Pro Football HOF officials on Friday said that they are "looking to 'enhance' their Hall of Fame events to help make up for the loss of the annual Hall of Fame game at Fawcett Stadium," according to Robert Wang of the Canton REPOSITORY. Pro Football HOF VP/Communications & Exhibits Joe Horrigan said that the facility "expects to arrange for NFL Hall of Famers who aren’t in this year’s induction class to interact with visitors at the Fan Appreciation Tailgate Party, which still will take place on the afternoon of Aug. 7." He noted that the HOFers "usually depart Canton right after the enshrinement Saturday." But at least some "would be willing to stay Sunday to attend the tailgate." Horrigan: "We’re also looking at other ways we can enhance the events. We expect we will be doing things to liven up the festival part of it." Horrigan said that there is "virtually no chance that the Hall can arrange another event in Fawcett Stadium to replace the game." Joanne Murray, Dir of Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce's Pro Football HOF Enshrinement Festival committee, said that ticket sales for the Game Day Round Table "are off 40 percent to 45 percent, and tickets for packages, including reserved seating at the Timken Grand Parade, have declined 20 percent to 25 percent." Wang noted ticket buyers for the Rams-Bears game "will get refunds" (Canton REPOSITORY, 7/23).
ECONOMIC BLOW: The AP's Joe Kay reported the Pro Football HOF "could lose about $1.5 million out of its $20 million annual operating budget" because of the game's cancellation. Ticket sales for the weekend "were down compared to other years -- roughly 14,000 had been sold for the game and 8,000 for the enshrinement." Horrigan attributes the "reduced demand to the uncertainty over whether there would be a game" (AP, 7/22). Canton Mayor William Healy said the game has a "very huge impact on the community." Healy: "The festival itself brings in over $30 million to the region during the 10-day festival for entertainment and travel. So obviously it is important" (Fox Business, 7/22). In Cleveland, Bill Livingston wrote, "The cancellation is a big economic sucker punch to the city of Canton" (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 7/24).
