Weekend Warriors

This weekend provides a multitude of quality sporting events that cover various sports business angles. The Bills’ first regular-season foray into Canada is officially declared a sellout, but seats are available well below ticket price on secondary ticket sites. And while the NFL’s march into Toronto is generating a large amount of buzz in the region, one columnist notes it is muted a bit due to the Raptors firing of Sam Mitchell and Sean Avery’s comments. Oscar De La Hoya returns to the ring to face Manny Pacquiao in a much-anticipated bout, but high ticket and PPV prices amid the current economic climate could result in a less-than-desired bottom line. The economy also is putting a damper on NASCAR’s traditional year-end banquet in N.Y., as Ford and Chevy cut parties around the festivities, and Dodge does not have a presence in the Big Apple at all. Meanwhile, the participants in the BCS national title game will be determined with the end of the college football regular season. One thing to watch: how the crowd at the ACC game in Tampa compares to last year’s game in Jacksonville.