The Mets today announced a widespread season-ticket price reduction for the '12 season, the third consecutive annual move designed to stem flagging Citi Field attendance. After season-ticket prices were cut an average of 14% for the '11 season, next year's rates will carry no increases for any season-ticket holder, and at least a 10% cut for more than half of the ballpark's seats. The club also has consolidated or expanded several Citi Field seating categories, allowing some fans to upgrade seat locations at no additional cost. The Amazin' Mets Perks rewards program, introduced last year, also returns in expanded form with an increased amount of tangible and experiential benefits. The Mets this season saw attendance decline 8% to 2.35 million, its third straight decrease and lowest total for the club since a 91-loss '04 season at Shea Stadium.

Additionally, the Mets said they will begin dynamic pricing next year, joining several other MLB clubs such as the Giants, White Sox, D’Backs, A's and Brewers that have implemented such a system. The Mets' dynamic pricing will be powered by Qcue Inc., and like most other clubs active in this space, tickets priced dynamically will be permitted to move lower than season-ticket rates. The ticket pricing moves follow the Mets' recent signing of a seven-year ticketing deal with MLBAM-owned Tickets.com Inc.

Mercedes-Benz today announced a deal with golfer Adam Scott to become an int'l golf brand ambassador. The deal will begin next January and will entail global TV and print advertising, PR and social media. Scott joins tennis player Li Na on the Mercedes-Benz ambassador roster (THE DAILY).

The Bruins today announced that Cross Insurance will be the team's first practice jersey sponsor. Bruins players debuted the new Cross Insurance patch on their practice gear during team media day today at TD Garden. The insurance company also will have a visible presence at the Bruins' primary practice facility at Ristuccia Arena in Wilmington, Mass. (Bruins). 

Turner Motorsports today announced that Dollar General will not return next year as a sponsor of the NASCAR Nationwide Series No. 32 Chevy driven by Reed Sorenson. The race team today notified its staff that "there could be layoffs after the season." Dollar General, which had also sponsored Kyle Busch Motorsports in select Camping World Truck Series races, "is still expected to remain in the sport."

The race team, which has fielded four Nationwide cars and three Truck Series rides, also employs drivers Justin Allgaier and Jason Leffler, who is "looking for a ride next year as he will no longer have sponsorship from Great Clips." Allgaier is "expected to return with sponsor Brandt for 2012" (SCENEDAILY.com, 10/4).

EA Sports said today it sold more than 3.2 million units of "FIFA Soccer 12" in its first week of retail release, setting a new record for the biggest launch of any sports video game ever, and 23% above last year's first-week "FIFA" sales. The first-week "FIFA" sales also represent the biggest launch of any video game this year, regardless of genre, and positions the game to eventually challenge last year's total physical and digital "FIFA" sales of nearly 15 million. The initial sales of "FIFA 12" also included 879,000 units of the game for the iPhone and iPad as it reached No. 1 status for the top grossing iPhone app in 30 different global iTunes storefronts.

EA today announced plans for "GTTV presents Battlefield 3: Operation Gridiron," an upcoming show on Spike TV featuring several NFL players: Saints QB Drew Brees, Packers LB Clay Matthews, Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald and Vikings DE Jared Allen. The show will place the players on a team to accomplish a live simulated operation on the military-themed video game. Starting today, it will be released as weekly webisodes on the Battlefield Facebook page. The game, developed by DICE, will be released on Oct. 25, a day after the show's finale airs on Oct. 24 (EA).

Apparel brand Point 3 today said that it has reached a settlement agreement with Nike over a "trademark dispute involving a pair of Dwyane Wade signature basketball shoes." Terms of the settlement were not released. Atlanta-based Point 3 filed a federal trademark infringement claim in April arguing that Nike's product "bears similarities to its own trademarked '3' logo." The filing claimed Nike's design, incorporating Wade's Heat jersey number, is "virtually identical" to its registered trademark (BIZJOURNALS.com, 10/4).

ESPN tonight will debut "Renée," a new documentary about Renée Richards, the transgender tennis player who 35 years ago won a legal battle to play as a woman in the U.S. Open. Filmmaker Eric Drath indicated that when he "initially approached Richards about the possibility of making a film about her life, she was reluctant." Drath: "She doesn't want to be known as the 'T' in LGBT" (L.A. TIMES, 10/4).

