With a WNBA-mandated October 15 deadline to sell 5,500
season tickets approaching, the Portland franchise has
currently sold 2,750 season tickets, according to Ryan White
of the Portland OREGONIAN. The team has averaged 27 tickets
sold per day since June 7 and must sell 92 tickets a day to
get to 5,500 by the deadline. White wrote there has been a
"certain reluctance" among former ABL Power fans to
"embrace" the WNBA. White: "Some felt burned by the ABL's
financial demise. Others felt the WNBA might have been
responsible for the rival league folding." One question has
been whether 5,500 season tickets is "unrealistic," as the
Power began last season with between 1,600-1,700 tickets
sold. Portland coach & GM Linda Hargrove: "I think it's a
very challenging number." Another reason for the slow
ticket sales is a "sense of urgency that is lacking" due to
a belief that team Owner Paul Allen "will simply open his
checkbook and buy the rest." But team VP Sandi Bittler
said, "We can't buy our own tickets" (OREGONIAN, 9/15).
MORE EXPANSION NUMBERS: In Seattle, Jayda Evans wrote
that "only" the expansion team in Indianapolis "is close to
the league requirement." So far, the Seattle team has 5,100
season-ticket pledges, but unlike other teams, IN's $100
pledge can go toward multiple tickets. Other teams are
required to sell each pledge for $50. WNBA execs have not
said why the league gave an exemption to IN. Portland Dir
of Sales & Promotion Mike Cole: "We're all trying to reach
the same goal, so the league should make it fair for all of
us." The team in Seattle has 3,125 pledges and has averaged
46 per day, but it must average 77 per day to meet the
October 15 deadline (SEATTLE TIMES, 9/15).
