Wizards Season Tickets Surpass 6,500 - Zard Card Registration Top s 5,000
May 8, 2003 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Sporting Kansas City News Release
KANSAS CITY, MO (Wednesday, May 7, 2003) - Kansas City Wizards General Manager Curt Johnson announced Wednesday that Wizards ticket sales are off to their best start in the eight-year history of the franchise. On Wednesday morning, season ticket sales surpassed the 6,500 mark and the Wizards average attendance through the first three games of the season is also the highest in team history.
"We are on track to have a significant attendance increase in 2003," said Johnson. "Certainly the progress we have made on the season ticket front and the popularity of the new Zard Card program are big contributing factors."
The Wizards surpassed the 6,500 mark with season ticket commitments from Bank of Blue Valley, Avellino Soccer Club, Warrensburg Soccer Club and the Kansas City Star. The season ticket total currently stands at 6,532, over 2,800 more than last year's total of 3,724. The total represents a 75.4% increase over 2002. In February, the Wizards shattered their franchise record of 4,115 season tickets, a record that had stood since the Wizards' inaugural season in 1996. The organization has added nearly 500 season tickets since the season began on April 12th and will continue to offer season ticket packages through Saturday, June 7th, the final day in which the League calculates season tickets.
Record season ticket totals have also translated into larger crowds for the Wizards during the first month of the season. Through the first three home games, the Wizards have averaged 17,665 fans, almost 2,000 more than the 15,898 the team averaged in the same period in 1996, the previous team high. Last season, the Wizards experienced their fourth straight season of average attendance growth, something no team in MLS has ever done, the team is well on its way to making it a fifth straight year in 2003.
The newest Wizards program for young fans, the "Zard Card", has also proven to be very successful during the first month of the season. As of Wednesday, 5,067 young Wizards fans (ages 15 and under) have registered for a "Zard Card". Zard Card members can present their membership card at the Wizards Box Office at any home game and receive a ticket for just $5 each for them and any accompanying family members to sit in "The Yard", a special seating area positioned in the East end of the stadium. Card members are also eligible for special "Z-prizes" that are given out during each Wizards home game and in addition, Zard Card members may present their Zard Card at any of the 37 Kansas City area Price Chopper stores to receive weekly specials offered by Price Chopper.
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