In a special to LATIMES.com, Mary McNamara writes, "Although uneven and at times unsatisfying ... 'Renée' is a fascinating glimpse into many things." ESPNNEWYORK.com's Johnette Howard writes, "What's achingly clear from the new documentary on her life is some poignant, midnight-of-the-soul questions follow Richards to this day." BLEACHER REPORT's Adam Spencer writes, "In the grand scheme of things, this documentary is much more important than the one ESPN aired last week about Steve Bartman."

The Blackhawks today announced a three-year contract extension for VP & GM Stan Bowman that extends through the '15-16 NHL season (Blackhawks).

Texans RB Arian Foster has agreed to endorse Double Eagle Holdings' Fuse Science brand of nutrition products. The deal makes Foster an equity partner in the brand (Double Eagle Holdings).

Eagles QB Michael Vick will "no longer host" WIP-AM's "Chickie and Pete's Players Lounge" on Monday nights. Vick had "promoted the show in the preseason and was scheduled to make weekly appearances but had only participated in the program" after the Eagles' lone victory on Sept. 11 (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 10/4).

MLS Sporting KC parent company Sporting Club today formally announced the formation of Sporting Innovations, a company focused on technological innovation in sports and entertainment (Sporting Club).

The ECHL today announced that it has renewed its deal with Sher-Wood Hockey to continue as the league's exclusive puck provider (ECHL).

"Madonna is now in her mid-50s, so I certainly hope she doesn't come out in her cone bra" – Author John Covach, on speculation that Madonna could be the headliner of next year's Super Bowl halftime show (ESPN.com, 10/4).

"We just don't have the wherewithal, starting with the fact that there is no stadium that exists that could accomodate it" – IAAF Senior VP Bob Hersh, on seeing no prospect of the U.S. hosting track and field's world championship. The event, which has been running since '83, has never been held in the U.S. (AP, 10/4).

CBSSports.com NBA reporter Ken Berger: "Remember the date I predicted a deal would get done: Oct. 13. It's just a matter of how much chaos and panic ensues between now and then."

Golfer Luke Donald: "So @IanJamesPoulter is offering a round with him if he gets TW13 front cover. Playing with him ain't that great, trust me....ha ha!"

NYU sports business professor Robert Boland: "Not as much economic consequence from lost early NBA games as NFL, ad buys & fans move to other sports, arenas book extra nights of shows."

Houston Chronicle's Richard Justice: "I wondered why Jordan Schafer was always listening to Jefferson Starship and saying things like, 'Nixon's gotta go, man.'"

If you see a tweet we will not want to miss, send it to us at editorial@sportsbusinessdaily.com. 

MLS Fire team writer Jeff Crandall, evidently unafraid of a possible jinx, posted this image of a Fire jersey adorned with a U.S. Open Cup championship medal ahead of tonight's match against the Sounders at CenturyLink Field.

Univ. of Regina student Kirk Morrison has agreed to a deal with Bills LB Kirk Morrison for "a pair of tickets to any Bills game and on-field visit during the pre-game warmup" for the rights to the @kirkmorrison Twitter handle. The second-year business student and his brother "plan to attend the Nov. 6 Bills game" against the Jets. Flight and accomodations are "covered as part of the deal" (REGINA LEADER-POST, 10/3).

Michael Jordan appears alongside rapper Drake in this video promoting today's release of 2K Sports' "NBA 2K12" video game. 

Watch The Clip

MLS Commissioner Don Garber will appear on Versus' "NBC Sports Talk" at 6:00pm ET.

Pro Football HOFer Eric Dickerson, Saints QB Drew Brees, Falcons TE Tony Gonzalez, Packers LB Clay Matthews, Bills LB Shawne Merriman and Broncos QB Tim Tebow will appear on a special two-hour edition of NBC's "The Biggest Loser" at 8:00pm ET.

Nets F Kris Humphries will appear on NBC's "The Tonight Show" at 11:30pm ET.

US$3M – Amount EPL club Manchester City must pay local authorities in return for control of naming rights to its stadium. Agreeing to that payment allowed the club to "conclude their 10-year deal with Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways" for an estimated $54M a year (GUARDIAN.co.uk, 10/4).