Giants Season-Ticket Holders Criticize Team For Handling Of Super Bowl Drawing

The NFL Giants from Sunday night to Monday morning "sent out email blasts informing their season-ticket holders of the results of their Super Bowl ticket draw, a random computer selection process that determined who would have the opportunity to buy tickets" for the Feb. 5 game against the Patriots in Indianapolis, according to Joshua Robinson of the WALL STREET JOURNAL. But the way the Giants "structured the draw meant that not every season-ticket holder was entered with the same chances." Each entry was "weighted by seniority and further helped if the season tickets were for the higher-priced seats in the Mezzanine Club and Coaches Club, leaving many fans frustrated at the Giants' lack of transparency." The criteria were "detailed in separate emails to club seat holders and non-club seat holders after the selection occurred." The message did "not inform non-club seat holders the club seat holders would carry any extra weight" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 1/24).

PROMOTING SUPER PEOPLE: Patriots Owner Robert Kraft yesterday announced the opening of a "Super Bowl for Super People" online sweepstakes to recognize individuals in the public service sector as an extension of the Patriots Charitable Foundation's season-long "Celebrate Volunteerism" campaign. Ten winners will be randomly selected from a pool of police officers, firefighters, teachers, military personnel and nurses in New England who have been identified as "Super People" by their superiors. Two winners from each category will receive the "Super Bowl for Super People" package, which includes an all-expenses paid, one-day trip to Super Bowl XLVI for the individual and a guest. It includes game tickets, round-trip airfare, transportation to and from the game and tickets to the Patriots' postgame party (THE DAILY).

EXAMPLE OF CONSISTENCY: NFL.com's Albert Breer noted Giants co-Owners the Mara family, like Steelers Owners the Rooney family, have "built a monument to consistency." In a league where 11 new coaches "were hired in 2009 and just two of them remain employed today, the Giants never really reinvent themselves." Giants GM Jerry Reese said the Maras "don't knee-jerk about things, they've been in football a long time." Breer noted you rarely hear much about team President & CEO John Mara, and "that's the way he wants it." In that way, John Mara is "just like his dad." But everything the team "needs from a resources standpoint is there." And Mara "cares deeply about winning, as anyone who's been around him on a game day can attest" (NFL.com, 1/23).

TROPHY CASE: ESPN.com's Mike Reiss noted in the Patriots locker room following their AFC Championship win Sunday, Kraft was "asked his thoughts on the trophy itself, which has a new look from previous years." He said, "I'll tell you the truth, I'm a traditionalist. I sort of like the old trophy better." Kraft added, "I'm probably going to get fined, but I really don't care. If (Tom) Brady said he sucked, I'm going to tell you the truth, I like old ones better than this" (ESPN.com, 1/23).