Season Ticket Pricing and Plan

[Red Dawn]

Here it is! (Be sure to click the link to the pdf file that gives details on the relocation process).

Cards Announce Season-Ticket Pricing For Inaugural Season In New Stadium & Relocation Plan Relocation Plan for Existing Season-Ticket Holders

The Arizona Cardinals Football Club will open its new stadium next season and the team has announced its season-ticket pricing structure for that inaugural campaign.

Over 12,000 of the venue’s 63,000 seats will be priced at $25 or less, including approximately 5,000 tickets priced at $10 that are part of the Cardinals “First and Ten” plan. These $10 and $25 seats are among the lowest-priced available in the National Football League.

“This pricing structure is the result of a tremendous amount of industry and market research that included many discussions with our fans,” said Ron Minegar, the team’s Vice President, Marketing and Sales. “The approach we’ve taken allows us to offer affordable price points for fans but also provide the financial framework necessary to develop a championship organization on the field.”

Season tickets in the main (lower) seating area are priced at $75 on the sidelines, $55 in the corners, and $45 in the end zone.

Another choice location will be seats on the stadium’s Ring of Honor level, a special section that extends from the terrace level above the main seating area and provides an unparalleled view of the action. Seats in the Ring of Honor section are $75 on the sidelines and $55 in the corners and end zone.

Season tickets for seats on the terrace (upper) level are $65 at midfield, $55 on the sidelines, $25 in the corners, and $10 in the end zone.

Click here to view a map of the new stadium.

Fans can see for themselves what the view is like from each of the locations described above by clicking here and the virtual tour feature will give you a three-dimensional perspective from the desired locations.

As part of the Arizona Sports & Tourism Authority’s stadium and site finance package, a $4.25 per game Facility Use Fee (“FUF”) will be added to the cost of each ticket for Cardinals games and other major events at the stadium. The FUF, which will increase each year by $0.25, is collected for the repayment of bonds that were issued to fund the stadium construction, infrastructure, and other related costs.

Relocation process: Within the next week, existing Cardinals season-ticket holders will receive information detailing the process for selecting seat locations in the new stadium. The primary criteria for determining priority will be seniority, ensuring that fans who have maintained season tickets for the longest period of time will receive the highest priority for selecting seats. Specific details of the relocation process will be mailed to account holders and are also available by clicking here .

Wall of Fans: All fans who purchase season tickets by March 1 will have the opportunity to earn a special place in the new stadium by being included on the Cardinals “Wall of Fans.” A 90 feet wide by 47 feet high graphic located at the north gate of the stadium, the “Wall of Fans” mosaic will contain approximately 15,000 images. Fans will have the opportunity to submit a four inch by six inch image that will be one of the 15,000 pixels that make the overall image. Click here to view a rendering of the Wall of Fans.

Deposits for new season tickets in 2006 are now being accepted. Anyone interested can place a deposit by clicking here or by calling 602-379-0102.

The new Cardinals Stadium will be open in time for the 2006 season. The world-class venue will not only feature a retractable roof but will also be the first in North America to feature a fully retractable grass playing surface.

In addition to hosting Cardinals games, the stadium will host the Fiesta Bowl annually as well as the BCS National Championship Game in January of 2007 and Super Bowl XLII in February of 2008. The stadium will have a seating capacity of 63,000 fans with the ability to expand to 73,000 for larger events.

 

[Toro]

Doesn't sound bad. I pay $62 a ticket and we have usually 4 games that are 100 degrees or higher.

I won't be complaining...except the Arizona Sports and Tourism 4.25 per ticket fee.

I wonder if parking will be free?

 

[Red Hawk Old]

only 10 Dollars more. I can live with that.


P.S. SECTION 118 Here I come!!!!

 

[Scott MS]

Don't forget that there are really 10 games each year if you include the pre-season. As expected, my price went up from $550 for 9 games in 2005 to $792 for 10 games in 2005 -- a 29% increase.

I had expected a 30% increase!! Don't forget to add the $4.25 per ticket per game for the facility use fee. $75 tickets are really $79.25, $45 ticket sare really $49.25, etc.



