Pistons, Nuggets Reap Rewards Of New Arrivals Iverson, Billups

By Erik Swanson, Staff Writer

Pistons See Bump In Ticket Sales Following Acquisition Of Iverson

ANSWER TO THEIR PROBLEMS: Wilson said prior to the trade that Pistons games this season drew “quiet, dispassionate fans.” But the buzz created by Iverson’s arrival in Detroit has been undeniable. While the Pistons lost their first two games with Iverson, Friday’s away game against the Nets and Sunday’s home game against the Celtics drew a ratings spike for the two games on FSN Detroit. The net earned a 6.7 HH rating for Pistons-Nets and a 5.6 rating for Celtics-Pistons, up 76.3% and 47.4%, respectively, from a 3.8 average rating through the previous four games. Meanwhile, at the Palace Locker Room store at the Palace of Auburn Hills, the Pistons have sold around 2,000 Iverson No. 1 Pistons jerseys since they were released Friday afternoon, and Wilson said lines were 10-deep to get into the store at tip-off of Sunday’s game. “That’s something we’ve never seen before,” he said. Wilson said the team expanded store hours over the weekend to accommodate the demand. Sensing an opportunity, the team now has launched a ticket package for the November 19 Cavaliers-Pistons game that includes a lower-level ticket and an adidas road blue Iverson jersey for $65. “That was kind of a clarion call, when everybody called to get a jersey, to say, ‘Well here’s how we can package this thing,’” said Wilson.

LOOKING OUT FOR NUMBER ONE: The Pistons have long been known to possess a team-first marketing approach, which is reflected in the team’s season-long marketing slogan, “We Work As One.” Despite Iverson’s big-ticket appeal, Wilson said the marketing efforts around Iverson’s addition will demonstrate a balance between his star power and the focus on the team. “The sheer magnitude of his personality … is sort of like a marketer’s dream,” he said. “And for however long this window is open, we have to sort of walk that critical path between not making the whole team about him and yet trying to maximize what he brings to us.” Wilson said the Pistons will continue to offer Iverson-themed promotions as long as there is fan interest. 

Reebok Joins In Marketing Efforts Surrounding Iverson's Arrival In Detroit

GOLDEN NUGGET: The move to Denver serves as a homecoming for Billups, who grew up in the city and played college basketball at the Univ. of Colorado, and the team recorded a sellout for his first home game last Friday against the Mavericks. “That game was on pace to be a good game for us, but clearly not a sellout,” said Nuggets CMO Kurt Schwartzkopf. “I think that in itself speaks highly for Chauncey and the community rallying around and coming to see him come home.” Schwartzkopf could not release specific ticket sales figures for the team, but said the Nuggets doubled single-game sales every day from the trade's announcement  to Friday night’s game. He added the Nuggets “plan on seeing an increase” in season-ticket sales as well. And while the team’s 10-game Fan Plans had slowed in recent weeks, Billups’ arrival has sparked a renewed interest in the partial-season packages. “We would probably have been out of the Fan Plan business and moving on to holiday packs and other stuff prior to getting Chauncey, but because he came back, we’ve seen a little movement on the Fan Plan again.” The Nuggets also produced over 100 No. 7 Billups jerseys and more than 150 Billups T-shirts in time for the Mavericks game, and Schwartzkopf said the merchandise sold out before tip off. “We just got in as much as we could get in based on production timelines,” he said, adding that the team is in the process of stocking Billups gear for Sunday’s home game against the T’Wolves.

Nuggets Planning To Play Off Billups' Ties To  Denver Community In Marketing Efforts

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