NFL Franchise Notes: Panthers Set Several Team Marks In ’05

Panthers Set Team Records For Attendance, TV Audience And Total Revenue

The CHARLOTTE BUSINESS JOURNAL’s Erik Spanberg reports the NFL Panthers set new team records for home attendance, average TV audience and total revenue this season. The team drew 670,204 fans, up from 656,490 in ’04, and posted an average TV audience of 243,811 HHs per regular-season game, a 29% increase over last year. The team’s total revenue of $180M marks a $10M improvement over ’04 (CHARLOTTE BUSINESS JOURNAL, 1/6 issue).

SEAHAWKS: In Seattle, Susan Gilmore reported Qwest Field is sold out for Redskins-Seahawks Saturday, as the final 2,000 tickets went on sale Monday and were “snapped up in just 10 minutes.” StubHub.com stated the highest average ticket price on its site for second-round NFL playoffs games is $364 for Panthers-Bears, while the lowest average price is $172 for Patriots-Broncos (SEATTLE TIMES, 1/10).

49ERS: The S.F. BUSINESS TIMES’ Eric Young reports the average attendance at 49ers home games this season was 51,068, a 3% increase over the average of 49,541 in ’04. Team officials “credit the uptick to fan interest in 2005 top draft pick Alex Smith, a new coaching staff, ticket promotions and a new focus on group sales.” The team said that group plans –- in which a group of 20 or more paid $34 per seat, almost half the regular price — “were a hit” (S.F. BUSINESS TIMES, 1/6 issue).