.

 

[justAndy]

yee-haw!!!
my ticket price is actually going down.
10 bux, best view of football action on the whole field.

 

[azdad1978]

Not bad. My tickets are in the $28 range as of right now. To relocate in the North End Zone will cost me $45.

 

[azdad1978]

Cards hike '06 season tickets

Most expensive seats will jump 56 percent

Craig Harris and Louie Villalobos
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 15, 2005 12:00 AM

After all the losing, the Arizona Cardinals finally are poised to score big.

Financially, that is.

The Cardinals, who have had just one winning season since coming to Arizona, will raise season ticket prices next year when they move to their new stadium in Glendale.



The most expensive seats will jump 56 percent, to $329.25, while the overall average season ticket price will increase 19.1 percent, to $59.04, the team told The Arizona Republic on Wednesday. The team for the first time also will sell season tickets for $14.25 a game.

All ticket prices will include a $4.25 facility-use fee, imposed by the Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority, to help finance the debt on the mostly publicly financed Cardinals Stadium. The fee will increase 25 cents each year. There is no such fee at Sun Devil Stadium, where the Cardinals have played for 18 years since arriving from St. Louis.

Prices for single-game tickets, concessions and parking have not been set.

Although the average season ticket price increase may seem steep for a chronically losing franchise, it's below what other National Football League teams have charged after moving into new venues, said Becky Wallace, executive editor of Chicago-based Team Marketing Report, which tracks ticket prices for all major sports teams.

In 2002, the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots raised their average season ticket price 59.5 percent when they moved into their new digs. That same year, the Detroit Lions, who finished the season with a losing record, raised season ticket prices 23.6 percent when they moved to Ford Field. In 2003, the Philadelphia Eagles increased prices 38 percent when they began playing at Lincoln Financial Field.

Wallace said teams raise prices because they need the money to pay down facility debt and for increased operating costs. She said more fans likely will pay the higher prices next year because they will want to see the new Cardinals Stadium.

Some fans agreed, but that didn't mean they were happy about the higher prices.

"They should not raise ticket prices until they put a playoff team on the field," said Lee Ranalli of Gilbert, a season ticket holder for the past decade who likely will renew.

Tim Shaughnessy of Phoenix has been attending Cardinals games for 13 years. He said he will keep going but will find an inventive way to offset the price hike: He thinks he will switch seat locations in order to avoid an increase.

With football being the most popular U.S. spectator sport, Wallace said, NFL teams could justify raising prices.

The move into Cardinals Stadium will let the franchise exit one of the league's most antiquated facilities - it was built in 1958 - and move into its most modern, high-tech one, with a retractable roof and playing field. The $430 million, 63,400-seat complex off Loop 101 and Maryland Avenue also will be air-conditioned.

Ron Minegar, vice president of sales and marketing for the Cardinals, said the team was careful not to increase prices too much, but he said fans told the team that they would be willing to pay more for choice seats. Although main sideline season tickets will increase 29.5 percent, to $79.25 a game, he said the team will have about 20 percent of its season ticket seats priced at either $14.25 or $29.25 each per game.

Minegar also said the average season ticket price next year is below the league average of $61 a game. The NFL declined to comment.

People who buy "club" season ticket seats at $204.25 or $329.25 each will be eligible to buy Super Bowl tickets in 2008, when the game is in Glendale, Minegar said.

Dennis Howard, a University of Oregon business professor who specializes in sports stadium financing, said teams are capitalizing on a "once in a generation" event with new facilities.

"It comes back to the novelty effect. You only get one opportunity at this," Howard said. "From the club's mind, they are providing fans with an enhanced product. The amenities are better, and hopefully the site lines are better."

But Howard said it's a mistake for the Cardinals, with their history of poor performance in Arizona, to ratchet up prices. He thinks the team should hold prices steady and build the fan base, among the worst in the NFL with roughly 30,000 season ticket holders. Many teams have twice that figure. The Patriots, for example, have more than 60,000 season ticket holders and a renewal rate of almost 100 percent.

