Fans of the 82-0, 78-4, 76-6, 74-8 Miami Heat can take solace by drinking a few extra brews after a Heat non-win at one local Miami-area establishment. CNBC's stellar sports business reporter Darren Rovell writes that business partners John Todora and Bob Hartley have promised to cover $25 of a bar tab for every fan who comes to their Whiskey Tango bar in Hollywood, Fla. and watches the best team ever not named the Atlanta Hawks or the Orlando Magic in the Southeast Division lose a ballgame.
Bar patrons have looked on as the (13th) best team in the NBA lost games to the likes of the Indiana Pacers and the Memphis Grizzlies and pondered whether boy wonder coach Erik Spoelstra has had to go to the Grecian Formula to keep up his freakish boy-like appearance as LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and the Heat have struggled to start the season. You have to wonder if the coaching days are numbered for Spoelstra, who was bumped by Bron Bron as the decision-making superstar headed toward the bench in Sunday's latest non-win to the Dallas Mavericks.
↵In order to qualify for the $25 pour your sorrows down your throat for jumping on the wrong bandwagon bounty, you must show up at the bar at least 30 minutes before tipoff and sign up on a list. You get a $25 gift card if the best team ever in South Florida manages to post a non-win.
The bar has refunded over $30,000 worth of drinks, which cost the bar $10,000. But the owners of the establishment may be laughing all the way to the bank. Their little stunt has gotten them free publicity on ESPN, CNN and CNBC.
↵Hey, at least someone is winning in Miami nowadays.