Tickets for second- and third-round NCAA tournament games at First Niagara Center "remain among the hottest of the eight host sites," largely due to the "presence of Syracuse," according to James Fink of BUFFALO BUSINESS FIRST. Data from ticket aggregator SeatGeek showed that tickets for all six games, which have a $198 face value, "are selling, on average, for $443." With Buffalo being geographically close to Syracuse and the school's "strong following, it is not a surprise there is a heavy demand for the tickets." That is especially so since Thursday afternoon’s doubleheader "kicks off with an Ohio State-Dayton contest." SeatGeek Communications Analyst Connor Gregoire said that only San Diego "has a higher asking price for its opening round games, mainly because it is hosting UCLA and Arizona, two top-ranked teams who are also relatively close to that city." The "average for San Diego’s six games is $495." Meanwhile, San Antonio has the "weakest demand for tickets, with an average SeatGeek asking price of $129" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 3/19). Gregoire in an e-mail wrote, "Oftentimes the night session in a given city is more expensive than the day session because it's easier for fans to get to games after the end of the workday, but Syracuse's presence is reversing that trend in Buffalo" (Syracuse POST-STANDARD, 3/19).
HOME SWEET HOME: In Buffalo, Jay Tokasz writes the NCAA has "made itself comfortable inside First Niagara Center." Spectators who walk into the arena's bowl will find "scant evidence that this is the home" of the Sabres, "aside from some title banners and retired jerseys hanging from the rafters." The NCAA has "exacting standards when it comes to the look of the host sites for basketball tournaments," and advertising in the bowl area of the arena "is a definite no-no." Bunting will "cover up corporate signs," and screens "block out digital advertising boards that ring the arena just under the 300 Level." The Sabres this year did not have to "take down its divisional and conference title banners and retired jerseys -- something the NCAA had demanded" in four previous tournaments. The main Sabres store on the ground level of First Niagara Center "won’t be selling NCAA merchandise, but six satellite stores on other levels of the arena were emptied of all Sabres gear and replaced with shirts, baseball caps, basketballs, pins and other items bearing the 2014 NCAA tournament logo" (BUFFALO NEWS, 3/19).
