The Star Online: Sports
The Star Online: Sports |
- Knicks, Lakers top Forbes list of most valuable clubs
- Tiger Woods back on familiar ground
- Federer fights off Tsonga to set up a rematch with Murray
| Knicks, Lakers top Forbes list of most valuable clubs Posted: 23 Jan 2013 04:50 PM PST NEW YORK - Even without Asian-American star Jeremy Lin, the New York Knicks are the most valuable franchise in the NBA at $1.1 billion, according to a list released on Wednesday by Forbes magazine. The Los Angeles Lakers were second at $1.1 billion followed in order by the Chicago Bulls at $800 million, the Boston Celtics at $730 million, the Dallas Mavericks at $685 million and the NBA champion Miami Heat at $625 million. Lin, the NBA's first Asian-American player, touched off "Lin-sanity" last February when he came off the bench to spark the injury-hit Knicks on a six-game win streak with clutch shooting and passing skills. But the Knicks did not match an offer from the Houston Rockets and Lin went to the Texas squad this season, signing a three-year deal worth $25 million. The Rockets were seventh on the Forbes list at $568 million, with Golden State at $555 million, the newly relocated Brooklyn Nets at $530 million and the San Antonio Spurs at $527 million rounding out the NBA's richest 10 teams. Ranked 11th at $525 million were the Sacramento Kings, who are in the process of being sold by the Maloof family for that sum to a group that would move the team to Seattle, which lost the NBA SuperSonics when they relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008. On the bottom of the Forbes list came the Milwaukee Bucks, valued at $312 million. Just ahead of them were the Charlotte Bobcats at $315 million, Atlanta Hawks at $316 million, New Orleans Hornets at $340 million and Minnesota Timberwolves at $364 million. The Washington Wizards, with the NBA's worst record on the court, ranked 23rd on the list at $397 million. The Knicks' value jumped 41 percent thanks in part to a renovation of Madison Square Garden that moved more seats closer to the court, allowing for a jump of ticket prices by an average of 49 percent last season. Merchandise sales and television ratings were also higher, giving the Knicks $243 million in revenues last season. Both figures were boosted by the "Linsanity" phenomenon. The Lakers' value jumped 11 percent despite the team having the highest payroll in the NBA for the third year in a row, forcing the club to pay $12.6 million in luxury tax under NBA salary cap rules. The Celtics boasted the highest average ticket price at $69 to help their value jump 51 percent while the Nets jumped 48 percent thanks to the relocation from New Jersey to a new arena in nearby Brooklyn. Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov owns 80 percent of the Nets with arena majority owner Bruce Ratner owning the other 20 percent. NBA commissioner David Stern, set to retire in another 12 months after 30 years on the job, successfully saw team values jump after the signing of a deal with players that split revenues 50-50 following a lockout that trimmed the season by 20 percent. The average NBA team is worth $509 million, a jump of 30 percent over last year's figures, largely due to the new union contract. - AFP |
| Tiger Woods back on familiar ground Posted: 23 Jan 2013 04:27 PM PST SAN DIEGO (California): Tiger Woods returned to Torrey Pines, the site of some of his greatest triumphs, for a practice round on Tuesday ahead of his US PGA season debut at the US$6.1mil Farmers Insurance Open. "I feel comfortable here. There's no doubt about that," Woods said. "There are a few courses like that where I've had my share of success." Woods won his most recent Major title at Torrey Pines in 2008, limping to a playoff victory over Rocco Mediate for his 14th Major title, only four shy of the all-time record set by Jack Nicklaus. "I do look at that week often," Woods said. "What comes back to me is the memory of pure pain." During his practice round, Woods was more concerned about adapting to a course that was firmer than usual. "I didn't really think about any of the past stuff," Woods said. "I was just trying to get a feel for the golf course, what club to use and where my lines are going to be. "This golf course was playing different. I can't remember it playing this dry. It has been a while." Woods has not won a Major crown since the 2008 US Open, struggling with injuries and the aftermath of his sex scandal. But Woods has also won the course's PGA event six times, including four in a row from 2005 through 2008 plus 1999 and 2003. That gives him seven career titles at Torrey Pines as well as at PGA events at Bay Hill and Firestone. Sam Snead holds the record for PGA titles at one event with eight at Greensboro. Snead also owns the career mark for PGA victories at 82 with Woods second at 74. Woods, whose most recent triumph came last year at Congressional in the National, says his emphasis this season will be on improving his overall game. "Improving what I'm doing, becoming more efficient at what I'm doing," Woods said. "The majority of the year (in 2012) I hit it pretty good but my short game and putting weren't there. Those were working better later in the year but I wasn't hitting the ball as well. "I just have to marry those two combos and hopefully I can do that on a consistent basis." But Woods said wins are harder to come by than when he began on the tour because of greater depth in the fields. — AFP |
| Federer fights off Tsonga to set up a rematch with Murray Posted: 23 Jan 2013 04:32 PM PST ROGER Federer survived a searching examination from Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to win a gripping five-setter and set up an Australian Open semi-final against Andy Murray yesterday. The Swiss world No. 2 was pushed all the way and needed five match points before dousing seventh-seeded Tsonga to win 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 7-6 (7-4), 3-6, 6-3 in three hours 34 minutes on Rod Laver Arena. His victory has set up a rematch of last year's Wimbledon final with third seed Murray in tomorrow's semi-final. World No. 1 Novak Djokovic will play Spanish fourth seed David Ferrer in the other semi-final today. It was Federer's composure under pressure that won the day in the fifth set against the explosive Frenchman, who frequently gave the Swiss great problems with his all-court game. Federer handled the tension of the deciding set and got a crucial break in the fourth game to take control, but was forced to five match points before he could put Tsonga away to improve his five-set record to 21-16. "It was a tough close, for sure, the whole match was tough and any set could have gone either way," Federer said. "It's tough because you never know what Jo is going to come up with. "I hit three great serves there in the fifth set and every time he got them back, and that's what he can do and that's why he remains dangerous throughout a match." Federer has now reached the semi-finals at the Australian Open for the 10th straight year and also extended his record number of Grand Slam semi-final appearances to 33. The Swiss great is bidding to become only the second man to win five Australian titles behind Australian Roy Emerson, who won six in the 1960s. Federer began well breaking Tsonga's opening service game but the Frenchman hit back with the Swiss losing his serve for the first time in the tournament. The set went to a tiebreaker and Federer played the big points the better to go one up after 50 minutes. The athletic Tsonga took the second set after breaking Federer in the seventh. Both players exchanged breaks early in the third set and again it went to a tiebreaker. Once again the world No. 2 revelled on the pressure moments and took the set after a magnificent retrieve which forced Tsonga to hit out and hand Federer a two sets to one lead. Tsonga fought back with two more service breaks to take the match into a fifth set but Federer was more consistent on the big points to get home. "I played a good match. I was solid. I was there every time," Tsonga said. "I kept my level of concentration really high at all times. I just gave my best today, so I'm proud of that. "He didn't miss a lot in the fifth set. I mean, it makes a difference." Meanwhile, Murray beat Jeremy Chardy to reach the semi-finals without dropping a set, and then shrugged off concerns he will be undercooked for the battles ahead. The British third seed was too strong and accomplished for the unseeded Frenchman, winning 6-4, 6-1, 6-2 in one hour 51 minutes to set up a showdown against Federer. — AFP |
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