Favre could be the ticket for ticket sales

The Vikings haven’t officially signed Brett Favre yet, and the timing of that transaction could be a boost to the release of single-game tickets.

There have been rumblings that the eventual Brett Favre signing could come later this week. If it doesn’t happen then, the signing could be well-timed the following week, just before the Ticketmaster starts selling single-game tickets on July 20.

The Vikings have always opened the single-game sale of tickets to fans in early- to mid-July. Typically, the tickets for the Packers and Bears games go immediately. The rest tend to sell out as the game draws closer, some even need corporate assistance. However, a potential announcement that Favre has been signed could change all that in a hurry.

There will be no better gauge as to how fans feel about the signing of Favre than when single-game tickets go on sale. It has all the makings of a run at the box office – the type of situations usually reserved for concert bands like Bruce Springsteen or the Rolling Stones, where tickets sell often sell out completely within a matter of minutes. With the excitement being generated by the Vikings even without Favre, the signing of the future Hall of Fame QB could push those sales more quickly.

The general view was that, if Favre was to sign, it would happen two or three weeks before the start of training camp. The idea would be that the furor of the Favre circus would have a chance to die down before the start of training camp and everything would be all business from that point on. Whether that is possible is yet to be seen, but the sale of single-game tickets would be an excellent barometer for the level of fan passion, even in tough economic times.

The Vikings have struggled each of the last three years in selling out all of their games. While their season-ticket sales have remained decent, although declining, selling out non-division or non-conference games has been a problem. The team needed to get three extensions to the blackout deadline last year to preserve their consecutive sellout streak, which dates back to 1998. It is believed that signing Favre would go a long way to ending any last-minute ticket purchases to avoid blackouts. It is thought that Favre would end the need for corporate buyouts or last-minute pleas to fans to buy tickets.

Whether Favre is on board for the opening of single-game tickets or not, the tickets will go on sale. Having Favre in the fold by then could all but assure that the Ticketmaster phone lines will be buzzing and the remaining tickets won’t last long.

SUNDAY NOTES

The Favre story got some interesting confirmation Friday, when surgeon James Andrews, quoted in a story in the Clarion-Ledger newspaper out of Jackson, Miss. In the story, Andrews admits he wasn’t supposed to say anything, but added “I did (Favre’s) shoulder a few weeks ago. I visited him in Hattiesburg two weeks ago. He wants to play and he wants to play for the Minnesota Vikings. He wants to end his career on a high note and I hope he can. He’s a tough guy, a great guy. I’m pulling for him. He wants to play. He just wants to make sure his shoulder and arm are healthy enough.”

Vikings rookie Jasper Brinkley is expected to make the team as E.J. Henderson’s backup at middle linebacker, which would make him the second member of the family in the NFL. His twin brother Casper is playing defensive end for the Carolina Panthers.

Former Vikings QB Warren Moon is working with fellow Hall of Famer Joe Montana and Arizona’s Matt Leinart at a quarterback camp in Hawaii – not a bad gig if you can get it.