Tigers Preparing For First World Series Appearance Since ’84

Ilitch Using Tigers To Sell Red Wings Tix

The Ilitch family, which owns the Tigers and Red Wings, is offering two tickets to either Game One or Game Two of the World Series to fans buying 20 single-seat Red Wings tickets, according to Steve Schrader of the DETROIT FREE PRESS. That “could add up to a bit more than $2,000 — $880 to $1,500 for the hard-to-sell Wings single seats and more than $500 for the World Series tickets” (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 10/19). Even Swin Cash of the WNBA Champion Shock is having trouble finding World Series tickets. Appearing on ESPNews, she was asked by Steve Bunin, “Are you going to go to the World Series?” Cash: “Well, you know what, can I get some tickets? What’s going on around here?” Bunin: “You are Swin Cash” (ESPNews, 10/18).

RETURN ON INVESTMENT: Front Row Marketing Services VP/Marketing Eric Smallwood estimated that Comerica Bank, which is paying $66M for the naming rights to the Tigers’ ballpark, received about $1.27M in exposure for each home game during the ALDS, $2.6M worth for each home game during the ALCS and will get about $6.2M for each World Series home game (DETROIT NEWS, 10/18).

SECURITY: Deputy Chief James Tate said that the Detroit Police will “devote extra uniformed and undercover officers to World Series security but are planning to handle the games in Detroit much the same way” as the ALCS. He added that there “will not be a security perimeter as there was around Ford Field” for Super Bowl XL in February (DETROIT NEWS, 10/19). Comerica Park hosted MLB’s All-Star Game in ’05, and MLB VP/PR Pat Courtney said, “For each of the cities, we have a plan in place. Since Detroit hosted the All-Star game less than two years ago, we have good relations with the local authorities here” (AP, 10/17).

World Series Paying Dividends For Detroit

PAYOFF: The Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce estimated that the economic impact of the Tigers postseason home games, including the World Series, will be $73.5M for the city. Lansing-based Anderson Economic Group’s Patrick Anderson had previously estimated a payoff of $71.7M (DETROIT NEWS, 10/18).

HOMETOWN HERO: USA TODAY’s Mel Antonen writes “Tigers fever is running high” in Pell City, Alabama, because of P Todd Jones, a native of the city with a population of 11,000 about 30 miles east of Birmingham. There will be a party at the Pell City Center to watch the games. High school cheerleaders are painting the windows of businesses with “Go Tigers,” and Jones’ No. 59, and elementary schools are “staging pep rallies and Cap Day, where students wear baseball caps in honor of Jones.” Pell City organizers are also selling “Todd Squad” T-shirts that have “an old-English ‘T’ instead of the ‘D’ on the Tigers’ home uniforms.” Organizer Brittney Smith said, “We’ve sold 200 T-shirts within 24 hours, and everyone is calling to ask, ‘What can we do?’ It’s crazy” (USA TODAY, 10/19).