CardinalLaw
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Cards irritate fans with price increase
Kent Somers
The Arizona Republic
Apr. 15, 2005 12:00 AM • Cardinals hot sections
As a Cardinals season ticket holder since 1988, the team's first year in Arizona, Bob Jacobs has stuck with them through bad times, and, well, more bad times.
A letter and an invoice he received from the team last month may have changed all that.
It informed Jacobs that his two seats, in Section 3 in the lower level of the southwest corner of Sun Devil Stadium, were increasing from $30.40 a game per ticket to $46.80, a hike of 54 percent.
"I've been loyal," Jacobs said.
"This is unbelievable."
Michael Bidwill, the team's vice president and general counsel, said the club decided those seats were underpriced.
"In the NFL there are not a lot of sideline seats that you can get at $36," he said, referring to the previous price of some sections, which was increased to $46.80.
"It's an unfortunate part of the business that all sports have to look at."
Worse than raising the price, Jacobs said, is the way the team went about it. In a letter to ticket holders, Bidwill extolled the franchise's accomplishments in 2004, when they went 6-10. Near the bottom of the letter, he writes that the 2005 pricing structure will remain unchanged from the one established in 2004, "though you may note that some lower bowl corner and sideline sections have been reconfigured."
Those in sections that have been "reconfigured" are paying 54 percent more.
That word, "reconfigured," has irritated a few fans. To Jacobs, that means the seats have been physically moved. To the Cardinals, that word means a price hike.
"That's a lie, no matter how you slice it," said Jacobs, from Glendale.
John Medina of Scottsdale, who has two tickets in Section 3, called it disingenuous.
"To me, it's tantamount to going to a Chevrolet dealer and saying, 'I really like that car.' And the MSRP is $30,000," he said. "You go into buy it and they say it's now $40,000 and they are now calling it a Cadillac."
Bidwill admits his letter should have been clearer.
" 'Reconfigure' won't be a word that we'll use next year," he said.
What makes it worse, Jacobs said, is that the team took a home game away from fans by agreeing to play the San Francisco 49ers in Mexico City on Oct. 2. The Cardinals now have nine home games, including two preseason games, instead of 10.
Sixteen sections in the lower corners near the end zones were "reconfigured." The Cardinals declined to say how many fans were affected or how many season tickets they sold in 2004.
Most estimates have placed the season ticket number at less than 20,000.
Cardinals tickets traditionally are among the least expensive in the NFL. In 2004, their average price of $39.72 ranked 31st, ahead of only Buffalo, according to Team Marketing Report.
That's not much comfort to fans enduring a 54 percent hike.
Two factors combined for the higher price. Last year, the Cardinals offered to hold the line on prices for season ticket holders who met a renewal deadline. For all others, the prices increased. Most fans who renewed last year are now paying the higher price - an increase of between $3 and $10 per ticket in most sections.
Those in the 16 "reconfigured" sections, such as Section 3, are paying even more.
"My fear, and I know it's going to be realized, is this is just an incremental step for raising them even more when they move to Glendale," Medina said.
The team's new stadium in Glendale is expected to open in 2006, making this its final year in Sun Devil Stadium.
Medina does credit the Cardinals ticket office employees with being accommodating when he called to complain. Medina goes to games with family and friends. Together, they have 14 seats, and the Cardinals moved all of them one section over, toward midfield, for the same price.
Medina, who also has had season tickets since the team moved to Arizona, plans to renew because he thinks the players deserve the support.
"I go back to the Christian belief that you hate the sin and love the sinner," he said. "The football team is the sinner and we know who the sin is - the Bidwills."
..............................................................
Oh god, like we didn't know this was coming. What a freakin joke this paper sure loves to give this team heat for everything.
That did make me laugh though.
Kent Somers
The Arizona Republic
Apr. 15, 2005 12:00 AM • Cardinals hot sections
As a Cardinals season ticket holder since 1988, the team's first year in Arizona, Bob Jacobs has stuck with them through bad times, and, well, more bad times.
A letter and an invoice he received from the team last month may have changed all that.
It informed Jacobs that his two seats, in Section 3 in the lower level of the southwest corner of Sun Devil Stadium, were increasing from $30.40 a game per ticket to $46.80, a hike of 54 percent.
"I've been loyal," Jacobs said.
"This is unbelievable."
Michael Bidwill, the team's vice president and general counsel, said the club decided those seats were underpriced.
"In the NFL there are not a lot of sideline seats that you can get at $36," he said, referring to the previous price of some sections, which was increased to $46.80.
"It's an unfortunate part of the business that all sports have to look at."
Worse than raising the price, Jacobs said, is the way the team went about it. In a letter to ticket holders, Bidwill extolled the franchise's accomplishments in 2004, when they went 6-10. Near the bottom of the letter, he writes that the 2005 pricing structure will remain unchanged from the one established in 2004, "though you may note that some lower bowl corner and sideline sections have been reconfigured."
Those in sections that have been "reconfigured" are paying 54 percent more.
That word, "reconfigured," has irritated a few fans. To Jacobs, that means the seats have been physically moved. To the Cardinals, that word means a price hike.
"That's a lie, no matter how you slice it," said Jacobs, from Glendale.
John Medina of Scottsdale, who has two tickets in Section 3, called it disingenuous.
"To me, it's tantamount to going to a Chevrolet dealer and saying, 'I really like that car.' And the MSRP is $30,000," he said. "You go into buy it and they say it's now $40,000 and they are now calling it a Cadillac."
Bidwill admits his letter should have been clearer.
" 'Reconfigure' won't be a word that we'll use next year," he said.
What makes it worse, Jacobs said, is that the team took a home game away from fans by agreeing to play the San Francisco 49ers in Mexico City on Oct. 2. The Cardinals now have nine home games, including two preseason games, instead of 10.
Sixteen sections in the lower corners near the end zones were "reconfigured." The Cardinals declined to say how many fans were affected or how many season tickets they sold in 2004.
Most estimates have placed the season ticket number at less than 20,000.
Cardinals tickets traditionally are among the least expensive in the NFL. In 2004, their average price of $39.72 ranked 31st, ahead of only Buffalo, according to Team Marketing Report.
That's not much comfort to fans enduring a 54 percent hike.
Two factors combined for the higher price. Last year, the Cardinals offered to hold the line on prices for season ticket holders who met a renewal deadline. For all others, the prices increased. Most fans who renewed last year are now paying the higher price - an increase of between $3 and $10 per ticket in most sections.
Those in the 16 "reconfigured" sections, such as Section 3, are paying even more.
"My fear, and I know it's going to be realized, is this is just an incremental step for raising them even more when they move to Glendale," Medina said.
The team's new stadium in Glendale is expected to open in 2006, making this its final year in Sun Devil Stadium.
Medina does credit the Cardinals ticket office employees with being accommodating when he called to complain. Medina goes to games with family and friends. Together, they have 14 seats, and the Cardinals moved all of them one section over, toward midfield, for the same price.
Medina, who also has had season tickets since the team moved to Arizona, plans to renew because he thinks the players deserve the support.
"I go back to the Christian belief that you hate the sin and love the sinner," he said. "The football team is the sinner and we know who the sin is - the Bidwills."
..............................................................
Oh god, like we didn't know this was coming. What a freakin joke this paper sure loves to give this team heat for everything.
That did make me laugh though.
The increase is significant, and it's only going to get worse next year, but I'm willing to pay, especially if we start becoming winners. As soon as Denny rights this ship, the Republic will start becoming more positive. I'd like the cheaper prices, but people have to understand that revenue from ticket sales and such are still important, even in this era of revenue sharing.
