San Diego Chargers
The effects of the Chargers recent AFC West championship season, and the Bolts' club-record tying 12 regular-season wins, have been wide-ranging.
Not only has the team garnered attention for its eight-game turnaround~Wa team record and the third-best in NFL history~Wbut numerous coaches, players and Chargers General Manager A.J. Smith have been honored with postseason accolades.
Another byproduct of the team's success has been an overwhelmingly positive response from fans who have shown their appreciation for the Bolts~R prolific season. That exuberance, coupled with the team~Rs appealing home schedule next year and return to San Diego for training camp in July, has resulted in a surge in Chargers 2005 ticket sales.
The rush for ticketsbegan prior to the Chargers' home playoff game against the New York Jets on Jan. 8 and has continued into February. Nearly 5,000 season seats have been sold so far. Of that amount, approximately 80 percent were sold during the Bolts~R playoff run, when fans could guarantee themselves playoff tickets by placing a deposit on 2005 season seats. The Chargers haven~Rt sold this many tickets so quickly since the offseason prior to the 1993 campaign.. With that in mind, the Chargers want to remind fans that when it comes to tickets for next year, those who wait might be left at the gate.
Considering the Chargers' home schedule is one of the most attractive the team has had in a while, people have to start thinking, ~QWhat kind of seats are going to be available?~R" Chargers Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Ken Derrett said. "If you want to ensure yourself the best seats, it~Rs best to react now rather than wait for the opportunity. When single-game tickets go on sale in July, the pickings might be slim."
The Chargers will host the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers, Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills, as well as the three AFC West opponents, at Qualcomm Stadium next season. Considering that the Chargers sold out four of their last five home games in 2004 and with the potential for one or more of this year's games to be nationally televised, Derrett expects fan interest to continually grow during the offseason.
In the past, the rate of new ticket sales would balance out the attrition rate and the number of people that did not renew their season tickets. That no longer is the case, however, as the team anticipates high season-ticket renewals, which are going out this week.
Single-game ticket sales don't start until July, and mini-packs~Wfour-game ticket packages~Waren~Rt available until June, so the only way for fans to ensure they get the best seat locations is to purchase season tickets now.