"The Cardinals have to be very careful," Howard said. "If you have a product that isn't exciting, then folks will find it very tough to support."

Some season ticket holders are still simmering over being charged the same price for nine home games this year instead of 10. One game was moved to Mexico City.

Bill Malloy and Ray Vanderbeck, season ticket holders since the team arrived in the Valley, sued the Cardinals for breach of contract in September in Maricopa County Superior Court. They alleged the Cardinals implied there was no price increase when the per-game price increased almost 8 percent.

"It's just amazing to me," Vanderbeck said of the latest hike. "But they have a dedicated fan like me between a rock and a hard place. . . . I think they are gouging fans, but I still want to see NFL football."

The Cardinals this season are averaging 42,140 for home games, lowest in the 32-team NFL. New Orleans, which has been forced to play its "home" games outside the Louisiana Superdome because of Hurricane Katrina, has the second-lowest home average of 53,495. The Cardinals have had the league's worst home attendance since 2000.

The Cardinals have repeatedly said that they have not drawn well at Sun Devil Stadium because the facility does not have the amenities of newer NFL sites and that the open-air facility is too hot in the late summer and early fall.

Marc Ganis, a Chicago-based sports marketing expert, said the Cardinals should easily draw 55,000 fans next year.

"That's good for the Cardinals but below the average for the rest of the league," Ganis said.

What do you think?


Your comments

I think the rise in prices is normal. In fact, I was expecting much more. I think most fans react to any increase negatively. In the last ten years this is only the third hike. I think it is unrealistic to expect them to not increase ticket prices when moving to an improved facility, win or lose. Now if this was a winning organization, the increase would have been even more, but 20% is not that much. I think what the team is doing is correct, they are headed in the right direction and I forsee a winning team playing at the Glendale facility. Go Cards! (Victor7637, December 15, 2005 07:35AM)

Weeks after Proposition 202 passed, the Cardinals announced that they will incrementally raise ticket prices each season so that when they move into the new stadium their average ticket price will be close to the NFL average. Only problem: Cardinals are not an average team. Never have been, never will. (Jim1563, December 15, 2005 07:23AM)

I think if the cardinals had a winning season, yeah I wouldn't have a problem, but come on, since they have came here what have the Bidwells done, NOTHING! We give them a new station for what, just to get the Super Bowl, how about getting us a winning team! When they first came here they pissed off most Arizonains by naming the team Phoenix, than they changed it to Arizona, now we give them a new station and this is the way they thank us! Get Real. My opinion is get new owners or give the the team the boot out of HERE, out of Arizona! (Kayle9809, December 15, 2005 07:23AM)

The cardinals should be lowering ticket prices to put butts in the seats rather than raising them and pushing wary fans out the door with price hikes. You can wrap a @#$%& in a bow, but its still a @#$%&. (scott4572, December 15, 2005 07:15AM)

Ditto what Brain said. I am tired of watching an inept organization put an inept "team" on the field. I don't care how modern or cool the new stadium is, the Cardinals aren't worth watching. (eagle, December 15, 2005 06:56AM)

The Bidwells have no shame. The city of St. Louis was happy to see them go and someday we will be as well. (CJ273, December 15, 2005 06:23AM)

If we pay this price, we will not only have the most losing team in America, we will also be the most ripped off fans in America. Does anybody out there feel distant tones of a falling Roman Empire? Paying this kind of price only proves we have all our priorities wrong in this country. (jw279, December 15, 2005 06:22AM)

I'm a former Cardinal season ticket holder. I want to cheer for the Cards. However, it is no fun watching them embarrass themselves (every year!).
Just give me a reason to cheer. PLEASE!
Otherwise, the money in my pocket, stays in my pocket. (Brian9473, December 15, 2005 06:04AM)

The survey needs to get reaction to the new prices from the visiting team fans since they typically make-up more than 50% of the attendance. (Dennis3016, December 15, 2005 05:49AM)

The only way the Cardinals will get a winner on the field and fans in the seats is when the Bidwells sell the team. It's not the coaches, players or fans, it's the Bidwells. They just don't know how to run a team and it shows...Come on Arizona, let's put some pressure on them to do this and get a winning team on the field, our fans deserve it. (Michael238, December 15, 2005 05:46AM)

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/1215cardinals15.html

 

[Chris_Sanders]

It's almost worth buying the $10 seats for a season just hoping I will be able to come down from Denver.

