Butler's request has made it more difficult to market around the team's 30th anniversaryNBAE/getty images
The T'Wolves have been gearing up to celebrate their 30th season this year, but "promoting a team" in a situation like the one the T'Wolves find themselves in with F Jimmy Butler "can be a challenge," according to Kent Youngblood of the Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE. As of Thursday afternoon, there were still "about 1,800 tickets left" for the team's home-opener Friday night against the Cavaliers. T'Wolves CEO Ethan Casson said that the team has "sold about 500 fewer season tickets" than this time last year, but he is "optimistic the team can match last year's attendance with single-game ticket sales." Casson also said that the team "still will be in the top 12 of the NBA in new season tickets sold," and corporate support for the team "remains strong." Casson added that he is "looking for interest to build" like it did last season -- which ended with the T'Wolves selling out 16 of 41 regular-season home games, the most for the team since the '91-92 season (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 10/19).
THE BUTLER DID IT: In Minneapolis, Michael Rand wrote the T'Wolves are "trying to impossibly thread some sort of needle whereby they try to promote the enjoyment" of Butler, while "actively trying to accommodate his trade request." FS North's halftime show for the team's season-opener was a "mix of highlights -- many including Butler -- and an interview" with Owner Glen Taylor "discussing how they are working to trade Butler." Until the Butler situation is resolved, the T'Wolves organization has "hit a bizarre pause button" (STARTRIBUNE.com, 10/18).
