MLB Franchise Notes: D’Rays Orlando Tix Not Selling Well

Yankees-Red Sox Games Require Greater Number Of Complimentary Tix

With the Red Sox’ attendance of 37,161 for Tuesday’s game against the Blue Jays being called the largest at Fenway Park since World War II, in Boston, Steve Buckley wonders how the crowd could have been bigger than last weekend’s games against the Yankees. Because the Yankees are “such a big draw,” the Red Sox “are called upon to provide complimentary tickets ... to a greater number of people.” The difference “must also take into account the 416 bleacher seats in the center field triangle,” which “usually are not sold for day games” (BOSTON HERALD, 4/26).

D’RAYS: In Orlando, Josh Robbins writes ticket sales for the May 15-17 Rangers-D’Rays series at Disney’s Wide World of Sports “are lagging behind expectations.” Neither Disney VP/Sports Attractions Reggie Williams nor D’Rays President Matt Silverman “would say how many seats have been sold, but Silverman said the team will increase its advertising to boost sales.” Silverman: “Our indications from history and also from the ratings that we’re seeing in Orlando is that the area is interested in baseball and in the Rays. We need to translate that interest into ticket sales” (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 4/26).

D’BACKS: The D’Backs within the next few weeks will begin allowing Arizona State Univ. students to purchase single-game tickets with their student ID cards, which are also programmed as debit cards. D’Backs President Derrick Hall, an ASU alumnus, said that the team viewed the technology “as a way to make ticket purchasing easier for students.” Hall: “We think this is just another demographic that we haven’t reached out to enough” (BUSINESS JOURNAL OF PHOENIX, 4/20 issue).