The Cowboys "are continuing their trend of raising
ticket prices every two years," as they announced a ticket
increase of 10.1%, raising the price of an average ticket
next season from $45.01 to $49.54. Individual ticket prices
will range from $36 (upper-level endzone) to $61 (lower
level between the 20-yard lines) (DALLAS MORNING NEWS,
3/20). The average ticket price for nonluxury seats, which
make up about 89% of Texas Stadium, will increase from
$43.58 to $47.91 (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 3/20).
NOTES: Former Nuggets Owner Bertram Lee "has taken the
helm" of developer Doug Jemal's effort to bring MLB to DC,
as he will become managing partner of a group that includes
Jemal and four other local business execs (SPORTSBUSINESS
JOURNAL, 3/22)....The Suns will not increase ticket prices
for the '99-2000 season, as prices for individual games will
range from $13 to $80 (ARIZONA DAILY STAR, 3/20)....The
Tigers set an all-time club record for full season-ticket
equivalent packages by surpassing the 10,000 mark for the
first time in their 99-year history. The previous mark of
9,913 was set in '89 (Tigers)....The Lightning's attendance
of 20,184 for the Red Wings game Friday night was the third-
largest in Ice Palace history (Lightning)....A class-action
lawsuit filed by Raiders fans claiming they were "defrauded
into buying and maintaining overpriced" PSLs was thrown out
of court last week by an Alameda County judge who said that
the suit "isn't specific enough." The two plaintiffs,
Robert Crooy and Paul Krysko, have 30 days to amend their
complaint (MERCURY NEWS, 3/19). Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown,
on talk of the Raiders leaving Oakland before their stadium
lease expires in 12 years. Brown: "It's like marriage. For
better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, until the
year 2011 do you part" (MERCURY NEWS, 3/19).
MORE ON REDSKINS SALE: A WASHINGTON POST editorial on
the delayed sale of the Redskins to Howard Milstein's group
stated that "different NFL owners have made the point that
they have a right to decide who joins their organization.
... The day is long past when the NFL, subsidized with
public funds in cities across the country, could regard
itself as a purely private operation" (WASHINGTON POST,
3/22). On "The Sports Reporters," ESPN Michael Wilbon said,
"What happened at first to be silly frat boy hazing, has
grown into harassment, and the NFL owners ought to stop,
before some court makes them stop" (ESPN, 3/21).
