The Hornets's ticket sales staff “had their hands full” when they returned to the team's offices Wednesday night following the announcement that the team had won the first overall pick in the June 28 draft, according to Jimmy Smith of the New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE. Hornets Senior VP/Ticket Sales & Service Bill Bailey said, “The phones have been brisk ever since. It happened immediately.” The team “could not offer exact sales figures because sales are on-going.” Bailey said, "We shut the phones down about 11 o'clock (Wednesday night), and we came into sporadic e-mails and voice mails waiting for us (Thursday) and at 8:30, the phones were ringing again.” He added, "I've been trying to figure out how to describe (the number of calls) and maybe percentage is the best. I'm looking at the inbound call reports and things like that. And we were up 500 percent in inbound calls, which is awesome for us.” Bailey said, “Most who are calling at this point are getting information about season tickets” (NOLA.com, 5/31). The AP reported the Hornets’ new union with the Saints “is taking shape in the area of ticket promotions.” Saints season-ticket holders “are being offered a chance to select season seats for Hornets games before they are offered to the general public.” The NFL club made the announcement Thursday “in an email to its approximately 70,000 season ticket holders” (AP, 5/31).
AWAITING APPROVAL: In New Orleans, Smith cites a source as saying that the NBA BOG “is poised to formally approve the sale” of the Hornets to Tom Benson “shortly after the Louisiana legislature ratifies the state's capital outlay bill which is expected to include monies for improvements to New Orleans Arena.” Approval of the capital outlay bill “is the last impediment before the NBA endorses Benson's purchase.” By law, the legislature “must conclude its business for this session by 6 p.m. Monday.” The NBA “would likely then convene a conference call of its governors, possibly on Tuesday, to approve the Hornets' sale” (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 6/1).
