After Bulls season-ticket renewals "took a dip"
following the team's 13-37 season, VP/Marketing Steve
Schanwald said the franchise conducted an "extensive direct-
mail campaign" to boost the numbers, according to Roman
Modrowkski of the CHICAGO SUN-TIMES. The team spent about
$275,000 on the 25,000 direct-mail pieces, and Schanwald
said the campaign resulted in "sales of about 17,000 full-
season tickets, which is about 500 more than we sold last
year." Schanwald: "So the [United Center] will be full for
every game again, and it will be sold out for the 13th
straight year." The team's marketing this year "revolves
around Elton Brand and other top draft picks." Schanwald:
"What I feel good about is people are being patient and
understanding and are giving us some time to see what
happens. So far they're voting with their wallets and they
like what we're doing and they understand it takes time"
(SUN-TIMES, 10/15). While Schanwald "refused to divulge the
renewal rate of last year's season-ticketholders," one
source "placed the number at around" 75%. Schanwald: "This
is the first year we've had to spend any money marketing
tickets since the 1988-89 season" (DAILY HERALD, 10/15).
