In Nashville, John Glennon notes for the first time since '99, the Titans "did not sell out all their regular-season home games on the first day that single-game tickets were made available to the public." Titans Exec VP/Administration & Facilities Don MacLachlan on Monday said that there were "less than 1,200 tickets remaining" for the Oct. 30 game against the Colts, and he expected that it would "sell out shortly." He also indicated that there are "between 1,200 and 2,000 tickets remaining for each" of the team's seven other home games. The Titans are "looking to keep a streak alive of 124 straight sellouts, one that includes preseason, regular-season and playoff contests" (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 8/10).
BACK TO BLACKOUT? In Jacksonville, Vito Stellino reported the NFL is letting the Jaguars "use 10,000 complementary tickets for the two preseason games to get to the blackout number because of the short selling season following the lockout, but that policy will not be in effect for the regular season." Jaguars Senior VP/Sales & Marketing Macky Weaver said, "I hope lifting the blackouts for the preseason games doesn't send the wrong message to the fans and make them think it will happen for the regular season." Stellino noted the Jaguars need a "surge in ticket sales" to reach the "14,443 non-premium tickets needed to be sold for each game to lift the blackouts" (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 8/9).
THE SUITE LIFE: In Houston, Allison Wollam reports the Texans are "unveiling new features for corporate suite holders." Texans VP/Ticketing & Event Management John Schriever said that the team's "194 luxury suites are at 95 percent capacity ... and the team doesn't have much turnover because most are leased on a multiyear basis." Despite that, the Texans have "invested in a new service from Woodland Hills, Calif.-based Spotlight Ticket Management to make sure corporate users keep coming back." SMT's program "designates a suiteholder's ticket to a company, lists the company's contact information and how much business the suiteholder does with that business" (HOUSTON BUSINESS JOURNAL, 8/5 issue).
CAT'S MEOW: In Charlotte, Tom Sorenson interviewed Panthers Owner Jerry Richardson and asked him who "will run the team when he no longer can." Richardson: "I don't really think a lot about that. I'm in good health. We have a good organization in place and -- hopefully -- that's too far in advance." Richardson said of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, "He has the potential to end up being the best commissioner" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 8/9). Meanwhile, also in Charlotte, Erik Spanberg notes the Panthers have a new coach and a "high profile rookie quarterback." With "so much change in the air, it might be worth taking a look at the Panthers' look." All 32 NFL teams "will make at least minor adjustments to their on-field style next season as Nike takes over from Reebok as the league's uniform licensee." In a "broader context, Carolina's panther logo and fuzzy lettering remains the same as it was when the expansion franchise debuted" in '95. For the moment, the team has "no plans to apply to with the NFL to make more substantial changes" (CHARLOTTE BUSINESS JOURNAL, 8/5 issue).
CLOSE TO THE HEART: ESPN BOSTON's Mike Reiss reported the Patriots throughout the '11 season will "wear a patch on their uniforms to honor the memory of Myra Kraft," the late wife of team Owner Robert Kraft. The patch bearing Myra Kraft's initials, "MHK," will be worn "on the left chest of every player" as part of the team's plans "to dedicate the entire 2011 season" to her memory. In addition, the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation "will focus its season-long initiative in 2011 on recognizing and rewarding volunteerism," including honoring the U.S. Military (ESPNBOSTON.com, 8/9).
