Shaq already pays dividends for Heat

MIAMI -- By 7:30 a.m. Monday, the Shaquille O'Neal deal was already paying dividends for the Miami Heat.

Team executive Eric Woolworth arrived at work that morning and found his season-ticket sales staff swamped.

"Everybody was on the phone, and the faxes were going," Woolworth said Thursday. "The first couple of times I walked by the sales force, a guy stood and gave me a hug."

News of the trade broke last weekend and was completed Wednesday, sending O'Neal to the Heat for three starters and a first-round draft pick in one of the biggest deals in NBA history.

While fans may argue about whether the trade makes the Heat a title contender, there's no debating that Shaq is a box-office smash.

At 7-foot-1 and 340 pounds, O'Neal remains the most formidable force in the game, despite being slowed at times by foot and leg ailments. A charismatic -- and quotable -- player, Shaq stood out even in Los Angeles, the city of celebrities, while leading the Lakers to three titles in his eight seasons there.

"We've had franchise records -- and possibly even NBA records -- as to the amount of season tickets and income the last three or four days," said Heat president Pat Riley, who made the trade. "I'm just excited that the people of Miami have embraced this to the point that they're calling and they want to be part of it and they want to get into the arena."

The Heat declined to quantify sales. But Woolworth, president of business operations, said the phones have been ringing even at 3 a.m.

Business is booming for more than just tickets. O'Neal will wear No. 32 with the Heat, and his jersey is already a hot item.

"We went up last night on an Internet site with jerseys for sale and sold 400 in the first couple of hours," Woolworth said.

This is quite a change for a franchise whose fortunes declined after All-Star center Alonzo Mourning was diagnosed with a kidney disease in 2000.

The Heat said they lost up to $30 million annually in recent years, and salaries for employees were cut 10 percent in 2003. Last season, despite an improbable run to the playoffs, attendance fell for the third consecutive year to 15,207 per game, 24th in the NBA.

During the regular season, the Heat found it necessary to open the 3,100-seat upper deck at AmericanAirlines Arena only once. But with Shaq on board, some of those seats may go to season-ticket holders.

"I can't wait to see it," guard Eddie Jones said. "I want to be on the floor with 23,000 fans."

That won't happen, because the arena seats only 19,600. But it's possible the Heat will sell all available season tickets.