The Wild have sold all 64 of its luxury suites and
2,800 club seats, and will now focus on converting the
13,700 $100 deposits it received into season tickets,
according to Gary Olson of the ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS. Wild
President Tod Leiweke: "We sold all 64 suites in eight
weeks, a period we believe is an NHL record. Since we
introduced our logo in mid-November, we've sold 16,000
jerseys, more than anyone else in the NHL. And, we sold
2,800 club seats in five weeks." Leiweke adds the process
of season-ticket holders choosing their seats should "take
three to three and a half months." The Wild "must have"
12,000 season tickets sold by April 15, and each person who
placed a deposit "will have three weeks to make a decision"
about buying a ticket plan. In addition, team officials say
that the Wild's $130M arena in St. Paul is "on time and on
budget" (PIONEER PRESS, 1/13). Leiweke said that other NHL
expansion teams have "had conversion rates" of between 70-
75% for those who paid initial deposits. In Minneapolis,
Jay Weiner writes, "On tap in the next few months will be
the culmination of deals for the team's radio outlet, its
over-the-air and cable TV stations and the lucrative naming
rights on the new arena" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 1/13).
