The Rockets have set Wednesday as the deadline for
season-ticket holders to renew for next season, according to
Eddie Sefko of the HOUSTON CHRONICLE, who wrote that the
deadline was in place "well before the NBA imposed its
lockout." Rockets Manager of Business Communications Angela
Blakeney said the team is "proceeding with business as usual
because we're optimistic there will be a season," adding
that there will be a "league-wide policy for refunds if
games are lost due" to a lockout. Sefko: "While there is
nothing out of the ordinary about requiring ticket holders
to pay for a full season up front, it does seem to be a
curious public relations move during a summer when owners
are being captioned as greedy, inept and incapable of
harnessing their own spendaholic ways" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE,
7/12). In Boston, Will McDonough wrote that the NBA "sent a
directive to all its teams telling them to conduct business
as usual" with ticket renewals, even though the "expectation
is that no games will be played until December." McDonough:
"Is this chutzpah or what?" (BOSTON GLOBE, 7/12).
ROOM IN THE HIVE: For the first time in the Hornets'
10-year history, the team will have season-ticket packages
available to the public. Hornets Exec VP/Business Sam Russo
said that the team had a 90% renewal rate this year, which
compares "favorably" to the NBA average rate of 60-75%
renewals, but is down from the team's normal renewal rate of
"about" 99%. The team plans to begin a season-ticket
campaign next month, but Russo said that, because of the
lockout, the "circumstances are going to make it tougher
than normal" to sell the seats (NEWS & OBSERVER, 7/11).
