In L.A., Bill Plaschke writes the Clippers' "lack of a clear home-court advantage in some big games is the fault not of Clippers fans, but of Clippers team officials, whose consistent and substantial ticket price increases are threatening to turn Lob City into Lame City." Next season, the "best Clippers courtside seats will be more expensive than the price of Lakers courtside seats," which "represents a 39% increase from this season." A "couple of rows back, the prices are going up 21%." The Clippers "currently have an 180-game sellout streak at Staples Center." But "conspiracy theorists wonder" whether Owner Steve Ballmer is "weeding out his longtime fan base in preparation for moving to an expensive new arena he reportedly hopes to build" (L.A. TIMES, 4/3).
PARQUET PARTY: ESPN.com's Darren Rovell reported the Celtics this week "became the newest team to sign up" for Arizona-based ReplyBuy, which "allows fans to opt into an on-demand ticket program through text message." Fans give the team their phone number, e-mail and credit card, and when tickets "become available the team sends a text to the fan with an offer." The "faster to the trigger, the better the seat." The Clippers, Cavaliers, Wizards, Nets, Pistons and T'Wolves also "are clients of the company." Celtics CMO Shawn Sullivan said that the team with ReplyBuy is "able to offer tickets to engage a younger fan, which teams are so interested in reaching" (ESPN.com, 4/2).
WHERE THE PLAYERS PLAY: In Atlanta, Michael Cunningham writes he has "sympathy for city residents who are not Falcons fans, football fans or sports fans," as they will "see a stream of public money [up to $600M] dedicated to making a wildly profitable business even more profitable with no commensurate benefit to the public or themselves." But Cunningham writes he does not "blame the Falcons for seeking public money" for their new stadium. Cunningham: "We live in an upside-down world where it’s somehow expected for people to spend money on the home team and politicians get blamed for not making bad public investments to keep those teams from leaving" (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 4/3).
I'M NOT A FAN, MMMKAY? ESPN’s Tony Kornheiser called the new Bucks logo “stupid” as it “doesn’t have the antlers" and "doesn’t put in ‘Fear The Deer.’” Kornheiser said, “It’s a flexing ‘M.’ It’s not even as good as the ‘M’ and the ‘B’ of the Milwaukee Brewers that together form a baseball glove.” ESPN’s Jason Whitlock called the logo “bad” and said when he first saw it “I was thinking Marquette.” Kornheiser: “How much money did they pay to come up with an ‘M?’” (“PTI,” ESPN, 4/2).
