More sports teams responding to the economy
Sports are supposed to be an escape from real life. Or at least, that’s what we’re always being told.
But in these difficult economic times, teams are increasingly getting involved in fans’ lives as a way to help out and strengthen their fan bases.
When the Heat launched its season ticket renewal campaign earlier this year, it entered early renewers into a sweepstakes to win prizes that included offers to pay fans’ property tax (up to $5,000) and FPL (up to $4,000) bills.
This week, the St. Louis Blues announced that at every Saturday home game beginning Nov. 29, the team will pay one fan’s mortage or rent payment for four months up to $4,000. The team will call the seat number of the lucky fan.
Today, the New Jersey Nets announced they are offering the unemployed free tickets and some assistance finding a new job. Up to 300 tickets for five different games will be released on a first-come first-served basis to unemployed fans, who sign up for the Nets Employment Program and submit their resumes. The resumes will be distributed to Nets sponsors – including UPS, TD Bank, Coca Cola Enterprises -- and season ticket holders who have businesses that are involved with the program. The fans will also have a chance to attend a Nets career fair later this month.
There are no guarantees the team will be able to provide fans jobs, but if you got one through the program, wouldn’t you be a Nets fan for life?
CRAIG DAVIS In more than 33 years at the Sun Sentinel, Craig Davis has written about a wide variety of sports topics from baseball to yachting, fishing to triathlons, and also worked as a copy editor and page designer. Recently he reported on local sports, including running, swimming, cycling, equestrian and beach volleyball. He enjoys sports as a participant as well as a spectator, is active in the South Florida running scene plays in the curling club at Saveology Iceplex. This blog offers a glimpse at the business side of sports in the interest of enhancing enjoyment of the games and sporting options as a spectator as well as a participant.
