In Oakland, Woodall & Stiglich note A's Owner Lew Wolff remains "intent on moving the team to San Jose and said he has no knowledge of any prospective ownership group interested in buying the A's." Wolff said, "No one has contacted me. It's not for sale...Someone made that story up, I think." Former A's and 49ers exec Andy Dolich "was rumored to be a possible candidate for the mystery suitor." But when asked about buying the A's, he said, "Categorically no." However, Dolich said that if Wolff and investor John Fisher change their minds, "then maybe he would change his" (OAKLAND TRIBUNE, 3/13).
HOLDING STEADY: In Cincinnati, Steve Watkins notes the Reds "expect ticket sales to come in this season where they did in 2011 -- and team officials say that will be a victory." Reds VP/Ticket Sales John Davis said that average ticket prices "will hold steady this year, with sales on track to come in around the 2.2 million mark again." Davis added that season-ticket sales "are ahead of last year's pace, when they totaled 11,000." Additionally, Reds VP/Corporate Sales Bill Reinberger said that corporate sales "are up about 5 percent from a year ago" (CINCINNATI BUSINESS JOURNAL, 3/9 issue).
DUST ON THE HALO: In L.A., Michael Hiltzik noted the Angels were "totally unprepared to handle the crowd that materialized" to redeem ticket vouchers last week. Hiltzik wrote the "worst thing is that Angels executives still don't get that they committed a huge blunder." Poor customer service "is not a great long-term business model." If Owner Arte Moreno "really doesn't understand that the fan base of even an iconic ballclub can vanish in the blink of an eye, he should take a drive up the freeway to Dodger Stadium, which was only half-full last season in part because owner Frank McCourt pursued a screw-the-customer strategy not unlike the one Moreno unveiled last week." Moreno and his brain trust are "coasting on the built-in draw of [1B Albert] Pujols and other on-the-field upgrades, which have Angels fans more excited than they've been in a decade." But what happens if the "rest of the team doesn't play up to Pujols' level, or if the superstar has a bad season or (God forbid) blows out his knee?" Then the Angels "will have to fall back on their cherished reputation for great fan relations." Hiltzik: "Unfortunately, as of last week, the value of that reputation for me and untold other customers is zero" (L.A. TIMES, 3/11).
SPRING IN THEIR STEP: In West Palm Beach, Dave George looks at the business around the Cardinals' spring training site and strong ticket sales around the team this year. Roger Dean Stadium GM Mike Bauer said, "We have about 2,200 season-ticket holders for Cardinal games, and coming off the World Series our season tickets are up by about 220." George noted the Cardinals contracted with Sports Marketing USA "to offer spring training package deals that vary in length from three to seven days." The Spring Training inventory "sold out Feb. 6, with nearly 600 people taking advantage of deals." Sports Marketing USA VP/Sales & Marketing Lisa Goularte said, "We're up about 30 percent over 2011. Sixty percent of the people who do the package come back each year" (PALM BEACH POST, 3/13).
