VANCOUVER: The Grizzlies have "about 8,500 seats spoken for"
in their quest to meet the NBA-imposed quota of 15,000 by
December 31. What "concerns" Grizzlies VP/GM Stu Jackson is that
the team hasn't "made appreciable gains in ticket sales since an
early flourish" last spring. Jackson said that the people of
Vancouver "don't necessarily share our sense of urgency." Some
question how fair the NBA mandate of 15,000 season ticket sales
is for an expansion team, as "only a handful of teams -- Suns,
Bulls, Knicks, and Hornets -- exceed 15,000 in sales. More
typically, NBA teams have sales between 10,000-12,000." Jackson:
"It is probably not appropriate for me to comment on what's
reasonable or unreasonable. It is a figure that has been handed
to us and we've got to meet it" (Dan Stinson, VANCOUVER SUN,
10/7).
TORONTO: The Raptors officially kicked off their season
ticket campaign yesterday. Although they have yet to sell a
ticket, Raptors President John Bitove does not "anticipate any
problem" meeting the NBA deadline. The team will sell tickets
with a license fee -- a first for a Canadian franchise -- which
gives a ticket buyer ownership of the seat. The fee will be
mandatory for all five seating levels in the lower bowl of
Skydome. During the first two years of play at SkyDome, the
Raptors will offer a $5 ticket, the lowest price in the NBA.
Ticket plans and licenses sold will be transferrable when the
team moves to its new arena (James Christie, Toronto GLOBE &
MAIL, 10/7).
