In Minneapolis, Judd Zulgad reports the Vikings “won't raise season-ticket prices for the second time in three years.” Vikings VP/Sales & Marketing and CMO Steve LaCroix said, "We wanted to acknowledge our fan base for their patience during the process of some definite inconveniences toward the end of last season. ... We wanted to make that gesture and make sure we put them in the best spot possible to renew their tickets." The Vikings also “did not raise season-ticket prices during tough economic times in 2009 and last year increased them by an average” of 3% (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 2/10).
ON THE UPTICK: MLB.com’s Lyle Spencer noted the Angels' payroll for '11 is expected to be around $140M, moving the team “past the Mets into fourth” in MLB. The Angels' total payroll in ’10 was $123.8M. Angels Owner Arte Moreno said, “This year it stretches, especially because of the two left-handers (Hisanori Takahashi and Scott Downs) we picked up. We have plenty of flexibility next year” (MLB.com, 2/9).
DOWN PERISCOPE: D’Backs President & CEO Derrick Hall said the reason the team’s payroll is “down is because our revenues are down.” Hall: “Our plan is, as we increase revenues and hopefully see a positive outcome, that would go right back into payroll. But because of the economy and the way we’ve played, our revenues have been down.” In Phoenix, Nick Piecoro notes the D’Backs have about $59M in “known commitments to current and former players” for ’11. Hall said the club’s budgeted payroll is “in the low $60s, approaching $65 million.” That would be a “steep drop from last year’s $79 million payroll.” Meanwhile, Hall last month said that the club “had about an 80 percent renew rate among a season ticket base of roughly 12,000, but that the team added 1,000 new season tickets.” He said that “total season ticket revenues are up from last year.” Hall: “Our greatest opportunities are in ticket sales” (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 2/10).
CHANGING THE FORMATION: In Buffalo, Mark Gaughan reports the Bills yesterday announced that they will introduce new uniforms for next season, but the team “did not give details on the new look other than to say the charging buffalo logo will be kept.” The uniforms “will be a new design, not a copy of the throwback uniforms that the team has worn occasionally in recent seasons.” The new uniforms “will be unveiled at a fan appreciation event later in the year.” Gaughan notes the Bills’ current road uniforms, with “blue on the shoulders, never have been especially popular with a lot of fans” (BUFFALO NEWS, 2/10).
