Boston Red Sox Increase Ticket Prices 9%

How does a team with the smallest ballpark in the major leagues continuously field a team with one of the highest payrolls in the major leagues? How does a team with the oldest ballpark in the major leagues continuously improve that ballpark off-season after off-season?

Ticket prices.

The Boston Red Sox have some of the most expensive tickets in Major League Baseball and they're getting more expensive for 2008. The World Champions announced an average increase of 9% over 2007 ticket prices for the 2008 season. After the 2004 World Series Championship, the Red Sox raised ticket prices by an average of about 7 percent.

The lowest priced tickets including upper bleacher seats and standing room tickets will not increase, but lower bleacher seats will increase to $26 from $23, grandstand tickets will increase to $50 from $45, and loge box seats will increase to $90 from $85. Pavilion tickets will remain at $90. Field box seats will see the highest increases and will cost consumers $125 a ticket. The organization is quick to note that "non-premium" seats, those tickets that make up about 82% percent of tickets, did not increase for the 2006 and 2007 seasons.

The first opportunity to purchase single game tickets will be on December 8 at "Christmas at Fenway," with other details to be announced later on.

Improvements during this off-season include increasing the number of seats and standing room areas. These improvements will cost between $40-45 Million. Cranes rising over the wall at the park can be seen by motorists on the Massachusetts Turnpike as they pass Fenway Park. Sides the physical improvements to the ballpark itself will be the assignment of a dedicated client services team, priority individual game presale of tickets, as well as free agent and draft pick compensation.

Despite the ticket prices, Fenway has been sold out for 388 regular season games, or for the better part of 5 seasons. The Team Marketing Report "Average Cost Value" for attending a Red Sox game in 2006 was a major league highest $288. The second most expensive game to attend was a Chicago Cubs game, valued at $219. The Cubs' home stadium, Wrigley Field, is a little larger and almost as old. The major league average was $170.

The "Average Cost Value" is based on two adult average-price tickets, two child average-price tickets, two small draft beers, four small soft drinks, four regular-size hot dogs, parking for one car, two game programs and two least expensive, adult-size adjustable caps. This information was updated in February, 2007 and will now increase based on the new ticket prices.

SOURCES:

"A night at the park is no cheap ticket," URL: http://data360.org/pdf/20070222014129.
Baseball%20Fan%20Costs%20by%20Team.pdf

"A pricier home of champions," URL: http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/
redsox/articles/2007/11/15/a_pricier_home_of_champions/

"World Champion Boston Red Sox to Inaugurate Major League Baseball's 2008 Season in Japan," URL: http://www.allamericanpatriots.com/48737350_sports_
world_champion_boston_red_sox_inaugurate_major_league_baseballs_2008_season_japan

"Red Sox up the ante for tickets in 2008," URL: http://www.ticketnews.com/Red-Sox-Up-the-Ante01114074

"Sox ticket prices taking a hike," URL: http://www.projo.com/redsox/content
/sp_bb_soxsked15_11-15-07_UO7SC22_v8.299140f.html

"Red Sox Increase Ticket Prices For 2008,"URL: http://www.thebostonchannel.com/sports/14593794/detail.html