Lower ticket prices in '13

[Procol Harum]

Outstanding move both in the ticket price drop and--particularly for we suburbanite-types--the drop in the parking prices. More games for me next year.

[kobo]

Originally Posted by PatK

Like many of you are posting, this means I'll go to more games.

Would be nice if parking dropped to $15, but I'll take it.

Was thinking the same, but at least the organization is finally listening and paying attention to fans. About damn time. I am definitely going to go to more games next year even though I'll be living even farther away from the park.

[WhiteSox5187]

Great move by the White Sox, kudos to them for listening to their fan base.

[LITTLE NELL]

Excellent news, even though this does not affect me since I live 1250 miles southeast of USCF it's a very big step in the right direction. It makes me feel good that management has listened to the fans. I was saddened so much this year to see a team that was in first place for much of the year playing before a half empty ballpark. If fans do not step up and attend more games next year then the fan base is much smaller than we all thought it was.

[Noneck]

If the pricing strategy is followed by a payroll decrease or the sos, it wont mean much. So the next step should be to go for the jugular. Do whatever it takes to not only compete but to win a division. The other club in Chicago is going to be in disarray for at least a couple years, now is the time to make the big push.

[SOXSINCE'70]

Dumb question on my part,but I have to ask it:

With all the pricing changes,will this affect the price of food at the park?

I love a good Vienna Beef Hot Dog at the game,but $5.25 is a bit much for me.Yes, I know prices are higher on the East ( and West) Coasts,but I was just curious.

[Mr. Jinx]

Originally Posted by SOXSINCE'70

Dumb question on my part,but I have to ask it:

With all the pricing changes,will this affect the price of food at the park?

I love a good Vienna Beef Hot Dog at the game,but $5.25 is a bit much for me.Yes, I know prices are higher on the East ( and West) Coasts,but I was just curious.

I would imagine it won't effect food prices. The number of people who don't go to games because concession prices are too high is surely far less than the number who don't go due to the price of tickets or parking.

[DeadMoney]

Originally Posted by Noneck

If the pricing strategy is followed by a payroll decrease or the sos, it wont mean much. So the next step should be to go for the jugular. Do whatever it takes to not only compete but to win a division. The other club in Chicago is going to be in disarray for at least a couple years, now is the time to make the big push.

It'll be interesting to see what's next. Not only have they listened to the fans, but they've done something drastic that I never thought I'd see (to this extent, at least). I'm curious if this signals the beginning of a significant attempt to pull casual fans away from the Cubs during a very vulnerable time for them.

[hawkjt]

Smart move by the Sox....good for them!

Time to support this team next year.

[palehosepub]

Originally Posted by amsteel

So Club Level, Lower Box, Premium Lower, and Gold Coast & Scout Seats are staying the same/increasing?

I have a feeling alot of people in Lower Box will jump to a different section.

My thought exactly - I am in the premium lower deck box but not in the "primo" sections within 15 rows of the field and close to the plate. I will probably trade down next year because the pricing differential looks to be substantial- unless they could be move me down and closer to the field (which I hear every year "there is nothing available" and yet I meet new STH's that moved into the "primo" areas). It doesnt make to pay the premium prices if you are on the fringes.

[tebman]

Originally Posted by Mr. Jinx

I would imagine it won't effect food prices. The number of people who don't go to games because concession prices are too high is surely far less than the number who don't go due to the price of tickets or parking.

I remember reading a letter to the editor of one of the Chicago papers back in the mid-1960s complaining about the price of concessions at a White Sox game. The menu was more limited in those days, but as I recall it was 25 cents for pop and 40 cents for a hot dog. The author of the letter didn't like it, because the going price elsewhere for a cup or bottle of pop was 10 cents and a hot dog was less than 40 cents. The numbers seem comically small now, but in comparision the ballpark prices were way high.

Concessions will always be a big profit center at a ballgame, just like it is at a movie theater. I'm happy the Sox have encouraged tailgating before the game since that usually saves me big money on ballpark food and drinks.

Back on topic, the ticket-price changes are a great move! Now the Sox need to trumpet the fact that they've reduced prices 25-30% while the Other Team has reduced prices 2%, and that after a 101-loss season!

[lpneck]

Great news and hopefully just a start, as referenced by Brooks.

I don't think the Sox will be able to appreciably slash payroll next year no matter what, other than not resigning Peavy, AJ, and Youkilis (and of those 3 I'm pretty sure AJ is the only one I would be interested in for about 2/8-10M.) Could mean trouble with resigning Floyd, which might not be a mistake either.

I'm much less interested in what the Sox total payroll is in the future than I am about them getting value for that payroll. When your payroll is $90-100M, you can afford about one mistake, not five or six.

Is there any confirmation on the previously mentioned $10 parking on Sundays? That would be HUGE for me as I am an out-of-town fan who brings my family a few weekends a year for Saturday night/Sunday afternoon games.

This will also mean that walk-up sales will start back up- I am so glad I don't have to do research on the internet or find deals on stubhub to get tickets that are priced appropriately. If I can walk up the ticket gate on the day of a game and get a $20 or $7 ticket and not have to pay Ticketmaster fees? Wow.

[MARTINMVP]

Originally Posted by lpneck

If I can walk up the ticket gate on the day of a game and get a $20 or $7 ticket and not have to pay Ticketmaster fees? Wow.

You certainly said it.. no Ticketmaster or StubHub fees.

Sox fans have more incentive to purchase tickets from WhiteSox.com.

[WhiffleBall]

Originally Posted by palehosepub

My thought exactly - I am in the premium lower deck box but not in the "primo" sections within 15 rows of the field and close to the plate. I will probably trade down next year because the pricing differential looks to be substantial- unless they could be move me down and closer to the field (which I hear every year "there is nothing available" and yet I meet new STH's that moved into the "primo" areas). It doesnt make to pay the premium prices if you are on the fringes.

Correct, those really good seats should be get special "gold box" type status and pricing. First 5 rows between the bases would command a serious premium AND could probably get naming rights money yet those ticket holders pay the same as the seats in the last row in those sections. The only people who would complain would be the long time ticket holders who have those seats.

[LITTLE NELL]

Originally Posted by MARTINMVP

You certainly said it.. no Ticketmaster or StubHub fees.

Sox fans have more incentive to purchase tickets from WhiteSox.com.

WALKUP is the key word, I would guess that Walkups were miniscule the last few years. Back in the day the Sox depending on what kind of Spring they had, would have big walkup crowds in the summer. When I lived up there most of the games we attended were as walkups as I worked nights. You saw it was a nice day, the Sox were playing well and I said lets go the Sox game tonight and off we went. No one wants to spend time on the net searching for tickets and best prices, they want to hop in the car, go down to the park and have no surprises at the what the price of a ticket is.