Why not BK the CIB and re negotiate their sweet heart deal. No other city is going to take them in this economy.

Espich also mentioned the karma angle, you do Abdul. I want a little more than that.

As you indicated there are ways of making the Colts’ life very difficult under the contract, even if you don’t go the bankrutpcy route to invalidate that contract. Indy’s leaders needs to start turning those screws on the Colts instead of being the lap dog that they are whenever it comes to the Colts and Pacers.

Irsay is absolutely correct that the Colts are under absolutely no legal obligation to help CIB cover its deficit. The city of Indianapolis and the CIB were stupid enough to sign a contract with the Colts that basically gave them everything plus the kitchen sink. We cannot unilaterally change a contract – no matter how stupid we were in the first place.

That said, I still believe that the Colts can be “convinced” to help. How about we – and particularly the Mayor – publicize all the benefits the Colts get out of LOS for non-NFL events? How about a tax protest before a Colts game – embarassing the Colts on a national level? A protest that would make other NFL teams wonder if this would be used against them when they want a new stadium? I wonder how much pressure the NFL – which certainly doesn’t want bad publicity concerning one of its premier teams – could put on Irsay and the Colts?

Dobie,

You can be “correct” on the issue and still it not be worth it from a PR standpoint. And we won’t even get into the bankruptcy issue and how a judge can rewrite the Colts contract.

Bottom line is that the Colts are being very short sighted in giving Indy taxpayers the middle finger.

Paul,

I agree completely. That is why I believe that the Colts can be embarrassed into contributing to a solution.

However I do not believe that bankruptcy is an option. While the CIB is a separate entity from the city of Indianapolis – everyone thinks of them being one and the same. I can’t believe that allowing CIB to fall into bankruptcy wouldn’t affect the city’s credit rating and end up costing tax payers more than the deficit of the CIB.

The teams aren’t losing money from me because I can’t afford to go anymore. However, I have my list of whom to support and frequent and whom not to, economically and politically. I can eat, entertain, purchase alcohol, and vote someplace besides a person or establishment in cahoots with our “partners”.
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If these were typical economic times, the Colts behavior would just be arrogance. Are these typical economic times? What is beyond arrogance? I don’t know what to say.

Ugh…
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Jim Irsay just sucker punched the taxpayers with his statement and is opening himself up to a major revolt against his organization. I happen to agree that there should be some form of protest made at one of their regular season games. One avenue to explore is to host a tailgating event where we have music and speakers who will educate the public about the CIB, Colt’s, Pacers, and our elected public servants. We will have to tread carefully to be effective or we will get a hostile response. The goal here is to educate the public about the gross mismanagement of our tax dollars and how it is literally destroying our city.

It seems to me that Irsay is not outside the statute of limitations for his prescription fraud matter…is it time for the Grand Jury to convene?

-As for his attitude of contempt for the families of Indianapolis: Irsay, please take your team as far away from our city as possible!!! Does Baltimore want you?

Manning’s last contract was, I think, worth $94M. Granted the majority of the players make far less but geeze, this game is all out of whack financially. There’s just too damn much of the ‘vig’ going to the players and owners, while taxpayers have to pony up the cost of their facilities. Never was the phrase ‘the rich get richer and the poor get poorer’ more true than it is right here, right now.

We can boycott sponsors of radio pre and post-game shows.

A protest in front of Jim Irsay’s home would be more effective.

Perhaps yard signs with pictures of players asking for a taxpayer bailout (with their salary listed below)

More full page advertisements from the American Beverage Institute saying “Jim Irsay isn’t going to pay for your drink. So why should you pay for operating his stadium?” message.

As stated before, the Colts have re-written a whole chapter in the PR sage, “What Not To Do.”

To be fair, they were under no obligation whatsoever to do anything. That said, Irsay’s latest nonsense, coupled with Polian’s profile piece in today’s paper, threw the Pacers completely under the bus.

Even if you’re sinking, you don’t indict your co-conspirator. Complete Bush-league.

And the bankruptcy talk is fine for idle conversation. But it’s not going to happen, so why waste time on it?

If it comes down to a choice, which it won’t, I’m not sure Irsay-Polian want Hoosiers choosing in the gridiron-roundball derby.

Cry me river, Jimmy. Sad to say, you get the hoity-toity attitude honestly.

Oh yeah, and plenty of YouTube videos with select outtakes showing the truth about his “$100 million contribution” and showing his hypocrisy for saying “A deal is a deal” after he renegociated his contract with the city on two different occasions when he thought he wasn’t making enough money.

Perhaps a public prosecution of Fred Glass for breaching his fiduciary responsibility to taxpayers and public airing of any quid pro quo between the Colts.

If only we had some Jack Kerouac memorabilia to bargain with.

My blog: http://www.propertyfreedom.blogspot.com has quadrupled in visitors this past week. Today is one of the biggest days on record with page views and it’s a bit surprising since Sunday is usually a slow day.

Well it took me a number of years to actually become a Colt’s fan to begin with. I was one of the minority against the stadium from the beginning. You have a bunch of amatuers running the CIB past and present so what should we expect. Irsay and Polian on a bad day are better biz guys then the whole CIB board. So let’s see where is that box…time to dust off my Bears stuff……

It really pisses me off when I hear Jim Irsay use the tired line he has roughed it out in a small market when the Colts were bought for $15 million and now are worth over $1 billion according to Forbes. (More than any soccer team in the world)

John Howard, that’s hilarious. Kerouac indeed. Anyone remember how much he paid for that overpriced junk?

It just goes to show: money cannot buy good taste.

TA, I don’t recall but it was several millions.

Think Again,

I see it as either tax increases or bankruptcy. I see little chance Ballard can ram tax increases through the City-County Council so I wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss bankruptcy as an alternative.
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The Mayor asked for a toolbox filled with options. One of those options from the legislature should be the bankruptcy option. That will give the CIB leverage with the sports teams. Just talking about contribusinots gets you nowhere.
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I totally agree with your comments with respect to PR. I don’t think Irsay has any clue how what he has done has damaged his team’s reputation in the city.

2004 story about the Colts and their financial woes.
http://www.businessdevil.info/archives/325

Oh, and the scroll Irsay bought for $2.43M had at the time been appraised at $1. Jimmy’s so good with money, isnt’ he?

Dobie you are right about embarassing the Colts on national television with a tax protest. Irsay has a huge ego and those boys with egos like that are ALWAYS pu**ies. Trust me, I know. The way to get to these a-holes is public humiliation laid on very thick and with no holds barred. That’s what I would do and what I did to Peterson. It worked. And it works nearly every time…especially on d*ckheads with big egos. (sorry about the language, it was needed for emphasis)

I thought I typed ‘$1M’ which is the correct figure, not one dollar.