ARENA FOOTBALL

• Rattlers to give away all tickets for home opener

  Phoenix, AZ (Sports Network) - The Arizona Rattlers will make every ticket for their home opener on April 16 against the Chicago Rush available for free.

  It is the return season for the Arena Football League, which closed its doors in December 2008 amid the recession.

  A new group of investors purchased the old league's assets, including team names, trademarks and logos, this past December.

  The free seat plan marks the first time in pro sports history that a team is voluntarily giving away every ticket to a regular season game.

  "The Rattlers and our sponsors understand that times are tough for just about everyone," said team president Danny White. "We wanted to do something special for the people of Arizona without asking for anything in return." Season ticket holders and those who had already purchased tickets for the contest will receive a credit.

  04/07 12:22:10 ET