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Wednesday, June 12, 1996
SPORTS UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Olympics bring high prices
Attendants may dole out $3.25 for a beverage
The Associated Press
ATLANTA—Olympic officials expect spectators to be hungry enough to eat the hefty prices featured at concession stands during the world's largest sporting event this summer.
Because ticket holders won't be allowed to bring food or drinks — except plastic water bottles — into Olympic venues, they will form a captive audience for $4 hot dogs, $3.25 Cokes, $3.25 popcorn and $4.50 beer.
And try this for Olympic sticker shock: $4 for a liter bottle of water that sells at grocery stores for less than $1.
The concession prices for the Summer Games are higher than the average for major league sports arenas across the country. But the Olympic Games are no
ordinary sporting event.
Olympic spectators, typically well-heeled compared with the average bleacher fan, likely will take the menu prices in stride, said Jed Pearsal, a sports marketing consultant whose firm tracks consumer habits.
"It's not a hard sell," Pearsall said. "In almost every event, people will respond, 'It's high, but we expect it.'"
Officials defend the prices, saying they are naturally higher for a major event like the Olympics, just as they would be for a major hotel.
"I don't know the last time you went into the Ritz-Carlton, sat down at the bar and ordered a Perier, but you're probably going to pay $4.50," said Scott Anderson, managing director for games services with the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games.
For those who are merely thirsty, Anderson said, free water will be available at all Olympic venues.
something to quench their thirst,
there is free water ... so it is a choice that you or I make as a consumer."
"Water is a beverage when it's in a container like that and is served at a concession stand," he said. "For those that are looking for
Spectators got a glimpse of the cost of Olympic refreshment last month during the Atlanta Grand Prix, a track meet that inaugurated the Olympic Stadium. The new stadium gets one more pre-Games workout when the U.S. Olympic track and field trials begin Friday.
The wide selection and quality offered at Olympic concessions justify the prices, Anderson said.
"I think they are reasonable and comparable with similar sporting events of this caliber — the Super Bowl, the World Series, the NCAA Final Four." Anderson said.
While an Olympic soft drink could set you back $3.25, the average price for a soda is $1.75 at NFL stadiums, $1.82 at NBA arenas, $1.81 at major league baseball parks and $1.85 at NHL venues, according to Chicago-based Team Marketing Report Inc., which publishes an annual survey of concession prices at big league sporting events.
The Olympic prices are comparable to those for Atlanta Braves games, ranked as baseball's most expensive in the Team Marketing Report survey.
But Pearsall, president of Performance Research in Newport, R.I., said the premium prices contribute to the perception that the games are becoming merely an oversized pro-sports event.
Not only refreshments will strain the pocketbook. Souvenir stands inside the venues also will offer specialty items at higher prices than the standard fare available elsewhere.
For example, spectators attending basketball at the Georgia Dome can buy exclusive T-shirts. A basketball T-shirt, available only at the Dome, will cost $25, compared with $18 for the cheapest regular Olympic shirt.
General merchandise, such as shirts with the Centennial Games flame logo, will cost the same both inside and outside the athletic venues, Anderson said. ACOG has several retail outlets in the Atlanta area as well as a huge souvenir store at the Centennial Olympic Park.
Men's tennis coach resigns unexpectedly
Kansan staff report
Kansas men's tennis coach Michael Center, who led the Jayhawks to three consecutive Big Eight Conference championships, unexpectedly resigned yesterday.
His resignation is effective at the end of the summer when he will then accept a position in a private business.
"I've had the opportunity to coach at my alma mater and serve as player, an assistant coach, and both a men's and women's head
coach," Center said. "It has been an incredible experience and one that I will always treasure. It's hard to leave Lawrence and the University of Kansas, but I have a great opportunity in the the business world."
Center began his Jayhawk career as a four-year letter-winner on the tennis team from 1983 to 1986. As a junior in 1985 he won the Big Eight No. 2 singles championship.
Center began his head coaching career in 1990 with the Kansas
women's team. He coached them for two years before accepting the men's team coaching position in 1993 as well as becoming director of tennis.
Center leaves at the top of his coaching game, having led the Kansas men's team to a single-season record 25 victories, its third consecutive conference title and second consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament.
Overall, Center compiled a 122-56 record in seven seasons.
He was also named the Region V
Coach of the Year for the past three seasons.
Kansas Athletic Director Bob Frederick said Center will be missed.
Michael Center's contributions to the Kansas tennis program have been immense and are greatly appreciated," Frederick said. "He was a fierce competitor as a player and he carried that spirit through his entire coaching career. We appreciate all he has done for the University and wish him well in his new career."
Bulls could claim title of best ever
Chicago's record could be highest winning percentage
The Associated Press
SEATTLE — One more victory, and the Chicago Bulls can rest their case for being called the best of all time.
The way Chicago has manhandled the Seattle SuperSonics, a team that won 64 games in the regular season, has left just about everyone agreeing the Bulls are at least among the finest to ever play the game.
The numbers argue in the Bulls' favor. Since the season's first tipoff last November, Chicago has won 86 games and lost 11.
The Bulls' regular-season record of 72-10 is the best ever. If Chicago completes its sweep of the Sonics in the NBA Finals tonight, the Bulls will finish the playoffs 15-1.
That winning percentage .938) would be the best ever, surpassing the 1983 Philadelphia 76ers, who went through the postseason at 12-1.
Bulls coach Phil Jackson refers to that Philadelphia team, and the 76ers' 1967 championship队, as the two he feels might have been as good as these Bulls.
"This is one of those teams that has been very dominant, very directed. Not overpowering like those teams were in size, but I think mentally and physically very strong." Jackson said. "And as a group, the chemistry has been great."
Many have argued that Chicago's victories came at a time when the quality of players has been diminished because of expansion.
"But there was expansion in those years, too," Jackson said. "I think the Chicago Bulls were an expansion team in 1966."
And there are no expansion teams in the playoffs, where that 15-1 record arguably would be more impressive than the 72 regular-season victories. Chicago's playoff winning streak reached nine with its 108-86 victory against the Sonics on Sunday.
"That's the one thing I will say about Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and maybe Dennis Rodman, although I haven't been with him in that many playoffs, is that these guys, once they get a grasp on a team, seem to be able to turn the screws down more and more," Jackson said.
Probably no team has dominated awards the way the Bulls have. Jordan is the MVP, receiving 109 of 113 first-place votes. Jordan and Pippen are all-NBA first team. Jordan, Pippen and Rodman are on the all-defensive team. Toni Kukoc won the Sixth Man Award. Jackson is the coach of the year. General manager Jerry Krause is the executive of the year. Jordan won the scoring title. Rodman won the rebounding title.
Now Krause faces the daunting challenge of keeping Jordan, Rodman and Jackson happy with new contracts after this season.
Jackson would not talk about his future Monday, saying the time for that is after the playoffs. Krause would not talk specifics, either, but he cautioned against comparing his coach's potential salary with the amount used to lure John Calpari to the New Jersey Nets, reportedly $15 million during five years.
"John Calipari is being paid to do two jobs," Krause said. "He's being paid to coach and general manage. So you have to find out what's allocated to coaching and what's allocated to general manager."
But, in the case of Jackson, what do you allocate for four championship rings?
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