AMONG the desperate come-ons the PSL/NFL Jets are dangling to those who buy season tickets is this promise: “Exclusive opportunities for other stadium events.”
Really? How so? At a time when legislation is being fast-tracked to eliminate the insidious inside trading of tickets and ticket-buying opportunities to concerts held in New Jersey venues, what does “exclusive opportunities” mean?
Friday, we called the Jets to ask. Does “Exclusive opportunities for other stadium events” mean, for example, first crack at concert tickets?
“Yes,” the salesman replied. “That means you’ll be able to buy tickets during the pre-sale [before they go on sale to the public].”
In other words, what the Jets are promising in exchange for buying season tickets — first shot at concert tickets, tickets delivered from the inside for inside trade — is precisely what’s finally being acted against by New Jersey legislators and New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram, who have joined to try to eliminate such malodorous enterprise.
Current law mandates that no event in the Meadowlands can withhold from the public more than five percent of tickets for general sale. And the BOSS Act, introduced in June and in part named after Bruce Springsteen, whose New Jersey concert tickets often land in professional scalpers’ and ticket-agency hands long before the public gets first or fair crack at them, is designed to further diminish or eliminate inside ticket distribution and the double-dealing that drives it.
Yet, such privileged access is exactly the carrot the Jets have been dangling.
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What kept ’em? Friday, roughly 12 hours after Michael Vick agreed to sign with the Eagles, the NFL resumed sale of his jersey — 80 bucks — previously a huge seller.
TNT PGA Championship host Ernie Johnson seems like a sweet guy, but he’s another who thinks he’s speaking golf when he’s speaking TV golf nonsense. He could’ve told us that Tiger Woods “has the lead,” but instead went with “Tiger Woods sits atop the leaderboard.”
Incidentally, I’ve been playing golf for 23 years and not once have I heard anyone say that a ball is “safely on the putting surface” — except on TV, where that’s heard all the time.
Kinda knew the U.S. soccer team would lose to Mexico on Wednesday after Charlie Davis scored to give the U.S. a 1-0 lead, then did an extra-long “me” dance that seemed designed to infuriate the home team and home crowd.
ESPN’s “Homecoming” show tribute to Alonzo Mourning, during which he was portrayed as the ultimate nobleman, left out a few things and a few questions. Here’s one: How is it that so many media and team management personnel who had to deal with Mourning considered him a first-rate pain?
The King Is Displeased, Cont.: Wednesday, Mike Francesa hissed on-the-air at some unfortunate YES functionary for “not having the [Yankees] game up on my monitor.” If he thought he sounded like a big shot, he was the only one.
Some of the vintage games the NHL Network presents are a hoot. Last week it showed Maple Leafs 13, Red Wings 0, a black-and-white 1971 “Hockey Night in Canada” telecast. Future Devils coach/general manager Billy MacMillan scored, and future Islanders Stanley Cupper Gerry Hart played defense for Detroit. From NHLN’s studio, we heard that the biggest blowout in the history of the series was followed by Leafs 3, Wings 2. Neat stuff.
Making a quick stop at Jets camp last week, ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, on the Jets’ QBs, said he “hears” that Mark Sanchez “lacks consistency” and that Kellen Clemens has had issues with “accuracy.” Sounded good, but if there’s a difference, he didn’t say. . . . Lookalikes: Ellen Breslaw, New City, N.Y., submits Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum and Jimbo Jones of “The Simpsons.”
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At 10:05 p.m. on Tuesday, with Blue Jays-Yanks entering the ninth, WCBS Radio presented an appropriate promo. Jorge Posada identified himself then said, “Can’t stay up for the end of the game? Get the highlights right here on WCBS.”
Meanwhile, those highlights — generally just John Sterling doing his self-promotional shtick — Friday morning included a home run call that Sterling, when he was done with his pathetic Hideki Matsui routine, had to correct to a two-run homer. He’d shouted that it was a three-run shot.
The sustained beauty of ESPN is that sports fans can tune to any of its channels, any time, and be treated like a fool. Wednesday afternoon’s “SportsCenter” included this issue as a talking point: “Is it risky playing star QBs in preseason games?” Umm, er, ahh . . . we’ll go with yes.
And when Kevin Youkilis charged the mound on Tuesday, he provided everything ESPN deems/dreams important about baseball: 1) an addition to the network’s baseball brawl video reel and, 2) another opportunity at forced cross-promotion. Late Wednesday afternoon, ESPNews found it essential to rebroadcast that morning’s take on the Youkilis incident as heard/seen on ESPN’s “Mike and Mike.”
So MLB chooses Grady Sizemore, lover of baseball since he first stood, to star in a new image TV ad. Good idea. But at the end of the spot, Sizemore is seen standing at home, watching the shot he just hit. Yeah, kids, that’s how you play this game; you stand at the plate and watch. Presumably Sizemore hit a home run and not a double he turned into a single.