Though Hawks and Thrashers ticket prices at the new,
$213M Philips Arena "rank among the highest" in the NBA and
NHL, the Thrashers "have had more success at the box
office," according to Jeff Schultz of the ATLANTA
CONSTITUTION. So far, the Thrashers have a season-ticket
base that is "nearing" 13,000 and are "at or near a sellout"
in their top five ticket price categories ($45 to $70).
Meanwhile, the Hawks, whose season-ticket base last season
was "estimated as low as" 4,800, are expecting 6,000-7,000
season-ticket holders next season. This includes around
1,500 seats in the arena's 90 sold-out luxury suites and up
to 1,800 club seats, which account for all events at the
facility. Officials from both teams "say they aren't in
competition with each other for the entertainment dollar."
To boost club seat sales that "have hit a wall," arena
officials are "splitting" some of the normally $8,000 seats,
meaning fans can now pay $3,600 for a Thrashers club seat or
$3,100 for a Hawks club seat. Arena officials, along with
those from both teams, have "denied that the arena's
decision to offer split club seat sales stemmed from mostly
Thrasher fans not wanting Hawks tickets." Philips Arena
President Bob Williams: "The Hawks will trail the Thrashers
from a timing standpoint, but I'll be very surprised if
we're not clean of all 1,800 tickets in the club area prior
to the NBA season" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 7/25).
