In Detroit, Lynn Henning notes the Tigers' business year is "shaping up as an approximate repeat" of '16, when the team sold 2,493,859 tickets for the "12th-highest attendance in Tigers history." The team said that it is 3% beneath '16 season-ticket levels "with sales continuing." Although the club "won't reveal precise figures," it is known '16 season-ticket purchases "approached 17,000." That "placed the Tigers in the top 10 teams in season sales" in MLB. The '17 projections, which "could yet match or beat" numbers from '16, have "slipped from Comerica Park's box-office heyday" of '08-13, when the Tigers "four times hit the 3 million mark" (DETROIT NEWS, 4/6).
MAKING A SPLASH: In West Palm Beach, Jason Lieser noted the Dolphins' "surprise playoff berth last year is already paying off in ticket sales," as Dolphins President & CEO Tom Garfinkel is "seeing increased interest" with the '17 opener still five months away. Garfinkel: "Renewals have been very positive, well ahead of last year at this time. New season ticket deposits, that we just started taking, have been positive, so we expect to be up to start the season from where we were last year in season tickets. And we expect to sell out every game. Things have been real positive." Dolphins Owner Stephen Ross is "equally upbeat" (PALMBEACHPOST.com, 4/5).
WE TALKIN' ABOUT ... PARKING?: In Atlanta, Phil Hudson noted in a new promotional video for the Braves' SunTrust Park, Basketball HOFer Allen Iverson "takes a jab at himself by mocking his infamous 'practice' press conference." Braves VP/Marketing Adam Zimmerman said that the club "wanted a break-through creative idea to amplify its plan about getting fans to buy parking tickets in advance of games, use Waze to find their parking spots, and be aware of the 14,000 parking spots as well as the Uber option." Zimmerman said that the "fact that Iverson and his manager grew up Richmond Braves fans helped get Iverson on board" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 4/5).
