Need input on college paper: New Redskins facility

[Slingin Sammy 33]

Originally Posted by SBprimetime

I talked to my professor and I have a better idea of what it'll be now. The screen would be more like IMAX sized or slightly larger, and It'll be kind of like a theater more than an arena. I'd broadcast all the Skins games, potentially any other large events I'd be allowed to show, and there would be a stage below the screen that could be used for a variety of things like shows, concerts, etc. There would be a couple hundred or possibly thousand seats arranged in stadium style seating. Then there will be a balcony that is more open and sort of like a food court, with tables scattered throughout and 1 or more restaurants/bars where you could sit and eat/drink and still have a great view of the game. He said the NFL license won't be a big deal and he thinks all you need is the NFL package, so that won't be a problem. Hypothetically, would you pay $15-20 to go to something like this?

I hate to be a Negative Nancy, but if the ultimate goal is to make a profit, you've got some issues. As others have mentioned your start up costs will be enormous. Also, if this was a successful model, why wouldn't the Verizon Center, Norfolk Scope, the Sandler Center in VB, or any smaller college campus already do this to bring in extra revenue?

People go to the Dall-ass Stadium and watch on the big screen because they're still at the game. I'll fork out a few hundred to go to a Skins game once a year. But I'm getting excellent seats and I go with my son, so it's more of a family thing and an experience I'm happy for him to be able to have.

Folks can stay home now and have a 40+ in. HDTV, with Direct TV and cheap food / beer. I'm an old, married guy now, so that's my venue of choice, but when I was still running the streets I wouldn't pay $ 15-20 dollars to go to something like this unless there was a benefit in free drinks/food. If I was going out, I'd rather be just going to a sports bar, a Hooters, or a "gentleman's club" with the game on.

Your better model would be something along the lines of the Crystal City Pub and Restaurant set-up. A huge sports bar with multiple TVs with all the games on. Then have separate areas of the bar for fans of the major teams, the local team/s of course, then Steelers (there's always Steelers fans in every city), Dallas (there are morons in every city), a NY area, etc. Then attached, or within the same block or so, a "gentleman's club" to pick up the remainder of drunk young men's disposable income. You can do this for NBA, NHL, Baseball, NCAA football, March Madness, the start-up cost is a lot less and you've got a year round product. If the object is profit, this is a better model. Plus it will be a mostly cash business, so you'll have a great deal of "tax avoidance".

Sorry, the real world is a lot less mundane & boring than the theoretical.