Season-ticket sales for the Marlins "are expected to
drop to about 12,500 from about 16,500 in '97, which will
keep sales just above the 1996 total," according to Alan Snel
of the Ft. Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL. Marlins VP/Sales &
Marketing Jim Ross "had to repackage his marketing sell," and
is working with "a pared marketing budget of about" $2M --
including about $500,000 for local advertising this year.
Ross called this year's budget cuts "modest." The team's
"marketing spotlight will shift" toward promoting younger
players, such as Charles Johnson, Edgar Renteria and Livan
Hernandez, and the team has "already asked its broadcasters
to boost" its rookies (Ft. Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL, 3/29).
ST. LOUIS SIGNAGE: Anheuser-Busch tops the list of
signage sponsors at Busch Stadium this year, while Coca-Cola
"will be the most prominent advertiser in the alternative
beverage department." Other signage sponsors at Busch
Stadium this season include Office Depot, Office Max, Konica,
Sharp, NationsBank, Mercantile Bank and A.G. Edwards & Sons.
Southwest Airlines will once again sponsor a "Destination
Day," and will give out 16 trips for two to ticket holders.
Southwest will have a total of 36 "special promotions" this
season (Chris Carey, POST-DISPATCH, 3/29).
TEAM NOTES: The Astros have already sold one million
tickets for '98 and 10,125 season-ticket equivalents,
surpassing the total in that category for the entire '97
season (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 3/29)....The Pirates have sold
"about" 600,000 tickets, a 15% increase over the number sold
at this point last season. Pirates VP/New Stadium
Development & Communications Steve Greenberg "would not
disclose" whether the Pirates turned a profit last season,
"nor would he comment on whether the team expects to finish
1998 in the black" (Pittsburgh TRIBUNE-REVIEW, 3/29)....With
preseason season-ticket sales "virtually the same as last
year," the Rockies are "approaching" 3.3 million in sales for
'98. The team's 11,500 season-ticket accounts represent
35,000 individual tickets (DENVER POST, 3/28)....The Twins
will not televise their home opener Friday against the Royals
in "an attempt to lure more fans to the ballpark." The Twins
have sold 35,000 tickets so far. In St. Paul, Charley
Walters: "Look for some Friday and Saturday Twins games,
between May and August to remain off television" (PIONEER
PRESS, 3/29).
