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Broncos announce 'necessary' ticket increase
By Adam Schefter
Denver Post Sports Writer
HOUSTON - Despite failing to win a playoff game since January 1999, the Broncos are raising ticket prices on more than half the seats at Invesco Field at Mile High for the second consecutive season.
Last year most of the lower-level ticket prices were raised. This year upper-level prices will be more expensive.
A letter mailed to season ticket-holders Thursday outlined the $5 to $6 price increase for fans who sit primarily in the upper deck.
Field-level south end zone seats will go from $54 to $60. Those are the only field-level seats subject to increase.
Upper-level seats between the 20-yard lines will go from $48 to $54. Upper-level seats from the end zone to the 20-yard lines will go from $46 to $52. Upper-level north end zone seats will go from $30 to $35.
"This is a necessary step we had to take as an organization to ensure that we put the best team on the field," Joe Ellis, the Broncos' executive vice president of business operations, said Thursday. "Ticket price increases are never met with glee by our season ticket-holders, and they never will be. But I will say that given that fans want and desire the same thing the organization does - to win championships - they may not like the increases, but generally they're fair and understanding as to why they have to occur."
Last year the Broncos' tickets were the eighth-priciest in the NFL. Broncos vice president of public relations Jim Saccomano estimated this year's increases will leave the team ranking between seventh and 10th. Not all teams have announced their ticket pricing plans for 2004.
A sampling of season ticket-holders indicated displeasure with the price increase.
"I'm not happy with it," said Gary Penfield, a government worker who lives in Highlands Ranch with seats in section 524 that went up $5. "I said that I would withstand the price increase when it went from $28 to $30. Now they're going up again. And the likelihood is they will continue going up.
"Will I get them at $35? Probably. But if they go up much more than that, I will stop getting them. But I don't know how much of a difference it makes. If I don't get them, somebody else will. But it doesn't make me happy, especially with the product the Broncos have put out the last few years."
During the past five seasons, the Broncos have advanced to the postseason twice, neither time winning a playoff game. Yet Ellis said the organization needed to up its prices.
"We took a long, hard look at this, analyzed it to every extent and we feel the prices are fair, commensurate with the value received for an NFL season ticket," Ellis said.
Saccomano argued that, "Our season tickets are a great value compared around the NFL or to other sports around Denver."
Saccomano said the lower-bowl seats for Broncos games cost $72 or $78, whereas similar seats at an Avalanche game cost $128 or $154, and similar seats at a Nuggets game cost $67 or $81.
But this did not pacify some of the anger Broncos fans felt when they learned of the price hike.
"Again?" said Fred Pasternak of Denver, who owns three pawn shops in the Denver area and has two tickets in section 515.
Then Pasternak told his son, Scott, who owns 12 season tickets that will go up $6 apiece, that the Broncos were raising prices.
"I'm not really happy about it," Scott Pasternak said. "Every year it feels like it goes up. It'll probably never stop."
Etc.
After 11 seasons with the Broncos, Doug West is leaving his job as equipment manager to become an NFL footwear specialist for Reebok.
The Broncos have promoted Chris Valenti to head equipment manager, general manager Ted Sundquist announced. Valenti spent the past seven seasons in a similar role with the Broncos.
ON THE RISE
Broncos ticket price increases apply to the following:
Field-level seats / 2003 2004
South end zone $54 $60
Upper-level seats / 2003 2004
Between 20-yard lines $48 $54
End zone to 20-yard lines $46 $52
North end zone $30 $35
http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,...924264,00.html
By Adam Schefter
Denver Post Sports Writer
HOUSTON - Despite failing to win a playoff game since January 1999, the Broncos are raising ticket prices on more than half the seats at Invesco Field at Mile High for the second consecutive season.
Last year most of the lower-level ticket prices were raised. This year upper-level prices will be more expensive.
A letter mailed to season ticket-holders Thursday outlined the $5 to $6 price increase for fans who sit primarily in the upper deck.
Field-level south end zone seats will go from $54 to $60. Those are the only field-level seats subject to increase.
Upper-level seats between the 20-yard lines will go from $48 to $54. Upper-level seats from the end zone to the 20-yard lines will go from $46 to $52. Upper-level north end zone seats will go from $30 to $35.
"This is a necessary step we had to take as an organization to ensure that we put the best team on the field," Joe Ellis, the Broncos' executive vice president of business operations, said Thursday. "Ticket price increases are never met with glee by our season ticket-holders, and they never will be. But I will say that given that fans want and desire the same thing the organization does - to win championships - they may not like the increases, but generally they're fair and understanding as to why they have to occur."
Last year the Broncos' tickets were the eighth-priciest in the NFL. Broncos vice president of public relations Jim Saccomano estimated this year's increases will leave the team ranking between seventh and 10th. Not all teams have announced their ticket pricing plans for 2004.
A sampling of season ticket-holders indicated displeasure with the price increase.
"I'm not happy with it," said Gary Penfield, a government worker who lives in Highlands Ranch with seats in section 524 that went up $5. "I said that I would withstand the price increase when it went from $28 to $30. Now they're going up again. And the likelihood is they will continue going up.
"Will I get them at $35? Probably. But if they go up much more than that, I will stop getting them. But I don't know how much of a difference it makes. If I don't get them, somebody else will. But it doesn't make me happy, especially with the product the Broncos have put out the last few years."
During the past five seasons, the Broncos have advanced to the postseason twice, neither time winning a playoff game. Yet Ellis said the organization needed to up its prices.
"We took a long, hard look at this, analyzed it to every extent and we feel the prices are fair, commensurate with the value received for an NFL season ticket," Ellis said.
Saccomano argued that, "Our season tickets are a great value compared around the NFL or to other sports around Denver."
Saccomano said the lower-bowl seats for Broncos games cost $72 or $78, whereas similar seats at an Avalanche game cost $128 or $154, and similar seats at a Nuggets game cost $67 or $81.
But this did not pacify some of the anger Broncos fans felt when they learned of the price hike.
"Again?" said Fred Pasternak of Denver, who owns three pawn shops in the Denver area and has two tickets in section 515.
Then Pasternak told his son, Scott, who owns 12 season tickets that will go up $6 apiece, that the Broncos were raising prices.
"I'm not really happy about it," Scott Pasternak said. "Every year it feels like it goes up. It'll probably never stop."
Etc.
After 11 seasons with the Broncos, Doug West is leaving his job as equipment manager to become an NFL footwear specialist for Reebok.
The Broncos have promoted Chris Valenti to head equipment manager, general manager Ted Sundquist announced. Valenti spent the past seven seasons in a similar role with the Broncos.
ON THE RISE
Broncos ticket price increases apply to the following:
Field-level seats / 2003 2004
South end zone $54 $60
Upper-level seats / 2003 2004
Between 20-yard lines $48 $54
End zone to 20-yard lines $46 $52
North end zone $30 $35
http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,...924264,00.html
- Hosea 10:12
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