Springfield Business Journal_2020-07-13

$2.00 · SBJ.NET JULY 13-19, 2020 · VOL. 40, NO. 51 SLIM PICKINGS Napleton Autowerks General Manager Drew Anna says sales upticks in May and June have left inventory low as manufacturers reopen plants. Dan Reiter : Springfield Cardinals cannot make up the loss in revenue of a canceled season. HEATHER MOSLEY Car sales spike during pandemic See PRICE CUTTER on page 26 See CARS on page 32 by Kathryn Hardison · khardison@sbj.net As stay-at-home orders lift, local car dealerships are experiencing a boom in business. Several dealership officials say they’ve logged re- cord months in May and June, following a drop in sales amid government-mandated shutdowns in April. Some point to low financing promoted by the automakers, while others say online activity contrib- uted to the sales. But the buzz might not last much longer. With manufacturing plants closed in recent months across the country, officials say production is quickly falling behind. “With plants closed and just now being opened, we’re about 60 days behind getting our inventory in,” said Drew Anna, general manager of Napleton Au- towerks/Missouri Inc. “I have cars spread out to make it look like we have inventory.” Last year, Napleton Autowerks moved to a roughly $10 million dealership off U.S Highway 65 and East Division Street. Anna said the Volkswagen, Porsche and Mitsubishi dealership sold 112 units in June, up about 20% year over year. He declined to disclose rev- enue. Jeff McConville, operating partner of Corwin Auto- motive of Springfield, said May and June were record months for the dealership group. Corwin Automotive operates Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram and Fiat fleets on West Sunshine Street and a Ford lineup on South Glenstone Avenue. He said the group sold an all-time high 600 new and used cars in May and again in June, compared with the typical 500 monthly units sold. Bye-Bye Baseball Springfield Cardinals shift toward online content creation in response to the canceled 2020 season by Kathryn Hardison khardison@sbj.net Springfield Cardinals offi- cials are hustling to soften the financial blow of a summer with no baseball and no fans at Hammons Field. The 2020 Minor League Baseball season was officially canceled June 30, following months of delays related to the coronavirus pan- demic. MiLB Presi- dent and CEO Pat O’Connor said in a Twitter statement the same day that the big league clubs would not be pro- viding players to its affiliated MiLB teams, which led to the decision. “These are un- precedented times for our country and our organization as this is the first time in our history that we’ve had a summer without Minor League Baseball played,” tweeted O’Connor. Springfield Cardinals of- ficials have followed the an- nouncement with their own statement that the financial ramifications are “very real and daunting.” “We can’t make up that loss in revenue,” said Dan Reiter, vice president and general manager of the Springfield Car- dinals. “The primary revenue stream is having fans in the ballpark. We can only try to minimize what those losses are going to be.” Reiter declined to disclose the anticipated losses and pre- vious year revenue. By press time, Springfield Cardinals officials were still mulling ideas to cushion the financial impact of a canceled season. However, Reiter said the baseball organization al- ready has begun leaning into media content creation. “We’re working with our partners to, in some fash- ion, serve as a me- dia outlet to create some fun baseball content that we know our commu- nity really wants,” he said. “We’re having to look at ourselves not just as a baseball team but as a me- dia source for baseball … and reframe the type of business we consider ourselves.” The baseball organization began creating content in May, when it launched its “Fly To- gether” show sponsored by MOST 529, Missouri’s 529 Education Plan. Andrew Bu- chbinder, the Double-A team’s broadcaster and public rela- tions manager, said it started as a way to bring baseball content to fans but continue to provide See BASEBALL on page 25 Sponsorship, nonprofit dollars threatened by PGA ruling by Kathryn Hardison · khardison@sbj.net The Price Cutter Charity Championship has hosted an annual golf tournament and provided an avenue for children’s charities to raise money in the Ozarks for 30 years. But this summer, one thing will be miss- ing: spectators. The PGA-sanctioned Korn Ferry Tour event is scheduled to stop in Springfield on July 23-26 at Highland Springs Country Club. After getting the go-ahead last month to be the first Korn Ferry Tour event with fans permitted, PGA Tour officials have re- versed course, said PCCC Executive Direc- tor Jerald Andrews. The July 7 decision will have a negative impact on the 45 participating nonprofits. The tourney typically draws tens of thou- sands of fans during the four days of play. “By not allowing spectators, it impacts several of the sponsorships and what the event can mean for charities this year,” said Andrews, who is also head of the event’s Jerald Andrews: Not having spectators will reduce the amount given to charities.