Looks like Zoff isn't resting on his laurels being a major pain in the %$# as far as the Metros are concerned: he's now moved onto messing with the Giants. Hmmm... NOT a good idea to screw with the NFL -- don't wake the beast! It seems to me that the NJSEA is becoming increasingly aware that their future financial health is threatened by the possible departure of the Jets, Metros, Nets and Devils. http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/18/sports/football/18stadium.html Bob Tisch, Giant's co-owner, "is locked in unsatisfying talks with the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority over his team's plan to pay the entire cost of renovating Giants Stadium, which he said would be unprecedented in the N.F.L. But Tisch and the state agency's president and chief executive, George R. Zoffinger, are nowhere near an agreement, and Tisch is left to wonder why. 'It's impossible to deal with him,' he said. 'I don't know what he wants.' Speaking by telephone from Invesco Field in Denver, Zoffinger said: 'I can understand that. Nobody has ever told Bob Tisch no. I have.' Under the plan, the Giants would pay about $290 million to renovate the stadium and pay the sports authority a minimum of $6.26 million annually (including some property taxes the state agency used to pay) and one-tenth of the naming rights to the stadium if they are sold in the future. The Giants would keep all revenue from their games and the Giants would pay the sports authority 25 percent of the net profit from booking soccer games, concerts and other events. 'It would be 25 percent for doing nothing,' said Michael Rowe, the former executive vice president of the stadium and Continental Arena, whom Tisch hired three weeks ago as a strategic adviser." OUCH. My $0.02 on the subject? The sooner we get out of the Meadowlands and into our own digs @ Harrison, the better. Of course, it's not as though I'm breaking new ground with that conclusion.
Frankly, I think Zoff's doing his job: sticking up for the taxpayers. He's just trying to extract every last penny he can and he's trying to get the Giants to guarantee debt payments or assume the debt obligations outright. That, or he's trying to protect his job.
My question is why the jets aren't involved in these negotiations. They obviously benefit from the fact that the Giants are footing teh bill for the renovations, so it would only be fair if they put in their fair share.
I've not been a fan of Zoff in his relentless pursuit of the screwing of the Metro and its fans, but I do love that soundbite he had about saying no to Tisch. That was a classic. Zoffinger should get the best deal he can. His job is political, so he won't lose it unless he does something really dumb like driving the Giants back to NY. Obviously we have to get our own stadium. It can't happen soon enough.
the Jets are renting the joint like us, but they get better treatment because of the $$$ they draw in