[Indoor Alter Ego]

Executive Staff

• Jim Lindenberg Owner
• Peter Wilt President/CEO
• Mike Lafferty Chief Operating Officer

Sales

• Kory Schooley Director of Ticket Sales
• Steve Goralski Account Executive
• Jeff Kopp Account Executive
• Rick Meyer Account Executive
• Jon Kurozawa Account Executive
• Matt Corcoran Account Executive

Marketing and Communications

• Matt Schroeder VP of Communications
• Leah Toohey Director of Marketing
• Kilee Westrick Communications Coordinator

Soccer Operations

• Keith Tozer Head Coach/VP of Soccer Operations
• Larry Sayles Athletic Trainer/Camp Business Manager
• Mark Litton Goalkeeper Coach/Armada Head Coach

I calculate out approximately $1,000,000 in payroll just to support this staff. So let's assume they sell tickets for an average of $12 net to the team (after commissions and taxes). They will have to have 7,500 paid tickets per game in order to break even on front office payroll.
7,500 x 12 x 11 = $990,000

Now they haven't paid a player or traveled the team. Now when you take into account insurance, overhead, arena rent, and misc. numerous other expenses, I see no way this will work.

This year is going to be a financial train wreck for the Wave.

[skipper60601]

I have never worked for an indoor soccer team, but I would think it's possible that the account executives are paid primarily on a commission basis and any salary they receive is minimal. I would appreciate it if someone who has been in the business would speak to that.

But I still think you have an interesting point about the cost of the team's front office. As I recall, when Peter Wilt was GM of the NPSL's Chicago Power, that team had a fairly large staff. And as I recall, the team's ticket sales did increase quite a bit after Wilt took over. The owner, Ron Bergstrom, still lost money, though, and he eventually abandoned ownership of the franchise to the league, which was unable to sell it and folded it after two horrid 6-34 seasons.

[GameraRPZ]

Originally Posted by Indoor Alter Ego

Executive Staff

• Jim Lindenberg Owner
• Peter Wilt President/CEO
• Mike Lafferty Chief Operating Officer

Sales

• Kory Schooley Director of Ticket Sales
• Steve Goralski Account Executive
• Jeff Kopp Account Executive
• Rick Meyer Account Executive
• Jon Kurozawa Account Executive
• Matt Corcoran Account Executive

Marketing and Communications

• Matt Schroeder VP of Communications
• Leah Toohey Director of Marketing
• Kilee Westrick Communications Coordinator

Soccer Operations

• Keith Tozer Head Coach/VP of Soccer Operations
• Larry Sayles Athletic Trainer/Camp Business Manager
• Mark Litton Goalkeeper Coach/Armada Head Coach

I calculate out approximately $1,000,000 in payroll just to support this staff. So let's assume they sell tickets for an average of $12 net to the team (after commissions and taxes). They will have to have 7,500 paid tickets per game in order to break even on front office payroll.
7,500 x 12 x 11 = $990,000

Now they haven't paid a player or traveled the team. Now when you take into account insurance, overhead, arena rent, and misc. numerous other expenses, I see no way this will work.

This year is going to be a financial train wreck for the Wave.

$1 million??? No way.

[GoStorm]

and I have never run a business but they also have sponsorships
and do they get any cut of the concessions?
+ souvenir sales

[Peter Wilt]

Originally Posted by GameraRPZ

$1 million??? No way.

i agree...and my sources are pretty good

About half.

[Indoor Alter Ego]

Originally Posted by Peter Wilt

i agree...and my sources are pretty good

About half.

Okay great so you only have to sell 4,000 tickets to cover the front office staff. This is indoor good luck with that and I wish you the best.

If I calculate correctly maybe about 12,000 sold tickets a game to break even?

[Redknapp11]

Originally Posted by Indoor Alter Ego

Okay great so you only have to sell 4,000 tickets to cover the front office staff. This is indoor good luck with that and I wish you the best.

If I calculate correctly maybe about 12,000 sold tickets a game to break even?

Don't under estimate the power of gaining positive revenue on soccer clinic's & camps, among other youth projects.

[FifaMan328]

Alter Ego

I hate to call names but you are one big ^%%$^%

EVERY TEAM in indoor makes their $$ on Camps and Sponsorships period...

No team would make it at all on ticket revenue alone! Especially when teams get in dirt cheap, you have half off deals, freebies etc...

Hell, do you think the NBA can pay those %$#^ the millions they do on ticket revenue? They have merchandise sales, TV deals etc....

Put it this way..
Baltimore say gets 2,000 kids to sign up for their summer camps... what is the overhead to run a camp? free shirt and ball, gas money to the field?

Milwaukee (correct me if I am wrong) had close to 4,000 kids during their peak season during their best summer year..

Average (lowball) cost of a camp is $100 per kid

DO THE MATH!

[GoStorm]

fifaman is absolutely correct-it is not ticket sales alone
there iare sponsorships - souvenir sales - concessions
and camps is a biggie

[Peter Wilt]

Originally Posted by Indoor Alter Ego

Okay great so you only have to sell 4,000 tickets to cover the front office staff. This is indoor good luck with that and I wish you the best.

If I calculate correctly maybe about 12,000 sold tickets a game to break even?

Ummm....wow. You're really not very bright are you? Season tickets are $200/ and salaries are about $500k, then....according to my calculator....2,500 season tickets would pay for office labor. That of course doesn't consider individual, group or promo tickets....or sponsorships, camps, clinics, merchandise or ancillary stadium revenue such as f&b, hospitality and parking.

Some of the other posters here have correctly addressed the path to profitability in indoor soccer. Is it a sure thing? Of course not, but there really aren't too many (read "any") certain profitable soccer ventures in the U.S. The Wave opportunity actually has a chance due to its camp, sponsor and ticket revenue streams and relatively low overhead.