NASHVILLE ON THE PROWL TO INCREASE SEASON TICKET BASE

          The NHL Predators have sold 7,200 season tickets, "on
     the way to a goal of 12,000," according to Mark McGee of the
     NASHVILLE BANNER.  At the All-Star Game, Predators Owner
     Craig Leipold said the team "had the biggest week we have
     ever had" in sales last week, selling "in excess" of 1,000
     season tickets.  Leipold also announced a new promotion with
     TN-based Beaman Automotive, in which one season ticket will
     be given away with each purchase or lease of a car at one of
     three dealerships.  Another corporate partnership is
     expected to be announced later this week.  NHL Commissioner
     Gary Bettman dismissed reports that ticket sales are going
     slowly for the Predators as compared to other NHL expansion
     clubs: "Nashville, because they are up first, is actually
     engaged in selling tickets.  For each of those 7,000-plus
     ticket holders, they've been paid a third of the price of
     the ticket down.  They're doing actual sales, which is a
     different process than simply taking names and a deposit of
     a couple of hundred dollars" (BANNER, 1/20).