The Blue Jackets' "best-ever campaign" in '13-14, which included their first playoff victory, has team execs "bullish on dollars-and-cents progression," according to Evan Weese of COLUMBUS BUSINESS FIRST. The team "filled 14,698 seats per game last season," up less than 1% from 14,564 in '12-13. But "more important for the bottom line," paid attendance was up 9% year over year "because of fewer discounted promotional tickets." Blue Jackets Exec VP/Business Operations Larry Hoepfner said that the increase in paid attendance "prompted" an 18% increase "in ticket revenue." Blue Jackets President Mike Priest and Hoepfner have "outlined attendance goals starting with selling 10,000 season tickets for the upcoming season." The team "stood at 9,100 on July 2." The team has spent the offseason "hosting 100 to 150 prospective season ticket holders at Nationwide Arena to scope out available seats and hear from players and Coach Todd Richards." The Blue Jackets are "aiming for average attendance of 16,000, which is about the league average and what Priest said will lead to profitability." Priest said that the "current trajectory will put the club there in two to three years" (COLUMBUS BUSINESS FIRST, 7/4 issue).
