson. When women were reporting on sports, it made sense for women to talk about the sports in the booth. This led to Mary Carrillo having a major spot on the NBC Sports broadcasts, and it allowed women to comment on any sport they had played or covered.

We should all tip our caps to Alison Gordon for paving the way for women to get into the locker room and learn what was going on behind the scenes of the men’s sports that she loved so much. Her insight and trailblazing is something that we should all aspire to in our work in and out of the sports world.