2B
Thursday, September 8, 1994
SPORTS
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Sports world wary of business tycoon
Florida family has market on teams interest in arenas
The Associated Press
MIAMI — Wayne Huizenga's family has cornered the market on professional sports in South Florida, leaving fans to wonder what his unprecedented monopoly will mean.
The billionaire chairman of Blockbuster Entertainment Corp. became a local hero when he brought the expansion Florida Marlins and Florida Panthers to Miami in 1993. This year, he purchased the Miami Dolphins, and his brother-in-law completed the family grand slam in August by acquiring control of the Miami Heat.
ruzenga, one of the most influential men in professional sports, remains popular with local fans. But they should be wary of the power he has accumulated, several sports business warns.
"The theing that would concern me the most is that here is a man who is one of the wealthiest men in the United States, and who already has an enormous amount of economic
power and political influence," said Andrew Zimbaliist, an economist at Smith College and the author of "Baseball and Billions."
"When you can have such an impact, it's in the interest of local officials and executives to cooperate with you," he said. "The more such power you gain, the more you can manipulate public policy to your interest. That can ultimately hurt taxpayers."
Zimbalist cited Huizenga's successful bid to create a special taxing district for Blockbuster Park, his planned entertainment complex that would include a stadium for the Martins and an arena for the Panthers and perhaps the Heat.
There appears to be nothing illegal about Huizenga's sports empire, says Jerome Hoffman, chief of the Florida attorney general's Antitrust Section in Tallahassee. But Huizenga's dominance of one market is less than ideal, Hoffman said.
"I think you'd like to see diversity in ownership," Hoffman said. "That removes any doubt that one person is controlling all of the franchises and allowing one to suffer in favor of another, for example, putting more money into the baseball team than into the football team."
Author Gerald Scully can also envision such a scenario for Huizeng.
"If his baseball team is not doing well and his basketball team is, he might pull resources out of one for the other and weaken his ability to field a good basketball team," said Scully, who wrote "The Business of Major League Baseball."
"You'd want to have a sense of how he keeps his books. But I assume he wishes to make money with all four entities and is not going to do anything to harm any of them," he said.
Huizeng said his primary goal for each sports franchise is the same as for each Blockbuster video rental franchise: to make money.
However, the denies widespread speculation that he'll be involved in the operation of the Heat. Huizenga's brother-in-law, Harris Hudson, said the team would be his to run.
But negotiations are certain to be amiable regarding a lease for the Heat once the team's current agreement with Miami Arena expires in 1998. In July, Huizenga bought half of the company that runs the arena, but he also may want the Heat to play some games in his new arena at Blockbuster Park.
Huizenga also owns Joe Robbie Stadium, where the Dolphins and Marriott.
His ownership of multiple teams permits efficiency in operation. Consolidation of front office staffs is expected.
lins play.
Smiley said shared resources among Huizenga's teams will help him make customers happy.
"If those savings are passed on to the consumer or put back into the product, then everybody benefits," Hoffman said.
"Because this market is not a huge market, we can really get to know the fans," Smiley said. "In many cases a Panther fan is a Marlin fan, and vice versa. We respond to suggestions, ideas, critiques and complaints, and we pass information along among the teams."
Purists, however, worry that Huizenga, in his Disney-style approach to attracting the broadest possible audience, may sacrifice each sport's tradition. Critics complain of seemingly endless advertisements, promotions and gimmicks for entertaining fans at Marlins and Panthers games.
"It's easy to wrap yourself in the cloak of purity when it's not your money that's invested," Smiley said. "We want to maintain the tradition of the game and create one of our own.
Pro golfers hit the jackpot on putt-putt courses
The Asssociated Press
SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — An unexpected hole-in-one is the thrill of a miniature golf outing. But Andy Coradini once shot 15 consecutive holes-in-one, and 16 in all, for an 18-hole score of 20.
The guy should be a pro. In fact, he is.
Then there's Mark Portugal, who recently made 36 holes-in-one in 72 holes to capture the 1994 Professional Putters Association Medalist Title at the Rock Lake Family Fun Center in South Charleston.
"I play because I'm hooked," Coradini said. "When you put that patter in my hand, it might as well be a cigarette. I'm addicted."
The 1983 Champion, Coradini, 31, a purchasing manager from Lithonia, Ga., has won $15,000 playing Putt-Putt golf. And Portugal, 32, a sales and marketing manager from Plano, Texas, has won $70,000 playing Putt-Putt golf since he turned pro at 16.
Miniature golf, once just for kids, is one of the fastest growing sports in the country. Skip Laun, executive director for the Miniature Golf Association of America in Jacksonville, Fla., said family entertainment centers with miniature golf have become lucrative new businesses.
According to the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions in Alexandria, Va., 41.3 million people visited 2,000 U.S. miniature golf courses in 1963.
