In West Palm Beach, Hal Habib reports although the Dolphins will "aim to recover" part of their $400M investment for renovations to Sun Life Stadium by "raising some ticket prices next season, most prices in the upper deck will remain unchanged." Dolphins President & CEO Tom Garfinkel yesterday said that the club "expects to announce 2015 prices in the next few weeks." Garfinkel said for the most part, the upper deck's current $45-50 per-game price will be "relatively the same." Garfinkel: “That was important to us. We want to make sure every fan has an opportunity to come out and enjoy it" (PALM BEACH POST, 1/21).
MODEL OF CONSISTENCY: Browns President Alec Scheiner, who has been with the franchise longer than GM Ray Farmer and every member of the coaching staff, said of building consistency within the organization, "The most important thing is having the right people in the right spots. ... Continuity is very important, but getting it right is important, too. I think that's why you see so much change in the NFL. Not because people don't understand the continuity, because continuity is valuable" (CRAINSCLEVELAND.com, 1/18).
TOMMY, CAN YOU HEAR ME? In Nashville, David Climer writes of Titans President & CEO Tommy Smith saying the club is not for sale, "Woe is we. So much for the hope of new ownership and a fresh start." First, late Owner Bud Adams "ran the franchise into the ground." Now, his heirs "appear determined to maintain the status quo." Climer: "It's time to give fans a reason to believe things will get better. If current ownership can't do that, give somebody else a chance" (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 1/21).
MAN IN THE MIRROR: In St. Louis, Bernie Miklasz writes, "One of the things that continues to bother me is the perception of St. Louis failing to support the Rams." This applies to the criticism that St. Louis "waited too long to conceive plans for a new stadium." That is "ludicrous on every level -- but especially preposterous when you consider" L.A. Miklasz asked, "If St. Louis has allegedly moved at such a plodding pace -- then why isn't anyone talking about the Los Angeles failure to get anything done on the stadium front during the many decades that have rolled by?" At some point the team -- not the fans -- "should be held accountable for lower attendance" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 1/21).
