The New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE reported the Saints are "increasing ticket prices" for the "first time since" the team's '09 Super Bowl-winning season. No ticket price will "increase by more than $10 per game and approximately 1/3 of all seats will be priced at $55 or less per game" (NOLA.com, 3/2).
'AV IT YOUR WAY: In Denver, Terry Frei notes the Avalanche were "22nd in the 30-team NHL in home attendance" going into last night's victory over the Lightning, averaging 15,978 fans per game. Avalanche coach & VP/Hockey Operations Patrick Roy said, "There is some work to be done, to bring people back. I would say something, though. From the start to now, when I walk in the street, the people are proud. People are telling me, 'Great job, you guys are doing a good job,' and they're starting to follow the team more and more. I think this is a sign that we're going in the right direction. I guess people are disappointed with what happened in maybe four of the last five years, but I'm also confident our fans will come back and support this team and be proud of this team. We want them to come and have fun watching this team. And I think that's what this team has been doing" (DENVER POST, 3/3).
RETURN OF THE EXPOS? In N.Y., Bill Madden noted that there are "renewed discussions among MLB officials" about returning a team to Montreal, "particularly in regard to the attendance-starved" Rays. A source said, "Montreal may still not be an ideal situation in that they still need a new stadium, but when the Expos were winning, the fans there did support them, and right now Montreal looks a whole lot better than Tampa Bay" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 3/2).
