Texans Tix Sales Down, But Still Expect To Sell Out Season

Texans Expect Season Sellout Despite Sagging Single-Game Sales

Texans single-game ticket sales “are down from a year ago,” but President of Business Operations Jamey Rootes “still expects the team to sell out all” ten preseason and regular-season games at Reliant Stadium, according to David Barron of the HOUSTON CHRONICLE. Rootes said that the team’s season-ticket base “has held steady at more than 60,000.” Rootes, on not raising ticket prices after going 2-14 last season: “The gesture was more important than the bucks.” Meanwhile, Rootes said the team has changed its policy regarding Reliant Stadium’s retractable roof. If the game-time temperature is 50-80 degrees, “assuming there is little or no chance of rain in the forecast, the roof will be open” (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 8/4). Texans Owner Bob McNair said the team, after drafting DE Mario Williams with the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, “had five people ... who actually canceled their season tickets after the draft. I tell everyone else, ‘When you see Mario play, you’ll understand’” (SI, 8/7 issue).

ALL HOPPED UP: SI.com’s Peter King noted the Jaguars sell beer at their training camp. King, who makes an annual tour of training camps each year, wrote, “I have to say that’s something I haven’t seen before” (SI.com, 8/3).