Local Business Execs Take Steps Toward Pushing Sabres Tix

Twenty-four business execs "attended a private Sabres pep talk" last night at HSBC Arena and "began committing their firms to promoting season-ticket sales," according to Anthony Cardinale of the BUFFALO NEWS. Sabres officials used the slogan "Buffalo is a better place to do business with the Sabres than without the Sabres." Cardinale notes that the Amherst Chamber of Commerce "convened the session on short notice, and other area chambers are expected to pitch in as the Sabres try to sell" 4,000 season tickets in 40 days in order to match the league average of 10,600 season-ticket holders. Amherst Chamber of Commerce Second VP Michael Newman said, "This is a great community for hockey. Even counting the larger cities, there are no more loyal fans nor better fans than here in Buffalo" (BUFFALO NEWS, 9/13). Meanwhile, in Buffalo, Bob Dicesare writes, "The lack of interest has little, if anything, to do with the uncertainty of the ownership. And when you get right down to it, escalating ticket prices deserve only a small part of the blame. Give Western New Yorkers a quality product and they'll always find a way to come up with the cash. The reason ticket sales are lagging is that Buffalo hockey fans were discouraged by what they saw last season" (BUFFALO NEWS, 9/13).