Pistons President Tom Wilson said that Pistons Owner
William Davidson and the Lightning "may have the outline of
a sale in place by the end of the week," according to Ira
Kaufman of the TAMPA TRIBUNE. Both sides "reported
progress" on Monday (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 5/12). Attorney Stephen
Wayne, who is representing the Lightning owners in the sale:
"We'd like to close by the Lightning's (fiscal) year-end,
which is June 30" (Tim Buckley, ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 5/12).
LET'S MAKE A DEAL: After dropping 21% in attendance
last season, the Lightning is reducing its season-ticket
prices for the '98-99 season. Cuts have been made by as
much as $10 a game for some seats, and upper-deck tickets
"will cost less than during the inaugural Ice Palace season"
of '96-97. Incentives, such as trips to road games and
tickets to this year's All-Star Game at the Ice Palace, also
are included with certain packages if payments are made
early. Single-game prices remain unchanged, but some upper
level seats are dropping as much as $3 (TAMPA TRIBUNE,
5/12). In St. Pete, Tim Buckley reports that the team is
using "a blunt and rather self-deprecating marketing
campaign" to persuade ticket holders to renew. From the
brochure: "We lose 55 games. Had three coaches. (And
couldn't score to save our lives.) What do we have to say
for ourselves? We owe you big time" (ST. PETE TIMES, 5/12).
