Facility Notes
In Detroit, Kirkland Crawford reports more than 145,000 fans attended the three Final Four NCAA men's basketball tournament games at Ford Field. An "estimated 34,000 people visited Ford Field on April 3 for the open practices and college All-Star Game," while "about 300,000 people went to the riverfront over three days for the concerts." Hoop City at Cobo Center "was attended by 76,079 people" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 4/15). Meanwhile, Veritix’s electronic ticketing operation Flash Seats recently completed a contract with the NCAA to distribute student ticketing for each game of the Final Four in Detroit, disseminating about 1,600 tickets for each of the three semifinal and championship games. The digital-based ticketing, which required a valid student e-mail address for purchase and credit card swipe for entry, was designed to prevent resale or transfer of the seats (Eric Fisher, SportsBusiness Journal).
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Renderings For Marlins' New Ballpark
Show Futuristic Structure |
PLANS COMING INTO FOCUS: In Miami, Charles Rabin notes additional renderings for the Marlins' planned new ballpark "show a futuristic structure surrounded by propped up parking garages, linear pools and a glass outfield wall offering a clear view of downtown Miami's skyline." The "main plaza, four acres that front the stadium on the northwest corner, is covered during sunny afternoons as the retractable roof slides over it." The ballpark also will have "giant columns tower through the plaza, leading to a towering television screen that can be seen both inside and outside the ballpark" (MIAMI HERALD, 4/15).
PLAYING POLITICS: In a front-page piece in the Newark STAR-LEDGER, Heininger & Margolin report New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine yesterday "would not say if he would follow" Newark Mayor Cory Booker's "request to veto the planned upgrades at Izod in favor of promoting" the Prudential Center. Corzine said that he "does not know the details of the improvements planned, but he supports maintaining the site." Corzine: "Of course they need to protect the public and make sure it's a convenient place to go, but there's no broad restructuring plans that I'm aware of." More Corzine: "We need cooperation, not cannibalization. I think actually the issue is slightly overblown. Frankly, I think it's too much ado about nothing" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 4/15).
NEEDING DIRECTIONS? TD Banknorth and TD Banknorth Garden owner and operator Delaware North Companies announced today that the arena will be officially renamed TD Garden in July. The new name of the arena comes at a time when TD Banknorth prepares to re-brand their New England operations to TD Bank this fall (TD Banknorth Garden).
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