duncan228
08-19-2009, 08:46 PM
Miami Heat to scale tickets by three pricing levels this season (http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-heat/sfl-miami-heat-pricing-s081809,0,7828885.story)
Ira Winderman
South Florida Sun Sentinel
What's "Hot" when it comes to the Miami Heat's 2009-10 schedule? Something along the lines of the Minnesota Timberwolves on a Tuesday in February.
What's "Hotter"? That would be a Friday game against the Dallas Mavericks in December.
And what's "Hottest"? Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers for their lone AmericanAirlines Arena appearance of the season, on Thursday March 4, as well as anything involving the Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic.
For the upcoming season, the Heat will move away from its one-price-sells-all approach to individual opponents and instead scale game tickets based, foremost, on quality of the opponent, as well as the game's place on the calendar.
While prices have yet to be released, a list has been obtained that shows how the team plans to break down its 41-game home schedule, which opens with what the team terms a "Hotter" game on Wednesday's Oct. 28 against the New York Knicks.
According to the team, "a 'Hot' game will be the most affordably priced, a 'Hotter' game will be priced higher, while the 'Hottest' games will be premium priced."
There are 15 games designated as "Hot," 19 designated at "Hotter" and seven as "Hottest."
While teams have pushed for such variable pricing in recent years, only recently has the NBA warmed to the approach.
Last season, the Florida Panthers initially charged individual ticket buyers an extra $25 -- up from $10 the previous season -- for games against popular opponents such as the New York Rangers and Montreal Canadiens, but dropped the plan.
The Florida Marlins Get your Marlins Tickets now! this season charged more for individual tickets against the New York Yankees in June. The cheapest ticket to those games was $25, up from $9. The team also charges more for individual tickets on Fridays and Saturdays.
The Heat's upcoming breakdown, according to the team's "Hot," "Hotter" and "Hottest" scale is as follows:
Hot: Sun. Nov. 1 vs. Chicago, Tue. Nov. 3 vs. Phoenix, Tue. Nov. 10 vs. Washington, Tue. Nov. 17 vs. Oklahoma City, Sun. Nov. 22 vs. New Orleans, Sun. Dec. 13 vs. Memphis, Tue. Dec. 15 vs. Toronto, Sun. Dec. 20 vs. Portland, Mon. Jan. 4 vs. Atlanta, Tue. Jan. 19 vs. Indiana, Mon. Feb. 1 vs. Milwaukee, Tue. Feb. 9 vs. Houston, Tue. Feb. 23 vs. Minnesota, Tue. March 2 vs. Golden State, Wed. March 10 vs. Clippers,
Hotter: Wed. Oct. 28 vs. New York, Fri. Nov. 6 vs. Denver, Sat. Nov. 14 vs. New Jersey, Fri. Nov. 27 vs. Washington, Fri. Dec. 11 vs. Dallas, Wed. Dec. 23 vs. Utah, Sun. Dec. 27 vs. Indiana, Sat. Jan. 2 vs. Charlotte, Sat. Jan. 23 vs. Sacramento, Sat. Feb. 27 vs. Milwaukee, Sat. March 6 vs. Atlanta, Fri. March 12 vs. Chicago, Sun. March 14 vs. Philadelphia, Tue. March 16 vs. San Antonio, Sat. March 20 vs. Charlotte, Sun. March 28 vs. Toronto, Wed. April 7 vs. Philadelphia, Fri. April 9 vs. Detroit, Wed. April 14 vs. New Jersey.
Hottest: Thu. Nov. 12 vs. Cleveland, Sun. Nov. 29 vs. Boston, Thu. Dec. 17 vs. Orlando, Wed. Jan. 6 vs. Boston, Mon. Jan. 25 vs. Cleveland, Thu. March 4 vs. Lakers, Thu. March 18 vs. Orlando.
Staff Writer Sarah Talalay contributed to this report.
Ira Winderman
South Florida Sun Sentinel
What's "Hot" when it comes to the Miami Heat's 2009-10 schedule? Something along the lines of the Minnesota Timberwolves on a Tuesday in February.
What's "Hotter"? That would be a Friday game against the Dallas Mavericks in December.
And what's "Hottest"? Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers for their lone AmericanAirlines Arena appearance of the season, on Thursday March 4, as well as anything involving the Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic.
For the upcoming season, the Heat will move away from its one-price-sells-all approach to individual opponents and instead scale game tickets based, foremost, on quality of the opponent, as well as the game's place on the calendar.
While prices have yet to be released, a list has been obtained that shows how the team plans to break down its 41-game home schedule, which opens with what the team terms a "Hotter" game on Wednesday's Oct. 28 against the New York Knicks.
According to the team, "a 'Hot' game will be the most affordably priced, a 'Hotter' game will be priced higher, while the 'Hottest' games will be premium priced."
There are 15 games designated as "Hot," 19 designated at "Hotter" and seven as "Hottest."
While teams have pushed for such variable pricing in recent years, only recently has the NBA warmed to the approach.
Last season, the Florida Panthers initially charged individual ticket buyers an extra $25 -- up from $10 the previous season -- for games against popular opponents such as the New York Rangers and Montreal Canadiens, but dropped the plan.
The Florida Marlins Get your Marlins Tickets now! this season charged more for individual tickets against the New York Yankees in June. The cheapest ticket to those games was $25, up from $9. The team also charges more for individual tickets on Fridays and Saturdays.
The Heat's upcoming breakdown, according to the team's "Hot," "Hotter" and "Hottest" scale is as follows:
Hot: Sun. Nov. 1 vs. Chicago, Tue. Nov. 3 vs. Phoenix, Tue. Nov. 10 vs. Washington, Tue. Nov. 17 vs. Oklahoma City, Sun. Nov. 22 vs. New Orleans, Sun. Dec. 13 vs. Memphis, Tue. Dec. 15 vs. Toronto, Sun. Dec. 20 vs. Portland, Mon. Jan. 4 vs. Atlanta, Tue. Jan. 19 vs. Indiana, Mon. Feb. 1 vs. Milwaukee, Tue. Feb. 9 vs. Houston, Tue. Feb. 23 vs. Minnesota, Tue. March 2 vs. Golden State, Wed. March 10 vs. Clippers,
Hotter: Wed. Oct. 28 vs. New York, Fri. Nov. 6 vs. Denver, Sat. Nov. 14 vs. New Jersey, Fri. Nov. 27 vs. Washington, Fri. Dec. 11 vs. Dallas, Wed. Dec. 23 vs. Utah, Sun. Dec. 27 vs. Indiana, Sat. Jan. 2 vs. Charlotte, Sat. Jan. 23 vs. Sacramento, Sat. Feb. 27 vs. Milwaukee, Sat. March 6 vs. Atlanta, Fri. March 12 vs. Chicago, Sun. March 14 vs. Philadelphia, Tue. March 16 vs. San Antonio, Sat. March 20 vs. Charlotte, Sun. March 28 vs. Toronto, Wed. April 7 vs. Philadelphia, Fri. April 9 vs. Detroit, Wed. April 14 vs. New Jersey.
Hottest: Thu. Nov. 12 vs. Cleveland, Sun. Nov. 29 vs. Boston, Thu. Dec. 17 vs. Orlando, Wed. Jan. 6 vs. Boston, Mon. Jan. 25 vs. Cleveland, Thu. March 4 vs. Lakers, Thu. March 18 vs. Orlando.
Staff Writer Sarah Talalay contributed to this report.