Portland Trail Blazers

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A special realm of hell is reserved for the moneygrubbers who invented the buy-three-get-one-free concept. Wouldn't the world be a better place if, instead of buying three pairs of, say, $8 underwear to get a fourth pair free, they all just cost $6 in the first place? Market economics be damned!

An especially heinous twist on this form of consumer swindling slam-dunks the Portland Trail Blazers' apparently desperate ticket pushers into the net of Roguedom this week.

At the Blazers' Dec. 27 home game against the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets, marketers with Portland's NBA team continued to promote a weeks-old deal that included a fourth "free" ticket to the Blazers' game against the Miami Heat with Shaquille O'Neal this upcoming Sunday, Jan. 7. "Buy 3 Get Shaq Free" the materials screamed.

Trouble is, Miami superstar O'Neal has been benched since mid-November with a knee injury that required surgery, and according to media reports before Dec. 27, he won't hit the court again until mid-January or later. (The latest reports this week peg his return at Jan. 15.)

Blazers spokesman Art Sasse says Shaq was healthy when the team designed the promotion, and that even after Shaq was injured he was expected back on the court by the Jan. 7 game.

The Rogue Desk's call: This is a classic bait and switch. The Blazers' attempt to "Shaq up" with the 7-foot-1-inch, 325-pound mega-player is the equivalent of their stealing fans' milk and getting their cash cow for free.

01.04.2007 at 01:06 Reply

Paul Eisl

This is the lamest attempt at finding a rogue of the week I have ever witnessed, because any real sports fan would know that Shaq is hurt and no real sports fan would buy a three ticket package just to see Shaq healthy or not. You may have called this promotion a bait and switch, but your article is making mountains out of molehills.

01.05.2007 at 04:53 Reply

Mike Quigley

On the other hand, God made sports fans specifically so they can be taken to the cleaners by the sports teams they adore. Let the fleecing begin!

01.09.2007 at 09:30 Reply

big

if you're a sports fan. do your research b4 u buy.

01.14.2007 at 01:22 Reply

Steven

I've yet to figure out who would want to buy tickets to a game when they know who is going to win anyway. I've lived in Portland for 8 years, and never have I been impressed with the Blazers. I've gone to games (the tickets where a gift), and every time I just couldn't fall asleep because people next to me kept talking about stuff other than the game. The other day I thought I would check in a see how the Blazers were doing. Not bad, they were ahead by about 3 points in the bottom of the 4th. Yet, like usual they lost. I have a hard time believing that anyone who buys tickets to a professional sport knowing what the players make, has the audacity to complain about anything. At this point, what would be the difference if Shaq got injured the day of the game? Would you still feel like you got duped?

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Portland Trail Blazers