 

[NEZCardsfan]

Cool, not nearly the jump I was anticipating. I could probably move to the sidelines if I wanted.........

 

[Scott MS]

Not bad. My tickets are in the $28 range as of right now. To relocate in the North End Zone will cost me $45.

$49.25 to move to the North End Zone. Don't forget the facilty charge.

 

[Scott MS]

Which side is the Cardinals side? -- DUH it's the West side. Says on the seating map.


.

 

[azsouthendzone]

"he said the team will have about 20 percent of its season ticket seats priced at either $14.25 or $29.25 each per game. "

That is a steal. It sounds to me like the sideline seats betweeen the 20 yard lines are getting raised and the rest are staying the same or pretty much getting lowered. Its funny how they can spin the he11 out of a story like that. I can't wait to renew. $15 for an NFL game is so cheap its rediculous.

 

[azdad1978]

Which side is the Cardinals side? -- DUH it's the West side. Says on the seating map.


.

West Side

 

[Scott MS]

"he said the team will have about 20 percent of its season ticket seats priced at either $14.25 or $29.25 each per game. "

That is a steal. It sounds to me like the sideline seats betweeen the 20 yard lines are getting raised and the rest are staying the same or pretty much getting lowered. Its funny how they can spin the he11 out of a story like that. I can't wait to renew. $15 for an NFL game is so cheap its rediculous.

True, they used to have two tiers of prices on the sidlines. One in the middle and one from the 25 down to the end zone. Now, the entire lower sideline on both sides is $79.25 per game -- from the goal line to the goal line.

 

[NEZCardsfan]

True, they used to have two tiers of prices on the sidlines. One in the middle and one from the 25 down to the end zone. Now, the entire lower sideline on both sides is $79.25 per game -- from the goal line to the goal line.

Thank goodness I have pretty high priority.

 

[Scott MS]

West Side

Technically the Cards are on the Southwest sideline, visitors on the Northeast sideline.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

Is this right? You can get lower level, 50 yard line seats for $75? That's it?

 

[D-Dogg]

Not as big a jump as I anticipated.

My ticket prices almost doubled, but what can you say; I sat in the cheapest/best value seats in the stadium in section 38 SEZ.

These prices are great for NFL football.

Oh, and how long with that $4.25 surcharge per game remain? Forever? A decade? a few years?

 

[Kel Varnsen]

It's almost worth buying the $10 seats for a season just hoping I will be able to come down from Denver.

We should organize an ASFN block of seats for out of town guests or something. That would be pretty cool...especially if the games start selling out.

 

[Duckjake]

Which side is the Cardinals side? -- DUH it's the West side. Says on the seating map.


.

Only in Arizona would that be a question. Everywhere else it would be which side has the Cardinals bench?

Hopefully at the new stadium both sides will be the Cardinals' (fans) side.

There's going to be a ton of seats available after all the season ticket priorities are finished.

 

[Pariah]

These are very reasonable ticket prices. You guys in AZ should count yourselves lucky.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

These are very reasonable ticket prices. You guys in AZ should count yourselves lucky.

I am still very surprised. This is great!

 

[Scott MS]

Not as big a jump as I anticipated.

My ticket prices almost doubled, but what can you say; I sat in the cheapest/best value seats in the stadium in section 38 SEZ.

These prices are great for NFL football.

Oh, and how long with that $4.25 surcharge per game remain? Forever? A decade? a few years?

Read the fine print, the $4.25 surcharge goes up $0.25 per year -- probably forever!!

 

[DeAnna]

Not bad at all. Our seat went up $13 each. I'm thinking the NEZ looks pretty good! Maybe we should get everyone on AZSFN to get seats there!

 

[J4Cards]

Gray Seats

Why does the new stadium have so many gray seats, and in such an odd pattern?

J4Cards