The Packers Thursday announced plans to increase ticket prices for the '12 season at Lambeau Field at a range of $3-5 per game, depending on the seat location. Invoices sent to season-ticket holders this week include a letter from Packers President & CEO Mark Murphy that reads in part, "Ticket revenue continues to be an important component of our ability to remain financially competitive with the other 31 NFL teams. Our goal each year is to be at the league average in terms of ticket prices" (Packers). Packers Dir of Ticket Operations Mark Wagner said that some NFL owners "have suggested the Packers could charge even more because of their waiting list of 96,000 names." But he said that the team has to "balance that with the local market and fan expectations." Wagner: "That's why we try to stay somewhere in the middle of the league." Also Thursday, the team said that it will "add more than 430 new cash registers across the stadium for the coming season to provide faster service and reduce the time fans stand in line." Additionally, Murphy sent "an update" on the Lambeau Field expansion project along with the ticket invoice (GREENBAYPRESSGAZETTE.com, 2/9).

Senators President Cyril Leeder introduced the team's '12-13 season-ticket campaign Wednesday, saying that the goal is to increase the season-ticket base "to 13,000 from the current 11,300," according to Ken Warren of the OTTAWA CITIZEN. If that happens, Leeder predicts that there will be "fewer game-day tickets available to other fans." The ticket campaign "calls for 9,000 tickets to increase in price" by 4% from '11-12 prices. Another 40% of seats -- "roughly 7,800 -- will be reduced in prices" from between 3.4% to 52.7%. More than 2,700 tickets in the "high-end 100 level have been reduced in price by up to" 18.5%. While Leeder is "happy with the bump in season tickets to 11,300 from 10,000 in 2010-11, and the fact the club has sold out 16 games ... he says the ultimate goal is to sell out every game." Fans renewing their ticket packages before March 15 will receive a 2% discount and fans who pay in full by March 15 will receive a 4% discount (OTTAWA CITIZEN, 2/9).

The trustee suing Mets Owner Fred Wilpon and his family for $386M on behalf of victims of Bernard Madoff's Ponzi scheme filed court papers Thursday asking U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff to "deny a defense request to have the case tossed," according to Adam Rubin of ESPN N.Y. The Wilpons' attorneys "also filed papers, which asked that the judge reject trustee Irving Picard's motion to award $83.3 million to him even before the case is scheduled to go to trial March 19." The Wilpon family, its businesses and charities "are viewed by the trustee as net winners in the Ponzi scheme -- meaning they allegedly withdrew more money than they deposited in Madoff accounts." However, the Wilpons argue that they are "losers because they believed $500 million was invested with Madoff when he was arrested -- money that now does not exist" (ESPNNY.com, 2/9). Meanwhile, in N.Y., Kaja Whitehouse notes Wilpon, through his company Sterling Equities, filed a petition with the U.S. Supreme Court "in a bid to recover money the firm says it lost" to Madoff. Sterling is arguing that a federal appeals court "erred in August when it ruled that the Mets owners were beneficiaries, or 'net winners,' in Madoff’s $65 billion scheme." The appeal is "separate from the upcoming March trial" (N.Y. POST, 2/10).

SEVERE DROP IN PAYROLL: ESPN's Buster Olney reported the Mets will begin the '11 season with an $87.5M payroll, down from $142.8M in '11, and the decline is the “greatest in baseball history.” The bulk of that money is devoted to P Johan Santana, OF Jason Bay and 3B David Wright, who account for $57.5M, or 65%, of the payroll. Olney said, “Right after the Winter Meetings (I was) talking with someone in the Mets organization and asking about free agents. He said, ‘We don’t have any money.’ I thought he was exaggerating.” ESPN’s Jayson Stark said, “Their debts are mounting. There are a lot of people who wonder how much longer Fred Wilpon will hold onto this team.” ESPN’s Karl Ravech asked, “Why do we keep hearing about the Dodgers sale and not a Mets sale?” Stark: “The Dodgers sale is in progress. The Mets debt is hovering.” Olney said there is a “lot of concern that that debt will eventually collapse the Wilpons ownership of this team and eventually baseball, as we’ve seen in situations with the Dodgers and Texas, that they had to get involved” (“Baseball Tonight,” ESPN, 2/9).

