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Fans Refuse To Be Sacked By Rising Ticket Prices

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 8, 2008

When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers raised ticket prices back in February for the sixth year in a row, fans had to wonder whether there would be any end to the increases, especially with the economy putting so many on the injured-reserve list. Judging by sluggish ticket sales for the 2008 season, fans might have reached their limit.

Sales of Bucs tickets appear to have slowed this year after increases of as much as 30 percent for some seats and the demand that season-ticket holders renew 10-year seat licenses that can cost thousands of dollars.

The first home game against Atlanta on Sept. 14 is having trouble selling out, which means the sellout streak that started when Raymond James Stadium opened in 1998 could be in jeopardy.

What happened to the thousands of people on the waiting list for season tickets? Perhaps they joined veteran season-ticket holders who were shocked to learn they would have to re-pay a seat-deposit fee, which is gradually refunded over 10 years.

Many said never mind.

A fan revolt is emerging, and not just in Tampa Bay. A recent New York Times article revealed that many longtime fans in the Big Apple have hit their personal salary cap and are walking away from season tickets. With the Yankees, Mets, Giants and Jets all scheduled to move into new stadiums, and asking for tens of thousands of dollars in seat licenses and tickets, some fans are taking a time-out and sitting the season out at home.

Owners justify seat licenses as a means of financing new stadiums, which they say they need to stay competitive. The Bucs, however, play in a taxpayer-supported facility that sends significant revenues from non-team events back to them. The team has one of the sweetest stadium deals in the league. That they remain far under the league's salary cap is a real turnoff to many longtime fans.

The Bucs gave little explanation for the recent price hike, other than to say that their tickets were cheaper than about half of the other NFL teams. They might have been able to get away with it years ago, when the Bucs were the only game in town. But today, local sports fans have more choices.

The surprising Tampa Bay Rays not only have the best record in Major League Baseball's American League, they have some very fan-friendly ticket prices.

And if it's football you want, many pigskin prognosticators have picked the University of South Florida Bulls to win the Big East Conference. USF offers the nation's best deal among the 66 Bowl Championship Series schools. It sells at least 1,000 tickets at $10 for each game.

If Bucs games don't sell out this season, management should listen up: Every fan, even the most hardcore face-painter, has his limits.

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