MP ticket prices to go up 5% on average in 2009

[rm121978]

http://www.jsonline.com/business/33576304.html

 

I'd imagine a full release from the Brewers will be out soon with more numbers.

[hawing]

From rm121978's link:

 

The new section, called the Loge Bleacher area in Section 238, will cost $10 for all non-marquee games. Those seats were $18 last year and will be made available on the day of the game only.

Section 238 has been one of the family sections to date. I wonder if that status is changing.

[rm121978]

Brewers Press Release: http://brewers.mlb.com/ne...pr_mil&fext=.jsp&c_id=mil

 

Seating chart with prices: http://milwaukee.brewers....eting/seating_pricing.jsp

[brwrsfan]

I notice that the seating chart references season ticket renewals...has anyone received that yet? Or know when it should be coming? The renewal date for the cheaper prices is November 17th, that's less than 3 weeks from now.

 

I realize it's more difficult with the playoffs and prices increases, but thats an incredibly small window to require a renewal. It leaves a lot of stuff to sort out in a very small timeframe:

 

Price increase - with the economy as it is, it could be difficult for some to come up with the money, espcially with X-Mas coming up

Seat location/upgrades

Adding/removing tickets from your package

[rm121978]

I know they sent out a letter a couple weeks ago saying that renewal info would be mailed soon. I'm guessing we'll be receiving our packets early next week if not sooner.

[Patrick425]

I spoke with my ticket rep yesterday. He mentioned I should get my renewal package within the next couple of days.

[dadofandrew]

I'm sure the Crew would have no problem with you buying tickets now and then "upgrading" if you decided to later. To get the best price, you need to pay early.

 

I'm sure they will be promoting some packages as Xmas gifts too, so they need to know what seats are open.

[hawing]

I notice that the seating chart references season ticket renewals...has anyone received that yet? Or know when it should be coming? The renewal date for the cheaper prices is November 17th, that's less than 3 weeks from now.

 

I realize it's more difficult with the playoffs and prices increases, but thats an incredibly small window to require a renewal. It leaves a lot of stuff to sort out in a very small timeframe:

I'm expecting to get our renewal information Friday or Saturday - allowing for about 2 weeks to decide what to do. If I had our season ticket password on hand instead of at home, I'd check the online account now to see if the renewal stuff already appears there, because I wouldn't be surprised if it does.

 

Although the Brewers did send a letter a couple of weeks ago listing 11/17 as the early renewal deadline (to get the deepest discount and whatever other perk they might toss in), 2 to 2-1/2 weeks does seem like a short turnaround for making a decision, considering that the (in most cases) increased price information has only been released today.

 

I'd like to think the Brewers' sales or marketing staff have taken the current state of the economy into account when planning their approach to 2009 renewals. It is certainly fortunate for the organization that the Brewers got to the playoffs this year, otherwise it might be a difficult sell indeed.

[brwrsfan]

No, they don't have a problem with you "upgrading" them. The problem with doing that is that they've already filled a lot of those seats with other season ticket renewals and I'll wind up with not as good of seats as I should get with my priority rank on tickets.

 

It's not that big of a deal, it's just frustrating that it's taken them this long to get them out to us, not to mention the postseason money of mine that they've held onto for 3 weeks now (since the season ended).

[Buckhunts]

Most people who have renewals, such as myself, also have money left over from teh postseason. I should only have to pay an extra $100-$150 for my seats next season, which makes the decision a whole lot easier. This team, from a business standpoint, has been run like a well-oiled machine in the last 3-4 years. If anyone thinks they didn't take the economy into consideration when don't their tickets price and plans, they have not been watching this Brewers management.

[RightFieldCoder]

brwsfan: Do what I did. They didn't have any Row 1 seats open for me. I wasn't trying to upgrade, just move up one row. They promised to call if some seats opened up and I never heard from them. In February of 2007 I called the general ticket line and mentioned I was interested in first row season tickets. It took them two minutes to find the seats I had previously been told were not available. There was a lot of huffing and puffing when I mentioned I was already a season ticket holder, but the cat was out of the bag and I was able to get the seats. So just call them without mentioning you are an existing ticket holder and see what kind of seats they can find you.

[dadofandrew]

There's little doubt good seats are held for new accounts. What Robin did is perfectly within his rights, and "sneaky" is often a fine way to go about finding stuff out.

[hawing]

Renewal information is on the "My Brewers Tickets" page for season ticket holders. The price per game isn't listed, though it's easy to calculate.

Also listed is the credit for postseason games which were billed but not played. For our account, the postseason credit makes up about 75% of the bill for 2009.

[bani1717]

One thing that kind of disappoints me is that they aren't offering the Terrace Ticket Treat discount for terrace level full-season tickets to new STH's. I called today and asked about it and they told me that only renewals would get the Buy-2-Get-2-Free Rate. I don't have too much to complain about because I have a buddy who has this plan who I bought 2 tickets for a majority of the season from last year. But, it would have been nice to be able to get my own set of 4 tickets, keep 2 for the full season for myself and my brother, and then have a couple friends buy in for the other 2 seats. Like I said, though, I will at least be able to buy into my buddy's plan, and possibly get 2 full season tickets if the other guy who buys into the plan decides not to renew. I guess I ought to be thankful for what I do have - a chance to buy into a plan with a guy renewing his discounted tickets.

[Invader3K]

Any word on parking and concessions yet? 5% is not that big a deal of an increase on tickets, I guess. You had to expect some increases after the playoffs.

