NBA Franchise Notes

About 300 Seats Remain For Heat's Home Opener On Friday

Heat Dir of Marketing Communications & Advertising Lorrie-Ann Diaz said that the team as of yesterday afternoon "still had tickets to sell for Friday's home opener against the Orlando Magic, as well as for the rest" of the team's home games. Diaz said that "about 300 tickets remain for Friday's game, mostly in the 400 level." In Miami, Douglas Hanks notes the team "decided to float ticket prices, allowing the team to boost costs for popular games and roll back prices if demand slackens." The result has been that seats "way up in the 400 level were selling for more than $150 Tuesday" (MIAMI HERALD, 10/27). Meanwhile, in Ft. Lauderdale, Ira Winderman reports security "has been dramatically increased" for the Heat this season. An NBA official said that the league has "spoken with the Cleveland Cavaliers specifically about the Heat's Dec. 2 visit to Quicken Loans Arena, LeBron James' first game in Cleveland since leaving the Cavaliers." A Heat source said that it was "his understanding that the league would be taking over security in Cleveland that night" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 10/27).

DYNAMIC TEST: In Toronto, Daniel Girard reports tickets for about 1,300 seats "will be part of a trial of so-called dynamic pricing" for every Raptors home game this season. Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Senior VP/Ticket Sales & Service Beth Robertson said that MLSE "will probably update prices once a week." Robertson: "In those areas where you're not selling out as much, whether it's a game or a certain section in the building, it's better for everyone to have a full building." She noted that the plan "is 'still very much in test mode' so it's too early to [tell] when, or even if, dynamic pricing will expand to other MLSE teams" (TORONTO STAR, 10/27).

LEAGUE INVESTIGATION: In N.Y., Marc Berman reports the NBA has said that it is investigating allegations that Knicks officials "staged illegal workouts with draft prospects, including Wilson Chandler, across the past four years -- a probe centering on" East Scouting Dir Rodney Heard and Senior VP/Basketball Operations Glen Grunwald. If found guilty, the Knicks "could face fines, suspensions -- and at its harshest -- loss of a future draft pick." Both Heard and Grunwald were hired by former President of Basketball Operations Isiah Thomas, and if the NBA finds the allegations are true, it "could mean Thomas' chances of rejoining the Knicks in a prominent role will be compromised" (N.Y. POST, 10/27).