In Buffalo, Mark Gaughan notes the Bills claim that their annual Toronto Series games are “helping to grow their fan base in Southern Ontario.” Bills CEO Russ Brandon on Monday said that the team “continues to see concrete positive results from the five-year, eight-game deal it signed with Rogers Communications in 2008.” He “would not give the specific number of season-ticket holders from Southern Ontario, but he did give the big-picture perspective on the team's drawing power over the border.” Brandon: "After three years of that experience, we've had a 44 percent increase in season-ticket holders from Southern Ontario.” He added, “That's been the key, how the fans come from there, back to Ralph Wilson Stadium, come to our community and keep our organization viable and strong. That is the key to that relationship" (BUFFALO NEWS, 3/30).
MUM’S THE WORD: In Winnipeg, Paul Friesen noted Coyotes coach Dave Tippett and GM Don Maloney early this season “instituted a policy forbidding discussion” of the team’s sale “as long as there’s a game at hand.” Coyotes Senior Dir of Media Relations Rich Nairn said, “They initiated a policy where we only talk hockey on game days. We don’t want to be difficult in any way. But people understand the situation, that hockey is the No. 1 focus, and off days are the time to discuss this issue.” Friesen wrote “even on off days, the Coyotes don’t want many players bombarded with questions about Winnipeg.” Coyotes RW Shane Doan, the “longest-serving member of the Coyotes who was also with the franchise back in Winnipeg, will be made available, but beyond that, there are no guarantees” (WINNIPEG SUN, 3/30).
A TALE OF TWO CITIES: Mavericks C Tyson Chandler, a California native, said of the NBA Kings' possible move to Anaheim, “I've always said that if a team gets to Anaheim, they're going to clean up because it's two different worlds. People that are not from LA don't understand it. It's two different worlds. People in Orange County do not like coming to LA and people in LA do not like to come to Orange County. And they almost compete against each other” (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 3/31).
