Kansas City soccer fan banks on eBay to keep team in area

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - (KRT) - Maybe this isn't such a bad idea.

As the Wizards' sale drags into its eighth month, one fan decided it would be fun to see whether there were any prospective buyers . . . on eBay.

"I want the Wizards to stay in Kansas City," said Scott Jones, who last week put Lamar Hunt's team for sale on eBay. "So far, I've given money, stickers and written a few letters (to help save the team). I want to help any way I can to keep the Wizards in Kansas City. I'd like to put up a `Save the Wizards' billboard in Kansas City, but I just bought a new car . . . and I'd rather eat meals and pay rent. No matter what happens, I want to buy the team myself in 14 years. We'll see."

Jones is responsible for "Save the Wizards" bumper stickers that have cropped up around town. On eBay, the Wizards (item number 5215497350) cost $15 million and were open to a "Kansas City Area Buyer Only!"

The sale ended Monday, but under the description of the item, Jones notes that the Wizards are a "charter member of Major League Soccer. Originally called `Kansas City Wiz.' " Also: "Currently playing at massive Arrowhead Stadium, the Wizards would like to move to a new soccer specific stadium in the Kansas City area" and "Team has massive potential for growth and would consider terrifying flying monkey as new team logo."

The seller's payment instructions state: "Will not ship outside the Kansas City Area. Will consider non-local buyer if they either 1) Keep the team in Kansas City or 2) Give me operating/management/ownership rights. Obviously, official sale can only be made through Hunt Sports Group, which I plan to do with your bid."

"I put the word `obviously' in there so you should know it's not real, unless they're pretty stupid," Jones said. "eBay didn't tell me not to do it (put the team up for sale)."

Hunt announced in December that he was selling the team, so Jones couldn't deliver the goods, so to speak.

One person made a "bid," but Jones said that person was trying to be rude.

"Since someone actually made a bid, I technically owe 1.5 percent of the final purchase price," Jones said. "Of course, I don't actually have to pay unless the buyer gives me $15 million. In the meantime though, I'm not refreshing the auction until I'm sure I won't get a $300,000 charge on my account ... even if the charge won't stick."

Hani Durzy, the spokesman for eBay, said Jones probably will receive a notice that he owes a substantial amount of money for the transaction.

"The reality is just like in the real world you can't come to eBay to sell something that you don't own," Durzy said. "How would we know for sure that this person actually owned the Kansas City Wizards or not?

"We probably would have pulled the listing. In many cases we can catch listings that are policy violations before someone contacts us, because we have filters for various (illegal items), but I don't think we have a filter that says the Kansas City MLS team is being sold improperly."

Wizards general manager Curt Johnson said he heard about the sale.

"Does it bother me? No," Johnson said with a laugh. "There's a lot of creative people out there."

However, other soccer fans have seen the eBay item, which received more than 1,000 hits.

"I've gotten e-mails from a lot of fans and not just Wizards fans either," said Jones, who lives in North Hollywood, Calif. "D.C., Chicago, San Jose and the guys here in LA where I have Galaxy season tickets. Most of them say it's hilarious and they're also on my side. They want the Wizards to stay in town, too.

"Some KC fans said I was mocking the sale process and making it seem like a desperate situation. That wasn't the idea. I think it's tasteful and positive. I just want to draw attention to the Wizards and make people realize that the Wizards situation is a big deal."

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© 2005, The Kansas City Star.