RUNNING ON EMPTY? In N.Y., Andrew Keh noted Mets GM Sandy Alderson "displayed his sense of humor Thursday when he posted a pair of well-crafted jibes on his Twitter account satirizing the growing hoopla around the organization’s shaky finances." At 3:28pm ET, Alderson sent out his first tweet: "Getting ready for Spring Training-Driving to FL but haven’t left yet. Big fundraiser tonight for gas money. Also exploring PAC contribution.” Alderson said that he had been "amused to see another innocuous factoid -- his revelation that he would be driving to Florida for spring training -- joked about, dissected and in some cases seriously analyzed by some on Twitter and on blogs as a reflection of the Mets’ finances" (NYTIMES.com, 2/9).

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) in a letter to Nationals Owner Ted Lerner "decries a new team 'gimmick' that gives priority in home game ticket sales to customers" from DC, Maryland and Virginia, according to Chris Brennan of the PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS. Casey, who sent a copy of the letter to MLB Commissioner Bud Selig, wrote, "The Phillies have some of the best fans in the world and they shouldn’t be left out in the cold on tickets just because the Washington Nationals want a stronger home field advantage." The issue "bubbled up" last week when the Washington Post reported the plan and quoted team COO Andrew Feffer "as saying he was tired of the Phillies fan invasion at his home games." Annually, Phillies fans "from Pennsylvania and around the region have packed Nationals’ stadium when their team plays" in DC (PHILLY.com, 2/10). In DC, Adam Kilgore noted Casey, via Twitter, "stood against the Nationals’ plan." Casey tweeted, "I'm calling on the Nationals to reverse course on a reported plan to block Phillies fans from buying tickets to games at Nationals Park." A team spokesperson said that the Nats had "no response to Casey's comments" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 2/9). Feffer said Thursday, "This isn't about Phillies fans, it's about giving Nationals fans more of a chance to buy the tickets. It's just a presale. We're giving our fans first crack at the tickets until they go on sale in March and then we'll see what's left (for Phillies fans)." He added, "I'll be interested to see if the senators from Virginia or Maryland have anything to say about it. Get a little bit of a rivalry in the Capitol building going" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 2/9).

In Phoenix, Lisa Halverstadt reports NBC analyst and former NHLer Jeremy Roenick is "now part of a group interested in buying" the Coyotes. Roenick said that he was "approached weeks ago by ex-San Jose Sharks Chief Executive Officer Greg Jamison, who has expressed interest in the team." Roenick added that he "could not place a time frame on a potential deal" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 2/10). Meanwhile, Halverstadt notes Glendale and hockey officials "won't offer anything definitive" on the Coyotes ownership saga, but they "will say what won't work: a proposal floated by a potential City Council candidate for fans to buy the team." NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said that NHL bylaws "prohibit such an arrangement" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 2/10).

ON THIN ICE: The Blue Jackets have a 15-33-6 record through Thursday, and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said that he is "aware of how frustrated" the team's fans are about another losing season. The AP's Rusty Miller noted Bettman is "also certain that the franchise has the right people in charge to turn the sorry club around." Bettman: "I'm aware of the fact that there's a little bit of frustration by some fans in the on-ice performance. I can assure you, because I know it firsthand, there is nobody more frustrated than ownership and management. And nobody more committed to getting it right on the ice than ownership and management. I have no doubt about the future of this franchise because it's in extremely strong, committed hands." A few hundred Blue Jackets fans "held a rally recently to protest the club's front office" (AP, 2/9). 

SURVEY SAYS: A report from the Conference Board of Canada Thursday indicated that Canada "would be able to support up to two more NHL teams." The report stated Hamilton and Quebec City "appear to be viable locations for NHL franchises." The GLOBE & MAIL's James Mirtle noted the Conference Board is "not as bullish on putting a second team in Toronto, however, given the acquisition cost and/or territorial rights fees involved" (THEGLOBEANDMAIL.com, 2/9). Meanwhile, the GLOBE & MAIL's Paul Waldie notes the Conference Board's study "paints an uncertain future and says Winnipeg isn’t large enough to support the Jets," the CFL's Blue Bombers and the city's "other entertainment options." The study stated that Quebec City "will face similar issues if it lands an NHL franchise" (GLOBE & MAIL, 2/10).