Memphis-based Guardsmark Inc. has purchased 5,000
tickets to the Oilers' November 9 game against the Giants,
and Logo Athletic has "committed" to buy 1,000 tickets to
each of the Oilers' five remaining home games, according to
John Glennon of the Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL. Guardsmark
will be the title sponsor of the Giants game and the Oilers
"will promote the company throughout the game," while Logo
Athletic will be a sponsor for the Oilers-Steelers game on
December 21. Oilers Exec VP/Marketing Don MacLachlan said
the plan is for the companies to redistribute a majority of
the tickets to community youths. MacLachlan: "It will be
great public relations for them." The Oilers drew just
17,071 for their win over the Bengals on Sunday, and "have
sold" 19,246 tickets for this weekend's game against the
Redskins (Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL, 10/14). On Sunday,
Oilers Owner Bud Adams said that he "expects to see bigger
crowds" in Memphis towards the end of the season and that he
will "consider changing the team's nickname prior" to the
'98 season. Adams: "We've finally got our marketing plan in
place. ... We didn't have the best draws (for the first
three home games)." As for the name change, Adams said, "I
want to see some polls, some focus studies and see what they
really want down here" (Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL, 10/13).
