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Rams consider variable pricing for single-game tickets
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_ef87a985-c73a-50f1-b0f7-343788a78eb2.html
With their season-ticket prices already established for 2014, the Rams are considering variable pricing for single-game tickets.
“As our schedule gets closer, as the dates get released, we’ll evaluate what our single-game pricing will be when we put our single-game tickets on sale,” Rams executive vice president Kevin Demoff said in a recent interview.
Variable ticket pricing is new to the NFL this season. At least four teams already have committed to it: Buffalo, Detroit, New England, and Seattle.
Under the variable pricing plan, marquee games on a team’s schedule would be more expensive. Less desirable games — such as preseason contests — are cheaper.
“We have some games that will be higher-demand games — especially Dallas,” Demoff said.
Besides the three NFC West opponents (Arizona, San Francisco, and Seattle), the Rams’ regular-season home schedule for 2014 also includes Dallas and the New York Giants of the NFC East, Denver and Oakland of the AFC West and Minnesota of the NFC North.
The times and dates of those games won’t be known until April when the NFL releases its schedule. A prime time game, for example, would be more desirable. A home game close to Christmas probably would not.
As for season-ticket holders, who have already received their invoices for renewal, the Rams have decided to hold the line on prices. There will be no increase in 2014.
“A few seats went down in select areas of the building,” Demoff said. “But all seats remain flat or went down. Not one seat increased.”
There were no ticket price hikes during the Rams’ first five seasons in St. Louis. Beginning with the 2000 season — the season after the Rams’ Super Bowl victory over Tennessee — prices were raised for eight consecutive seasons.
But with attendance sagging, and the team struggling to win games, the Rams froze season-ticket prices in 2008 and 2009. (The only exception during those two seasons was about 2,000 refurbished seats.). In 2010, prices were reduced for about two-thirds of the seats in the Edward Jones Dome.
But prices on most seats were raised an average of $4 to $7 a game in 2011. There was no increase in 2012, and a slight hike in 2013.
In deciding whether or not to raise prices this season, Demoff said, “We look at a couple of different factors. We’re certainly among the lower teams in the NFL in terms of average ticket price. But we look at the total cost of going to a game, from ticket price to concessions, to parking, and making sure that not only are our ticket prices in the lower portion of the league but also the total cost of going as a fan is as well.”
According to the Team Marketing Report, the Rams’ average ticket price in 2013 was $74.49, which ranked 20th among the 32 NFL teams. New England had the most expensive average ticket price at $117.84; Cleveland was the cheapest at $54.20. Those numbers do not include the cost of premium seats, such as luxury suites.
For the Rams, it has been tough to fill the last 5,000 to 10,000 seats in the dome in recent years.
“I don’t want to say it’s been a struggle,” Demoff said. “Certainly there have been games where we’ve gotten close to getting that elusive sellout. But I think the one thing that we look at is the product’s improving. We’ve had back-to-back winning seasons at home for the first time since 2003, 2004. Last year, we had three double-digit wins to finish off the season. Big wins over the Bears and the Saints.
“We lost three games (at home) — two were on the final play of the game. So overall, I think the experience last year was the best it’s been certainly since I’ve joined the club for our season-ticket holders.”
Demoff said the team is working on improving the fan experience in several areas next year, including revamped concessions, a new stadium sound system, the installation of Wi-Fi and improved cell phone service.
“Last year we had more new season-ticket holders join our season-ticket list than in any year since the Rams came to St. Louis,” Demoff said. “We felt like the pricing structure was very fair last year. The fans seemed to agree with the way that they purchased tickets and got behind the team.
“And so our goal is to try to build off of our gains last year. We think we can sell even more season tickets this year, continue to build the base, continue to get it back to where it had been previously.”
Notable • Detroit free agent quarterback Shaun Hill is visiting the Rams today.
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_ef87a985-c73a-50f1-b0f7-343788a78eb2.html
With their season-ticket prices already established for 2014, the Rams are considering variable pricing for single-game tickets.
“As our schedule gets closer, as the dates get released, we’ll evaluate what our single-game pricing will be when we put our single-game tickets on sale,” Rams executive vice president Kevin Demoff said in a recent interview.
Variable ticket pricing is new to the NFL this season. At least four teams already have committed to it: Buffalo, Detroit, New England, and Seattle.
Under the variable pricing plan, marquee games on a team’s schedule would be more expensive. Less desirable games — such as preseason contests — are cheaper.
“We have some games that will be higher-demand games — especially Dallas,” Demoff said.
Besides the three NFC West opponents (Arizona, San Francisco, and Seattle), the Rams’ regular-season home schedule for 2014 also includes Dallas and the New York Giants of the NFC East, Denver and Oakland of the AFC West and Minnesota of the NFC North.
The times and dates of those games won’t be known until April when the NFL releases its schedule. A prime time game, for example, would be more desirable. A home game close to Christmas probably would not.
As for season-ticket holders, who have already received their invoices for renewal, the Rams have decided to hold the line on prices. There will be no increase in 2014.
“A few seats went down in select areas of the building,” Demoff said. “But all seats remain flat or went down. Not one seat increased.”
There were no ticket price hikes during the Rams’ first five seasons in St. Louis. Beginning with the 2000 season — the season after the Rams’ Super Bowl victory over Tennessee — prices were raised for eight consecutive seasons.
But with attendance sagging, and the team struggling to win games, the Rams froze season-ticket prices in 2008 and 2009. (The only exception during those two seasons was about 2,000 refurbished seats.). In 2010, prices were reduced for about two-thirds of the seats in the Edward Jones Dome.
But prices on most seats were raised an average of $4 to $7 a game in 2011. There was no increase in 2012, and a slight hike in 2013.
In deciding whether or not to raise prices this season, Demoff said, “We look at a couple of different factors. We’re certainly among the lower teams in the NFL in terms of average ticket price. But we look at the total cost of going to a game, from ticket price to concessions, to parking, and making sure that not only are our ticket prices in the lower portion of the league but also the total cost of going as a fan is as well.”
According to the Team Marketing Report, the Rams’ average ticket price in 2013 was $74.49, which ranked 20th among the 32 NFL teams. New England had the most expensive average ticket price at $117.84; Cleveland was the cheapest at $54.20. Those numbers do not include the cost of premium seats, such as luxury suites.
For the Rams, it has been tough to fill the last 5,000 to 10,000 seats in the dome in recent years.
“I don’t want to say it’s been a struggle,” Demoff said. “Certainly there have been games where we’ve gotten close to getting that elusive sellout. But I think the one thing that we look at is the product’s improving. We’ve had back-to-back winning seasons at home for the first time since 2003, 2004. Last year, we had three double-digit wins to finish off the season. Big wins over the Bears and the Saints.
“We lost three games (at home) — two were on the final play of the game. So overall, I think the experience last year was the best it’s been certainly since I’ve joined the club for our season-ticket holders.”
Demoff said the team is working on improving the fan experience in several areas next year, including revamped concessions, a new stadium sound system, the installation of Wi-Fi and improved cell phone service.
“Last year we had more new season-ticket holders join our season-ticket list than in any year since the Rams came to St. Louis,” Demoff said. “We felt like the pricing structure was very fair last year. The fans seemed to agree with the way that they purchased tickets and got behind the team.
“And so our goal is to try to build off of our gains last year. We think we can sell even more season tickets this year, continue to build the base, continue to get it back to where it had been previously.”
Notable • Detroit free agent quarterback Shaun Hill is visiting the Rams today.