Clearly, fans are saying no to the NFL’s historic tilt at the Rogers Centre on Sunday afternoon and will either be leaving a considerable number of seats empty or paying more reasonable amounts for tickets than the game’s organizers initially sought. In fact, visitors to websites such as Craiglist or Kijiji will find they can purchase tickets at half the original asking prices for non-VIP seats, which ranged from $110 to $350.
Oh, technically, the game’s a sellout. Organizers with the Rogers corporation claimed almost all remaining tickets yesterday, I’m told, thus ensuring a theoretical sellout and eliminating any possibility of a local television blackout of the match between the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins.
But, “If you wait till Sunday morning (to check web sites), I’m sure tickets will be going for even less than half price,” said Gus Lambrinakos, co-operator of the Ultimate Touch Football League in Toronto and the owner of season-ticket subscriptions for nine NFL teams. “I mean, you’re talking about Buffalo and Miami, not the Super Bowl. People aren’t stupid. They (organizers) overestimated the public. They thought they’d be well received but they’re getting a rude awakening.”
Lambrinakos himself purchased several end-zone tickets for Sunday’s game at $140 each a few months ago but, because of his distaste for the NFL exhibition game played at the Rogers Centre in August, he sold his seats for a slight profit and instead will be in New Jersey Sunday to watch the Philadelphia Eagles visit the New York Giants. For that game, Lambrinakos paid $110 U.S. for a seat on the 30-yard line.
• OK, I have a question about the Raptors’ decision Wednesday to fire Sam Mitchell as coach:
WHAT TOOK SO LONG?
Mitchell was a liability to his team. Many of his players told me over the years they couldn’t stomach his methods. He was ornery, arrogant, condescending and confrontational – and those were his good traits. Replacing Mitchell with Canadian Jay Triano should help this country’s NBA franchise.
It is wrong, however, that Raps bossman Bryan Colangelo continues to get a free pass from many of the team’s followers. The Raps are a weak team, lacking depth, and that’s Colangelo’s fault. And, really, no Raptor obtained by Colangelo is above average.
• NBA superstar LeBron James can’t be a free agent for another two years but betonline.com already lists the Cleveland Cavaliers as 6-to-5 favourites to re-sign him.
The New York Knicks follow the Cavs at 5-to-2. The Raptors, believe it or not, aren’t that far behind in The LeBron Sweepstakes – at 15-to-1.
Marty York is Metro's national sports columnist as well as an
instructor at the College of Sports Media in Toronto. He can be heard
regularly on Vancouver radio station CKNW with Sportstalk host Dan
Russell. Contact Marty at marty.york@metronews.ca
