Are discounted tickets to the July 6 Britney Spears concert at Xcel a sign of:

A. Fading career

B. Slowing economy.

C. New marketing strategy.

FYI, the Live Nation Groupon discount, which ran Friday, is now over. (About 1,200 tickets were sold, according to a rep at Xcel Center). The daily deal offer, which was a novel approach for a major concert, didn't give you an assigned seat. Rather, it told you which area you'll be seated such as sections 203-219. Discounts were about 50 percent in three price ranges. Buyers need to show up at 6 p.m. when seats are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.

I checked ticket availability on Ticketmaster this morning and was able to get 2 tickets in all price ranges except $27.50 (=each, which sold out on May 7. The fact that so many other tickets remain is a good sign that deals should be available for non-scalpers' prices on Craigslist. Currently, about 30 listings are on the site.

Is Britney's career on the wane? i don't know, but her career has been revived before. She's probably making plans now to take over the Celine Dion Las Vegas venue the next time her career needs a jolt.

Your thoughts? Brilliant or desperate marketing move to sell Britney tix on Groupon?