Want Rays Tickets? It's A Buyer's Market

The last time the economy was worse than today was during the Great Depression, when a reporter asked New York Yankees star Babe Ruth why he got paid more than President Herbert Hoover.

"I had a better year than he did," Ruth reportedly said about his $80,000 contract in 1930 that was $5,000 more than the president's.

No one in baseball could match the Babe's versatility as a slugger and economic analyst. But the Tampa Bay Rays front office had the economy in mind as officials devised 2009 ticket and revenue strategies to contend with threats to discretionary spending.

"No matter what the economy, we offer pricing most people can afford," Rays President Matt Silverman said. "We have a feel-good story for our fans, and the entire Tampa Bay community has rallied around the team."

The Rays' 2009 strategy has been to raise ticket prices by $1 to $2 for the cheapest seats, vigorously market season and advance ticket purchases with major discounts, and pay particular attention to prospective business patrons.

More than 50 percent of the Rays' locally generated revenue - Major League Baseball teams do not reveal financial details - is derived from attendance and parking concessions, Silverman said. In addition to the player payroll, estimated to be about $60 million for the 2009 season, player development and the cost of operations must be funded.

"Ticket sales drive the business," Silverman said.

In an era in which parking for a sporting event can be more expensive than the price of a ballpark, stadium or arena ticket a generation or two ago, Major League Baseball markets itself as the most affordable big-time professional sport.

The sports marketing publisher Team Marketing Report in April said the Major League Baseball average ticket cost $25.43, with the Rays offering the third-lowest average price among 30 teams last season of $17.23. The Rays placed 26th in 2008 attendance, with an average of 22,259 a game.

That compares with a National Basketball Association average ticket price of $48.83, according to Team Marketing's November 2007 report and a National Football League average ticket price of $72.20 reported in September.

The economy prompted baseball Commissioner Bud Selig to warn teams last fall not to get cocky about raising prices, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

He said this month that eight teams had reduced prices, about 16 kept prices the same, and the rest raised prices "very judiciously."

Major League Baseball officials are aware that Depression-era attendance from 1930 to 1933 declined 40 percent to 6.1 million. Last year, Major League Baseball posted its second-highest year of attendance, 78.6 million, and clearly the nation's entertainment dynamics have evolved.

Despite winning the American League pennant in 2008 and appearing in the franchise's first World Series, the Rays raised the cheapest ticket prices by a modest $1 to $10 for most games and by $2 to $16 for 21 "prime games" against the Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies.

Prices for better seats also rose. For example lower infield box seats for non-prime games increased from $52 to $55. And the Rays created marquee game prices that fall between regular and prime game prices for 11 Saturday games that include post-game concerts or special events. For example $10 upper deck tickets for regular games are $13 for marquee and $16 for prime games.

"Sports teams always try different pricing schemes and tailor them to their markets," Silverman said. "When we look at our pricing, we don't want to complicate it.

"We want to provide incentives for people to buy in advance and offer the greatest discounts to advance sales and to those who buy in large quantities, whether it's a full season, half-season or a 20-game package."

The Rays will continue a surcharge, from $3 to $5 this season, on tickets purchased within five hours of the game.

"That pushes people to buy tickets in advance and alleviates long lines of people standing in 92 degree heat for 40 minutes before they can have a good time in our air-conditioned ballpark," Silverman said.

Parking will continue to be free at Tropicana Field for vehicles with four or more occupants.

Individual game tickets go on sale Feb. 28, but the big push is on season ticket purchases, with the Rays initial, preseason marketing campaign focused on season ticket sales, especially to businesses.

The Rays will allocate 40 percent of their marketing budget on the season ticket sales drive this year, said Tom Hoof, vice president of marketing-community relations.

Hillsborough County became a major target for season ticket sales last year.

The team opened a 3,400-square-foot downtown Tampa office in 2007 across from Lykes Gaslight Square with the idea that Hillsborough businesspeople could stop in for discussions about season ticket plans and locations more readily than visiting Tropicana Field during the day. The shop also sells a variety of Rays merchandise, with some prices discounted up to 60 percent last week.

Rays officials say merchandise sales at the Tampa location that replaced one at West Shore are four times higher.

"At West Shore, we only sold individual tickets, and at the Tampa office, we sell individual tickets, seasons, groups and suites," Hoof said. "We sell significantly more tickets from the Tampa office, but that includes more than just individual tickets."

One patron who visited the shop recently said she and her husband, who is an Air Force sergeant assigned to MacDill Air Force Base, and her three children saw all the home games a year ago and intend to do so this year.

"It gets expensive," said Rosemary Silva, whose family bought tickets from a friend with season tickets and bought individual game seats when the friend's tickets were not available. "We will go for the $10 tickets. But we love the Rays."

Part of the allure is the friendliness of the players, who the Silvas wait to greet after a game.

"We have met them all," Silva said. "They are all nice to us and thank us for coming out."

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME

The Rays, with the third-lowest average ticket prices in Major League Baseball, are raising ticket prices this year, but just slightly for the cheapest seats. Here's the lowdown:

•Lower-priced tickets will cost $1 to $10 more for most games and $2 to $16 more for "prime games."

•Prices for premium tickets also will increase. For example, prices for infield box seats for non-prime games increase from $52 to $55.

•You can still park for free if you have four people in a vehicle.

•Groups of 20 or more get discounted tickets, scoreboard recognition, and private party area opportunities with food and drink, including the All You Can Eat Group Party Area.

•The surcharge on tickets purchased within five hours of the game increases to $3 to $5. The surcharge was $2 last season.