In Pittsburgh, Rob Rossi cites sources as saying that Penguins co-Owner & Chair Mario Lemieux, co-Owner Ron Burkle and President & CEO David Morehouse met yesterday to "determine the future" of GM Ray Shero and coach Dan Bylsma. Sources said that no decision on Shero "had been made" as of yesterday, but ownership "favored terminating Bylsma" (PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW, 5/15). Also in Pittsburgh, Dave Molinari notes the Penguins as of December '12 "had a season-ticket waiting list of about 9,500," but as of yesterday morning, "their website placed that figure at 'over 4,400.'" The team's website on Monday was "touting the availability of tickets" for Rangers-Penguins Game 7 at Consol Energy Center. In other years, tickets to "such a high-stakes game would have been as treasured -- and scarce -- as a winning lottery ticket" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 5/15).
PANNING FOR GOLD: In S.F., Katie Dowd reported the 49ers for the first time "are adopting a variable pricing system." The team's single-game tickets "fall into one of three pricing categories this year: preseason, prime and marquee." The marquee category includes games against the Bears, Chiefs, Eagles and Seahawks, while the prime category includes matchups against the Cardinals, Rams, Chargers and Redskins (SFGATE.com, 5/14). The Niners become the eighth NFL team to implement variable pricing, joining the Chiefs, Steelers, Lions, Patriots, Bills, Seahawks and Dolphins (THE DAILY).
SHOWTIME IN THE MIDWEST: In Cleveland, Kevin Kleps wrote Cavaliers Owner Dan Gilbert is "loved by the majority of Cavs fans for his willingness to spend and the fact that his franchise puts on an excellent show." Games at Quicken Loans Arena "are an event," but that "sometimes overshadows the product, which has been terrible for four consecutive years." Gilbert "has no problem being in front of the cameras when his team is trying its luck at landing another No. 1 overall pick." But he also "needs to be present when things go very badly" (CRAINSCLEVELAND.com, 5/13).
