In Home Depot's results, momentum in the average ticket, sales per square foot and the volume of high-ticket items will gauge underlying home-improvement demand.

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The organisers said ticket sales could break the 20, 000 level for tickets sold in 2010, with about 1, 500 ticket sales per day.

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In the course of doing so, Home Depot has increased its average customer ticket and sales per square meter by 3.8% a year since 1989.

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In the course of doing so, Home Depot has increased its average customer ticket and sales-per-square-foot 3.8% a year since 1989.

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Ticket sales picked up, as passenger revenue per available seat mile grew 5.2% during the quarter, and the average fare paid increased by more than 6%.

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Ticket sales have averaged about 2, 800 per game over the past couple of years, respectable in a down economy but not where a league touting several 4, 000-plus seat arenas wants to be.

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