Shakedownsports.com

Joe Namath. Chad Johnson. The Boise Burn. They’re nothing compared to the Arizona Rattlers. The Rattlers, who went 4-12 in the Arena League last season, are guaranteeing that they will make the playoffs this season. If they don’t, the team has promised to refund every season ticket, a move that could cost them over $2 million. For whatever reason, managing partner Brett Bouchy seems unconcerned about the move backfiring.

“If in fact it does happen, I don’t think it’s a terrible thing. How bad would it be? It’s for essentially a year. We hope to bring people back to buy season tickets for next year. It still would be a cash loss for us. It is a risk. But it’s a risk we’re fully aware of.”

There’s nothing like winning over fans by demonstrating a complete lack of fiscal responsibility—it’s a strategy that seems to have worked for the Red Sox and the Yankees.

Here’s my question. If the Rattlers need a win on the last day of the season to make the playoffs (but have no chance of winning a playoff game) do you root against them so you can get your $250 back? That’s a tough decision if you’re not a die-hard fan. The correct answer is that you don’t root against them. Instead you place a $250 bet on the Rattlers to win—that way instead of being even if they win and up $250 if they lose, you’re even if they lose and up $250 if they win. With one cleverly placed wager you’ve ruined the rooting conflict. Isn’t gambling great?

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The Utah Blaze find themselves in an interesting situation heading into tonight’s playoff game against the L.A. Avengers. If they win the team will lose money. Because the home team gets to keep all the gate revenue from AFL playoff games, sometimes road teams like the Blaze end up losing more money if they stay alive than if they are eliminated.

For Monday’s game the Blaze will receive $45,000 from the Avengers and $30,000 from the league. However travel costs, housing costs, and playoff salaries add up to more than the $75,000 the team is getting. That means if team keeps winning it will lose more and more money.

It seems like the league should try and do something to fix this problem–you know, so there’s some sort of monetary incentive for team to play well. I guess when it comes down to it that shiny new ESPN television contract hasn’t solved all the financial problems of the league. Still, there is a light at the end of the tunnel for the Blaze. If they can upset the Avengers and then win their next game in San Jose, the team will earn a berth in the ArenaBowl. An ArenaBowl victory will net the team $250,000 and finally put them in the black for the postseason.

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