INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -Add the Indianapolis Colts to the growing list of job-cutting sports companies.
The team announced its decision Tuesday, issuing a two-sentence statement one day after some employees were informed of the decision.
Team officials declined to say how many jobs were cut, but the Indianapolis Star reported the number is approximately 25.
“The Indianapolis Colts confirm that the club has restructured some of its operations, resulting in the elimination of certain positions throughout the organization,” the statement said. “The restructuring was necessary to ensure the club’s ability to excel on and off the field.”
A message was left by The Associated Press for team owner Jim Irsay, who has poured millions of dollars from his own pocket into the Colts new stadium and player salaries to keep the Colts competitive.
severe squeeze under this year’s $123 million salary cap. The reason: NFL teams must abide by new rules because this is the final year of the current salary cap structure. Those rules could force teams to take bigger cap hits if they cut players to save money under the cap.
It’s hardly a surprise given the tough economic times that have hit other sports entities.
The league offices for Major League Baseball and the NFL have already announced job cuts, and the Colts neighbors – the Indy Racing League and Indianapolis Motor Speedway – have done the same. Other NFL teams, including the Washington Redskins, Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots, also have announced job cuts.
The Colts and Patriots have been two of the league’s most successful franchises this decade, with the Patriots winning three Super Bowls and the Colts one.
Indy also has made the playoffs a league-high seven straight seasons, owns five AFC South titles since 2002 and is the only team in league history with six straight 12-win seasons.
In 2008, the Colts had a league-leading 15.8 percent increase in attendance this year thanks in large part to the opening of Lucas Oil Stadium. The new stadium seats 63,000 or about 7,500 more than the RCA Dome, which closed after the 2007 season.
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