Lou Weisbach started a subtle marketing campaign at Coors Field this season, putting the phrase "Equity Seat Rights" on the wall along the left-field line.

"I wanted people to start wondering what it is," he said. "It's built around getting people gradually acquainted."

What he's introducing is a concept that would allow fans to sign long-term contracts to buy seat rights, with a guarantee that the price they pay for season tickets will never rise.

Weisbach's company, Stadium Capital Associates, would arrange the deals so clubs receive upfront proceeds ranging from $50 million to more than $500 million.

The beauty of the approach: Teams and colleges would be able to raise capital to build or renovate stadiums, pay off debt or buy out minority owners, and do so without borrowing money or turning to taxpayers, Weisbach said.

It is not yet an option at Coors Field or anywhere else. The company has only begun the process of trying to sign baseball, basketball, football and soccer teams, as well as universities, and has not consummated a deal. He said he has about a dozen pending agreements that are "at a fairly progressed stage."

"We believe you'll be hearing announcements in the not-too-distant future," he said.

Weisbach has attracted a prominent backer. Morgan Stanley announced in June it bought a majority stake in his Chicago- based company for an undisclosed sum.

"We believe that this methodology will revolutionize the manner in which teams and universities finance sports and stadium needs," Morgan Stanley's Eddy Zervigon said in a statement.

An alternative to public financing is appealing, but it remains to be seen how many organizations will embrace Weisbach's plan.

The strategy may not be well-received in some markets.

"It may be more palatable in expansion or relocation type of scenarios where fans have never paid for a ticket before," said Allen Fears, former chief financial officer of the Denver Broncos who now works for the consulting firm National Sports Services.

The startup has not had discussions with the Colorado Rockies, though Weisbach said he looks forward to talking with the club. He believes the Rockies could bring in more than $350 million.

"They could raise money for whatever they want, if they have debt to clean up or not enough capital," he said. "They became competitive this year, and maybe they need to pay for some players. Really anything management needs but without issuing debt."

Stadium Capital also began touting itself this year at the ballparks in New York and Miami.

Coors was picked for a reason.

"We believe our process could help the Rockies resolve any financial issues they may have," Weisbach said.

Rockies spokesman Jay Alves referred an inquiry to Greg Feasel, senior vice president of business operations. Feasel was traveling and did not return a phone call Tuesday.

Weisbach once ran HA-LO Industries, which brought advertisements to the back walls of baseball dugouts.

"Everybody said you could never have dugout advertising," he said. "It was supposed to be the last bastion of player privacy."

After persuading the Pittsburgh Pirates to accept ads, the idea spread across the country.

The latest idea was born while Weisbach was working with the mayor of Las Vegas to try to attract the Montreal Expos. The city did not have a stadium and financing a new one was tricky, he said.

Weisbach said his concept is different from "personal seat licenses," which give fans only the right to purchase season tickets. With his arrangement, the tickets are included, and fans would not face any price hikes down the road. The company plans to give fans extra incentives by offering leather seats, Internet access, instant-replay technology and other features.

The Broncos, who moved into Invesco Field at Mile High in 2001, never considered a PSL.

"It's such an intense market" that going to loyal fans and asking them to pay for rights would not work, said spokesman Jim Saccomano.

But this is unique, Weisbach said, in that it allows fans to buy season tickets as they have in the past, but the fees are locked in.

"Think about PSLs. People said, 'Oh my God, you're crazy. A team or university hitting up a fan for money for the right to do something they've always had.' But now hundreds of them have been done. Equity seat rights does everything a PSL does, except it provides much more money for a team, and from a fan's perspective, it provides a great service."

James Paton and David Milstead take turns writing Up and Down 17th Street. patonj@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-2544

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