In an online chat with ESPN.com users, Mavs Owner Mark
Cuban said he hasn't been "overly impressed with" the NBA's
marketing effort. Cuban: "My approach to marketing is
different, so I think every minute of every day is a
marketing opportunity for the Mavericks and the NBA. We
need to take advantage of every access we have. I don't
think the NBA does that and I don't think the Mavericks did
that prior to me." Cuban, asked if other NBA owners answer
e-mail from fans: "I don't care, they can do whatever they
want. To me, every e-mail is a potential fan coming to the
game. ... I answer e-mails from all fans unless they're
asking for a job or money" (ESPN.com, 7/14).
MORE NOTES: The Pacers have raised ticket prices by an
average of 8% for next season. But the approximately 9,000
seats in the balcony at Conseco Fieldhouse will increase by
an average of under $1, while about a third of those seats
will not see any price increases. The Pacers will continue
to have about 1,300 seats priced at $10 and almost 5,000 at
$21 or less. Balcony seats will cost as much $45, club
level seats will range from $48-85, courtside seats will
cost $115-225 and front-row seats are $375 (Pacers)....Grant
Hill took out a full-page ad in the Detroit News and Detroit
Free Press thanking Pistons' fans, players and staff for
"supporting him during his time in the city." The ad cost
him more than $60,000 to run in both papers (Mult., 7/14).