Sale of Comets completed

As noted last week, the sale of the Comets to Hilton Koch has been completed.

The WNBA board of governors has approved sale of the Comets to Hilton Koch/Hilton Acquisitions, LLC, Rockets owner Leslie Alexander announced [Wednesday] at Toyota Center.

The sale made Koch, owner and president of Hilton Furniture and Mattress, just the fifth independent owner of a WNBA franchise. The Comets will continue to be based in Houston and play at Toyota Center.

[...]

"I'd like to thank Leslie Alexander and the entire Rocket Ball organization for their commitment to the WNBA and for setting such high standards since the league's inception," said WNBA president Donna Orender. "I am confident that Hilton and his vision for the Houston Comets and his passion for the team and the community will continue to elevate the high standards that have been set."

"It was with great pleasure that Houston was awarded one of the first eight WNBA franchises," said Alexander. "We were a pioneer in women's basketball. The franchise had incredible success as it won the first four WNBA championships.

"Nothing is better in sports than to win a championship and get a championship ring and a trophy. The parades in downtown Houston were great fun and I hope the city enjoyed them.

"We worked very hard to find a local buyer and Hilton Koch will be a great owner who brings a lot of energy and passion for women's professional basketball. I believe he will work tirelessly to continue the winning tradition we have built over the past decade."

If enthusiasm counts for anything, Koch will be a good owner. He's certainly emotionally invested in the product, as well as being financially invested. It'll be interesting to see what he does differently. Oh, and there's the matter of hiring a coach, too. I'll be rooting for it all to go smoothly.

I've put Koch's letter to fans, which I as a season ticket holder got in my email, beneath the fold. More info on Koch and the team, from yesterday's press conference, is here. I note the following with some interest:

Q: Are you the WNBA's new version of Mark Cuban?

A: "That's what I'm hearing. I don't mind that comparison at all. I plan to bring the energy and focus on the mission statement."

Yes, I've heard that, too.

UPDATE: Oops, missed this updated story. Two bits of interesting news from it:

Koch, who was a Comets corporate sponsor and is a Rockets season-ticket holder, said his goal is to raise $4 million from corporate sponsors. He also hoped to sell 1,000 season tickets during his first day as the team's owner and said ticket prices will remain unchanged.

Paola Furber of Furber Advertising, which has handled Hilton Furniture's ad accounts for four years, said Koch "will reinvent the Comets. We have fresh faces and fresh ideas and a different approach to get the city excited about the team."

[...]

Also on hand for the announcement were former Comets star Cynthia Cooper, the women's basketball coach at Prairie View A&M, and Basketball Hall of Famer and former Rockets broadcaster Calvin Murphy.

"I've known Hilton for a while, and I would like to be involved in any way that can help take the franchise to another level," Murphy said.

That could include work in community development, his former job with the Rockets, or a return to the broadcast booth.

"That (broadcasting) has been my expertise for the last 15 years, so why not?" Murphy said.

Koch said he has not determined Murphy's role with the team but said he "has always been a friend to me."

Like I said, I'll be interested to see what Koch does with the marketing. That's an ambitious plan for selling season tickets, but I think it's doable. As for Calvin Murphy, you didn't think you'd heard the last of him, did you? I think I'd rather have him in the role of Goodwill Ambassador than broadcast booth member, but it's not up to me. Koch was admirably coy here, so we'll just have to find out what (if anything) this means.

Thank you for your support of the Houston Comets. I have enjoyed sharing the last three years with you as a supporter of the Comets and with Hilton Furniture & Mattress as a sponsor of the team. During that time, it has been clear to me that our fans are among the most avid, passionate and inspirational in all of professional sports. Today, I am extremely excited to announce that I have become the new owner of the Houston Comets. I am also proud to announce that the Comets will stay in Houston and continue to play at Toyota Center.

In my life, I have always prayed that God would place me in situations that will allow me to have a powerful and positive impact in the community and in people's lives. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I plan to take full advantage of it. The number one reason that I decided to become involved with the WNBA and the Houston Comets is to give back to the Houston community. The Comets have been and are a great resource to the people of Houston. Whether you want to support women, you are looking for female role models for your kids, you enjoy feeling connected to the team and players, you want to see first class entertainment at a great value, or you just love basketball, the Comets are your answer.

I believe that the Comets can be number one both on and off the court. Our goal is to be the model franchise in the entire WNBA and all of professional sports. I realize that for us to be number one, it all starts with you, our season ticket holders. I would like to pledge to you that we will strive to continually add value to your season tickets and offer outstanding customer service. We will need your continued support if we are going to be successful.

We have a lot of work to do before the start of the 2007 season. However, I know this is going to be the beginning of great things for the Comets. We are proud of the history and legacy that the Comets stand for, but we are more inspired about what the future holds!

In closing, I would like to again pledge to you that our entire organization is committed to making your Comets experience first class. When the Comets are playing, you belong in the stands. Ooooo! And That's A Fact Jack!

Go Comets!

Best Regards,

Hilton J. Koch
Owner
Houston Comets

Posted by Charles Kuffner on February 01, 2007 to Other sports