In an "effort to keep their claims of a sellout streak alive," the Titans "entered into a business deal" with a professional scalper, according to Phil Williams of Nashville-based WTVF-CBS. Every Titans game has been a "sellout for the last 16 seasons." To keep the streak going and "avoid a blackout of the team's games" on local TV, the Titans "essentially went into business" with Florida-based ticket broker Cole Rubin. The deal was "hammered out" by former Titans Senior Dir of Ticketing Marty Collins and former Dir of Ticket Operations Tim Zenner, "with the blessing" of former Exec VP/Administration & Facilities Don MacLachlan. MacLachlan said that the ticket office strategy was to "make Rubin 'the main guy' for scalping the Titans' tickets." The goal was to "eliminate other brokers who 'cheapen the market.'" McLachlan said the ticket-office staff was "trying to up the value" of Titans tickets. Collins said in return, Rubin "bought tickets to help sell out the games that were a challenge in the last year or two." Fan Freedom Project Exec Dir Chris Grimm, whose group fights restrictions on ticket purchasing, said, "They're cutting secret deals with these same guys. They are in bed with ticket brokers to increase their own profits. So it's not just hypocritical, it's deceptive." Former Titans execs "insisted that many other teams in the NFL are also quietly cutting deals with ticket brokers." Rubin reportedly "claims to have relationships with 22 different NFL teams" (NEWSCHANNEL5.com, 5/18).
HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY: In Nashville, David Ammenheuser writes if the report is true, it is "time to question the integrity" of the Titans' front office. The team's "lack of integrity ... harmed the Titans' fan base." The Titans issued a lengthy statement saying that they "use many strategies to sell tickets, including ticket brokers" and "'most professional sports teams also' sell tickets to ticket brokers." Ammenheuser writes in a time when the team has not performed well on the field, "it would have been wise for the Titans' front office to tell us what was really going on." If it is only happening in Nashville, then the NFL "should reprimand the franchise." If this is occurring in other markets, then Commissioner Roger Goodell "should acknowledge it and explain the reasoning behind it" (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 5/20).
