Nebraska boosting price of football season tickets

Lincoln, Neb. — Nebraska football season-ticket holders will pay $3 more per game this season, athletic director Steve Pederson said Thursday.

The per-game cost of a season ticket is going up from $42 to $45.

Pederson, who lowered season ticket prices upon his arrival last year, said three factors went into his decision to raise the price: Nebraska will lose $2.5 million in ticket revenue because it only has six home games this fall, the athletic department will pay $550,000 more next year for scholarships and utility costs have gone up 15 percent over the last 18 months.

Even with the price increase, Pederson said, the athletic department would be $1.4 million short of last year’s ticket revenue.

Baseball

Tattooed pitcher demoted

Dunedin, Fla. — It looks as though tattooed pitcher Justin Miller will need long sleeves this season — but not for the reason he had hoped.

He will start the year in the minor leagues at Syracuse, N.Y., where it gets nippy at night early in the season.

Major league baseball told the Toronto right-hander he had to wear long-sleeved shirts under his uniform because the tattoos on his arm were a distraction to hitters. That was before the Blue Jays sent him to the International League on Thursday.

More than 50 percent of Miller’s body is covered by tattoos.

Football

Stolen memorabilia back

Winston-Salem, N.C. — Pro Football Hall of Fame member Pete Pihos has his jerseys and memorabilia back, and authorities say the man who had them was indicted.

Shawn Michael Stevens, 26, of Gloversville, N.Y., faces one charge each of transporting stolen goods and issuing counterfeit checks after he was indicted Tuesday by a federal grand jury.

The 80-year-old Pihos, who lives in Winston-Salem, has Alzheimer’s disease. His former wife said she decided to sell the items to help offset the cost of his medical care, including $6,000 for dental work.