Phillies VP/Sales & Ticket Operations John Weber said that season-ticket sales "are at 12,500, which is down 15,000 from the height of the club's attendance explosion of a few years ago." But he believes that "sellout crowds will return." Weber: "Our fans understand what we're trying to do. We're trying to get younger, and it's not going to happen overnight, but Citizens Bank Park is still a great place to come see a ball game, especially once the weather starts warming up. Am I worried? Sure. Any time attendance decreases you are worried, but I have confidence that our fan base will return" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 4/26).
NOT YET RIPE: In N.Y., Billy Witz reported the atmosphere at Yankee Stadium for this past weekend's Mets-Yankees series "was somewhere between meh and a shrug," despite the fact that many people wanted to make it "into something significant." N.Y. baseball fans are "not set up to care until the events really matter, such as when the teams meet again in September." Just as interesting will be whether the Yankees "can reinvigorate their fans by fielding a championship contender" (N.Y. TIMES, 4/27).
THE SUN IS SHINING: In Miami, Adam Beasley reported roughly 90% of Sun Life Stadium's lower-bowl seats for the '15 NFL season "have been sold," as have all club-level season tickets. The luxury packages -- "including the team’s swanky living room experience and pricy ’72 Club -- are basically gone." There also is a waiting list of "some 4,500 season-ticket seekers who have put down a deposit." The Dolphins’ season-ticket renewal rate this year "is historically high -- even better" than the 80% retention rate last season. The team last year "sold more than 70,000 tickets to each of its eight home games" (MIAMI HERALD, 4/25).
STATUS QUO: In Pittsburgh, Ron Cook reported Penguins GM Jim Rutherford "will return next season." Team President & CEO David Morehouse said there is "disappointment" in the Penguins' early playoff exit. But Morehouse noted that ownership "remains firmly committed" to Rutherford and coach Mike Johnston. Morehouse said of Penguins co-Owners Mario Lemieux and Ron Burkle, "[They] have never given any consideration to replacing our general manager or our coach" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 4/26). Cook wrote while some "will tell you Morehouse is delusional," he "is right." Cook: "Tearing everything apart again and starting over makes no sense" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 4/26).
