Franchise Notes

In St. Louis, Jeremy Rutherford reported the cost of Blues tickets "will be on the rise" for the '12-13 season. The team will introduce a 9.8% “blended” increase in '12-13, "meaning some sections will increase more, some less, and the price in three sections will remain flat." The highest increase "will be in the Mezzanine End level, which will climb 18.8 percent ($19 from $16 per game)." No ticket prices "will decrease in cost, but a total of 2,850 seats will remain the same" next season (STLTODAY.com, 3/15).

DEREK & THE DOMINOS: In L.A., Bill Plaschke writes the Lakers "traded their soul" when they sent G Derek Fisher to the Rockets Thursday. He was unofficially traded because the Lakers "no longer wanted to worry about his future salary -- $3.4 million guaranteed next season -- or his future attitude." The "money dump is obvious," as it is the "same thing" Exec VP/Player Personnel Jim Buss did earlier this season in dealing F Lamar Odom to the Mavericks. For the "first time ever, the Lakers are clearly being guided by economics, one of the greatest franchises in sports suddenly reduced to tripping over relative pennies." But it is the "attitude dump that is strange." The team Thursday acquired G Ramon Sessions, and some people felt that Fisher "could make things uncomfortable for everyone, particularly Coach Mike Brown, by using the same sort of political savvy that helped him serve as the union boss during the recent lockout" (L.A. TIMES, 3/16).

LONE RANGER: In DC, Mark Maske cited a source as saying that the Cowboys are "unlikely to challenge the NFL’s decision to cut the team’s salary cap space by $10 million over the next two seasons." That would leave the Redskins, who lost $36M in cap space in the same decision, "to act alone if they choose to challenge the NFL’s ruling." It remained unclear Thursday "whether the Redskins would contest the league’s decision, either via an appeal to the NFL or a legal challenge." The source said that the Cowboys "probably would do nothing but that the Redskins 'might be considering some legal options'" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 3/15).