So much for Nashville picking up travel costs for the playoffs....

[formerlyknownasfells]

http://www.nj.com/morristown/jasonlockhart/index.ssf/2009/03/express_to_travel_to_nashville.html

[The Sweeper]

"If the ABA doesn't pick up travel costs, it hurts no one"

[Sam Hill]

"We have to pay for hotel, food, and bus for all of our players and coaches," said Blount, who doubles as Express team president.

Just like professional sports teams do. Imagine that.


Blount hopes to find a sponsor to cover the team's travel expenses for next season.

"Anyone that wants to sponsor us is welcome to do it," Blount said.

ABA marketing at its finest, folks. One line in a newspaper, that should do it.

[panchess]

Well, sort of. A typical minor league pro arrangement is that the home team picks up hotel costs for the visitors when they are in town (one of the most important sponsors for any pro team to get is the "official hotel" to make this major expense for the team as little as possible), and vice versa, with some percentage of the gate going to the visitors. The alternative is simply reciprocity, the "three games at your place in exchange for three at ours."

There isn't any of that in a neutral-site setting. That is one reason the Division One college-based "holiday tournament" with four teams playing on a weekend have all but disappeared. It just isn't that attractive to the three other teams. The tournaments that do exist have the valuable carrots of national TV, and the potential for extra games that don't count against the team's cap.