The NHL Panthers announced that for the first time in
six years, ticket prices will not increase next season,
according to Sarah Talalay of the Ft. Lauderdale SUN-
SENTINEL, who writes that the team has also discounted some
mezzanine-level prices in "hopes" of increasing attendance.
The Panthers' average attendance at the 19,250-seat National
Car Rental Center this year was 15,999, down 13.5% from
18,501 during the '98-99 season. In addition, the team's
season-ticket base decreased by 3,000, and the Panthers
recorded only one sellout this season. Panthers President
Bill Torrey: "I think the important thing here is what we
are trying to do here is fill this building." Besides the
freeze on ticket prices, the team will also offer 13-game
ticket packages, a five-month payment plan for season
tickets and the opportunity to make season-ticket payments
online (Ft. Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL, 5/17). Torrey: "We're
keeping our concession prices the same, our parking prices
the same. I wish we could say the player salaries are going
to be the same." In Ft. Lauderdale, Michael Mayo writes on
the Panthers' move: "Maybe it's not much, but at least the
Panthers did something" (Ft. Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL, 5/17).