[hawing]

The Brewers' press release on ticket prices (linked above) includes this mention of parking:

 

Parking prices for 2009 have also been set and will not increase, with the only exceptions being for Marquee Games (Marquee Games will be priced at the same rates as Opening Day) and buses.

I'd expect any price changes on concessions to be announced separately.

[brewerjamie15]

Marquee games to go up again. All Cubs games, and the White Sox games.

 

While I understand the need for the Brewers to make more money to cover salaries, etc., I can also foresee Brewers fans avoiding Cub games due to cost. Therefore, the avoidance of the increased seat price will allow more Chicago fans to attend the games in mass. For this reason, I do not want to hear the Brewers complain that -we- as fans allow so many fans from Cub nation get seats.

[Buckhunts]

While I understand the need for the Brewers to make more money to cover salaries, etc., I can also foresee Brewers fans avoiding Cub games due to cost.

Brewers fans weren't going to the Brewers/Cubs games when the tickets were cheaper 3-4 years ago so why should they keep the prices lower now? Remember they are a business and they have to keep up with their prices relative to other teams in order to be competitive.

[valpocrewsader]

Brewers fans weren't going to the Brewers/Cubs games when the tickets were cheaper 3-4 years ago so why should they keep the prices lower now?

That's unfair. Local enthusiasm for Brewers baseball was in a different dimension 4 years ago. Jamie's point is right on. The "marquee" pricing approach to Cubs games in MP plays right into the hands of the Cubs fanbase -- no way to argue it. Milwaukee-area folk can choose 65-70 other games to go to for less money. And those 65-70 other games won't be fraught with dealing with a stadium full of completely insufferable Cubs fans. (Cubs fans that MP ushers and personnel tend to side with more than Brewers fans from what I've seen and heard.) Meanwhile, the increased pricing means nothing to the northside Bueller's who aren't going to let a couple extra dollars get in the way of seeing a team that would cost more to see in Wrigley, in a undeniably crappier stadium, with no parking or tailgating atmosphere.

 

Every price increase for a Cubs game is basically another foot of red carpet down I-94 saying, "Come watch your team for relative pittance while we do all we can to encourage Brewers fans to skip this series wait for the Pirates to come to town."

[owbc]

I don't have a problem with the Marquee pricing.

 

About half the Brewers fans at the games (the season ticket holders) are not paying the high prices. The rest represents the Brewers admitting that Cubs fans will frequent the games, so if they have to reach a certain bottom line at the end of the year, they may as well get as much money from the Cubs fans as they can. There was a time about 4-5 years ago that they left the Tuesday $6 terrace deal on during the Cubs series. I always wondered what they were thinking when that policy was enacted, since I went to a Cubs/Brewers game for $6 and was surrounded by Cubs fans.

 

There are ways to discourage Cubs fans from going to the games such as only selling the Cubs tickets in 4-packs with some Pirates/Nationals games thrown in there. The Brewers choose the higher price route, which they can get away with since the Brewers have been so popular that the Pirates/Nationals games are going to draw 35,000 anyway.

[Baldkin]

I'm not renewing. After being lied to by two different ticket reps about why my seats were where they were last year (I went from 419 or 420 every game to 410 and 411 and as far away as 405 and 433 for the Cubs games) and the latest price bump, and being told that being a 4th year season ticket holder won't effect where my seats are at all, its simply not worth it to me. I'll just be buying single game tickets this year.

 

I am disappointed in how I was treated as a fan and an individual. Do I think I deserve special treatment? No, I thought I deserved honesty. Even now my ticket rep won't tell me what package I need to order to return my seats to their previous location.

[bani1717]

(Cubs fans that MP ushers and personnel tend to side with more than Brewers fans from what I've seen and heard.)

 

This is only a single example, but I know an usher who worked in 406 for the Tuesday night Cubs game back in July. He told me that since no cops were around, he himself had to throw out 13 people, almost all of whom were Cubs fans. There are a fair share of Cubs fans that get thrown out every game - and I'm guessing it's a lot more than the number of Brewers fans that are thrown out at those games.

 

And if the ushers do side with Cubs fans more, try thinking of what it's like from their perspective. I'm sure they don't want to have a stadium packed full of obnoxious Cubs fans any more than you do. But there is that fine line between cracking down on stuff and looking for stuff to throw fans (particularly Cubs fans) out for. I'm guessing more often than not they err on the side of caution.

[berniebrewer4life]

He told me that since no cops were around, he himself had to throw out 13 people, almost all of whom were Cubs fans....

 

I'm guessing more often than not they err on the side of caution.

You pretty much nailed it. When i was an usher, we usually threw out 3 times more cub fans than brewer fans then. It wasn't because we disliked them, it's just he law of avgs. If there are more cub fans, there will be more cub fans thrown out.

[Buckhunts]

I'm not renewing. After being lied to by two different ticket reps about why my seats were where they were last year (I went from 419 or 420 every game to 410 and 411 and as far away as 405 and 433 for the Cubs games) and the latest price bump, and being told that being a 4th year season ticket holder won't effect where my seats are at all, its simply not worth it to me.

What ticket package did you have?

[Baldkin]

I'd gotten the fans choice package in Terrace Box, as it allowed me to decide which games I could go to, my job and school at the time made my schedule pretty limited.

I stayed with that package after being told that my seats wouldn't get any worse than they had been.