Q: Since the Falcons have brought personal seat licenses to Georgia, which team, and when, was the first to gouge their fans for the right to purchase season tickets?
—David A. Manecke, Mableton
A: The Dallas Cowboys, in 1968, originated seat licenses as a way to pay for Texas Stadium. The franchise offered 40-year "seat options" to their fans, which allowed them to buy and sell rights to season tickets, according to the "Encyclopedia of International Sports Studies: P-Z."
That was considered a successful program, but PSLs weren’t implemented by pro franchises again until the Carolina Panthers in 1993. Carolina’s program “is generally accepted as the contemporary model for all subsequent seat licensing programs,” the book states. The team sold 41,632 PSLs on the first day and eventually raised $122 million for a $187 million stadium that opened in 1996, according to the Charlotte Observer and Forbes.
PSLs were sold for 14 of the 16 NFL stadiums that opened between 1993 and 2002, the book states. The Falcons are the first Atlanta franchise to implement a PSL plan for the 71,000-seat downtown stadium, which is under construction.
Q: I’ve always liked Paul Ossmann, the meteorologist, but I can’t find him on any station. What happened to him?
—Norma Livingston, Lawrenceville
A: Ossmann has worked for CBS46 since January 2012. Ossmann, who's been in Atlanta for more than 25 years, also has worked at WAGA-TV and WXIA-TV.
Andy Johnston wrote this column. Do you have a question about the news? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or email q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
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