European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 14, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Stars and stripes saturday april 14200 sports new York Glavine tops Moyer v in matchup of aging pitchers Page 36 Chuck Charlotte bobcats owner Bob Johnson left greets a fan in Charlotte no tuesday the founder of Black entertainment television is a highly successful businessman but Johnsons profit Streak ended in 2003 when he paid the Aba million for the team becoming the first Black majority owner of a major pro sports team out of his league bobcats billionaire owner Johnson finding Success in Aba harder to acquire by Mike Cranston the associated press Charlotte no Bob Johnson int accustomed to los ing Money the billionaire founder of Black entertainment television is a successful businessman he sold bet for s3 billion and has a hand in numerous profitable ventures including real estate financial ser vices and video gaming machines but Johnsons profit Streak ended in 2003 when he paid the Aba Mil lion for the expansion Charlotte bobcats becom ing the first Black majority owner of a major professional sports team As the bobcats close their third season wednesday out of the playoffs once again Johnson has lost millions the team has struggled to win games and to attract fans and advertisers Forbes mag Azine listed the bobcats As the Only Aba team to lose value in the past year still Johnson remains commit Ted and for the first time in his business me prepared to lose More Money anybody who has a team just by the nature of owning a sports team you lose Money Johnson said in a recent interview with the associated press in his Arena office because if you take the same million i gave to the e h a k l 0 t t Aba i take that same Mil lion and give it to my local hedge fund manager in Way ahead with the hedge fund Guy so obviously youre prepared to lose Money when you buy a basketball team and obviously Ive fulfilled that requirement but make no mistake Johnson int Content to keep losing Money he has re placed his front office staff brought in Michael Jordan to run the Basket Ball operations and urged Aba commissioner David Stern to implement reve nue sharing for Small Market teams such As his i take a lon term View of this investment this Opportunity to be a sports team owner in a City like Charlotte Johnson said to me ifs a vibrant Market in terms of the economic development that is taking place Johnson has made a series of missteps he want prepared for the backlash from Charlotte fans Over the hornets ugly move to new Orleans following a failed referendum to build a new Arena when the team left in 2002 the Aba quickly brokered a Mil lion Arena Deal with the City to bring in a new team the thinking was the cites anger was directed at hornets owner George Shinn not the Aba see bobcats on Page 38 nil playoffs rangers sabres red wings open with wins Page 34 pc Dallas snaps 6year Road losing Streak against Galaxy Page 39 key win Over lakers keeps clippers in playoff Contention Page 38 027664 i 463149