"The way the world is today, it's sort of like an oasis. That's why I like my kids to go there and that's why I like to go there," said Bryan Boyd, 36, the 1992 putting champion.
"An oasis" is what golfers get at the $13 million, 30-acre Scotty's Golf Park in Dallas, which offers a par-3 and three 18-hole miniature golf courses outdoors, a 9-hole course indoors, a game room, driving range, baseball batting cage, restaurant, pingpong and pool amid begonias and 21 waterfalls.
"People love the concept because it's a family park. There's something for everyone," said manager Danny Johnson,
guage you speak, when you make a hole-in-one, you feel great," said Joe Aboid, commissioner of the Professional Putters Association in Fayetteville, N.C.
"It doesn't matter how old you are,
what country you live in or what lan-
Putt-Putt, which the pros say is more skilful, is a trademark for the oldest and largest miniature golf chain, which generally uses hills and geometric obstacles to challenge putters.
There are no windmills or pirates in Putt-Putt. Players use a white, steel-center ball that does not ricochet.
"Par is 2 on every hole and you have a chance to make a hole-in-one on every hole," Portugal said. "It's like pool because you have to bank off the rails and negotiate the shots. It takes skill."
Notre Dame favored against Wolverines
By Rick Warner
The Associated Press
The Michigan-Notre Dame game often is decided by great players making great plays.
In 1989, it was Rocket Ismail returning two kickoffs for touchdowns.
In 1980, it was Rick Mirer leading a Montana-like drive in the closing minutes. In 1991, it was "The Catch" by Desmond Howard.
Unfortunately for Michigan, the Wolverines must play this year's game without their greatest player.
Running back Tyrone Wheatley, the preseason Heisman Trophy favorite, will be sidelined with a separated shoulder Saturday when the sixth-ranked Wolverines meet the No. 3 Fighting Irish at South Bend.
Notre Dame is 1-0 with Ron Powhus as starting quarterback. After missing last season with injuries, the ballyhooded sophomore made an impressive debut last week, throwing four touchdown passes in a 42-15 win over Northwestern.
ESPN's Beano Cook has already predicted that Powlus will win two Heisman Trophies.
Notre Dame holds a 5-1-1 edge over Michigan since 1987, although most of the games have been close. The trend will continue Saturday. ... NOTRE DAME 28-24
THURSDAY
No. 1 Nebraska (minus 24) at Texas Tech
Cornhuskers No. 1 for first time since 1987 ... NEBRASKA 35-10.
SATURDAY
Kentucky (plus 241/2) at No. 2 Florida
Billy Curry 0-7 vs. Gators ..
FLORIDA 44-17.
No. 4 Florida St. (minus 33)
at Maryland
Terps were blown out by Duke ...
FLORIDA ST. 61-7.
No. 5 Miami (minus 111/2) at Arizona St.
Hurricanes 0-3 at Sun Devil Stadium ... MIAMI 24-10.
No. 14 Southern Cal (plus
51/2) at No. 8 Penn St.
Lions won 21-20 thriller last year at Beaver Stadium ... PENN ST. 28-21.
New Mexico St. (plus 37) at No. 9 Arizona
Eastern Michigan (plus 37) at No. 10 Wisconsin
Aggies haven't beaten Wildcats since 1938 ... ARIZONA 42-0.
Badgers return 15 starters from Rose Bowl team ... WISCONSIN 48-0
Vanderbilt (plus 19) at No.11 Alabama
Tide has won nine straight over Commodores ... ALABAMA 34-10.
Northeast Louisiana (plus 36) at No.12 Auburn
Terry Bowden still perfect in I-A
AJBURN 41-7.
SMU (plus 24) at No.13 UCLA First meeting since 1947 ... UCLA 45-14.
No. 15 Oklahoma (plus 2) at No. 16 Texas A&M
Sooners handed Aggies only regular-season loss in '93 ... OKLA-HOMA 27-24.
No. 18 Ohio St. (plus 4) at No. 25 Washington
Huskies rebound from loss to Southern Cal ... WASHINGTON 28-21.
No. 19 Tennessee (even) at No. 23 Georgia
Vols off to rough start ... GEORGIA 39:28
Louisville (plus 101/2) at No. 20 Texas
No. 21 Virginia Tech (minus
81/2) at Southern Mississippi
Longhorns looked shaky against Pitt. LOUISVILLE 27-24.
Tech's DeShazo one of nation's top QBs ... VIRGINIA TECH 24-17.
North Carolina St. (plus 6) at No. 22 Clemson
Tigers wins defensive struggle ... CLEMSON 14-7.
No. 24 Stanford (minus
131/2) at northwestern
The Cardinal wins Brain Bowl ... STANFORD 31-21.
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