The Blue Jackets and Indians yesterday announced that they have partnered to form a marketing alliance. The partnership includes shared advertising and hospitality elements, special ticket offers, in-arena/ballpark entertainment and media exposure on both teams' broadcast partners ( Blue Jackets ). The first event stemming from the partnership is slated for Sunday, when the Blue Jackets’ Hockey To Go exhibit will visit Progressive Field prior to the Mariners-Indians game. Blue Jackets G Steve Mason is also scheduled to throw out the first pitch before a September 6 Twins-Indians game ( BIZJOURNALS.com, 8/18 ). BACK IN BLACK? In San Diego, Michael Stetz notes the Chargers "haven't sold out any games so far" this season and some of the games are "several thousand tickets short of selling out." The team "needs to sell 56,500 to lift" the NFL's TV blackout policy, and fans "could see a regular-season game blacked out for the first time" since '04. Stetz: "What's the solution? Pray the team gets off to a hot start. Or that the economy gets better. Or that local companies help with any ticket shortfalls" ( SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 8/19 ). PENALTY KICK : The MLS Red Bulls are "on pace to post the worst record in the history of MLS," and SOCCER BY IVES' Ives Galarcep wrote, "Where are the pink slips, the firings and the accountability for soccer's version of The Titanic?" Red Bulls ownership is "absolutely clueless if it doesn't think there is risk in standing pat and doing nothing for the rest of this season." Galarcep: "None of that may matter to Red Bull now, but it will when Red Bull Arena opens next spring and the best stadium in MLS has trouble filling its seats. 'Come see the worst team ever' doesn't quite sound like the marketing campaign you want if you're trying to sell tickets and trying to recoup the cost" of a $150M stadium project ( SOCCERBYIVES.net, 8/18 ).
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