In Philadelphia, Jeff McLane reports the Eagles yesterday announced that season-ticket holders will have a "deferment option on the second payment on ticket plans for the coming season." Fans will have the option to "pay now or defer payment until June 7 or until there is an official announcement that the 2011 season will happen." The Eagles are "one of a handful of teams to give their fans this choice." Eagles COO Don Smolenski: "In light of that the work stoppage is ongoing and continuing and now that we've had a chance to kind of look at things through that prism, this seems to be fair and seems to provide flexibility" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 4/21). Smolenski said the date for single-game tickets to go on sale "will move until the work situation is resolved" (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 4/21).
BOSS TALK: In N.Y., Paul Schwartz reports Giants season-ticket holders yesterday "had their chance to speak directly" with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on a conference call. About 5,500 Giants ticket holders joined the call. Goodell discussed the decision to schedule Cowboys-Jets and Giants-Redskins on Sept. 11, the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, saying, "We want to honor that 10-year anniversary in a way that's appropriate. We thought in putting the schedule together the way we did where we can have a game in New York, we can also have a game in Washington and we will also have a proper recognition in western Pennsylvania, it's the right thing to do" (N.Y. POST, 4/21).
DIRECT CONNECT: In Denver, Mike Klis reports the Broncos yesterday "held a question-and-answer conference call" with season-ticket holders "for the first time since the franchise kicked off 51 years ago." From the 24,000-plus accounts, "more than 7,000 people joined in Wednesday to hear what" Broncos Exec VP/Football Operations John Elway and GM Brian Xanders "had to say about how they would fix a team coming off a 4-12 season." Twenty-three people had a chance to ask questions on the call. Broncos Exec Dir of Media Relations Patrick Smyth said that the conference call was the "largest of its kind in the NFL, in terms of number of people who participated." The team also "will allow season-ticket holders to call in for a conference with new head coach John Fox on May 2, two days after the Broncos complete their draft" (DENVER POST, 4/21).
TIME FOR A CHANGE: In DC, Robert McCartney writes under the header, "Longtime Redskins Family Giving Up Season Tickets To Switch To Capitals." The Krogh family in Bethesda, Md., is "giving up its Redskins football season tickets, which have been in the family for 40 years or more." The family has had six seats at FedExField, and they often "can't find takers when they try to sell or even give away the tickets to relatives or friends." Paul Krogh "can no longer count on using them for business entertainment in his construction management work." Krogh: "While I can't seem to get clients to go with me to a Redskins game, I can get them to go to a Caps game, no problem." Krogh "plans to buy part of a Caps season package from a friend." McCartney writes it is "too soon to call it a trend," but "hear all of the Kroghs' reasons for making the switch, and the message to Redskins ownership is unmistakable: Don't take us for granted" (WASHINGTON POST, 4/21).
GOING IT ALONE: In Jacksonville, Tania Ganguli reports Jaguars players "met on Wednesday as a kickoff to their player-organized offseason workouts." A group of "about 30 players gathered at the Wyndham in downtown Jacksonville on the Riverwalk, which is where players stay during training camp." The players "have workouts through the end of July, with bigger full team workouts expected to start after Memorial Day" (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 4/21).
