CHICAGO -- NFL ticket prices increased an average of 5.6 percent for the upcoming season, according to Team Marketing Report, which surveys ticket costs each year.
The survey found the average ticket will cost $62.38, an increase of more than $3 over last year.
Twenty-one teams raised their ticket prices, including the
Washington Redskins at a league-high 17.2 percent.
San Diego's increase was 14.6 percent, the second consecutive
year of double-digit increases for the Chargers.
"What we're trying to do is compete with the upper echelon of the NFL," said Jim Steeg, Chargers chief operating officer. "I know that fans don't want to hear that. But the most important
thing we've got to do is make sure we do what everybody wants,
which is put the best product on the field."
Other teams raising ticket prices by more than 10 percent were
Atlanta (14.6 percent), Arizona (14.1 percent), Chicago (12.9
percent), Seattle (12.7 percent), Jacksonville (12.2 percent) and
Carolina (10.2 percent). All of those teams except the Falcons and
Cardinals made the playoffs last season.
Arizona, of course, opened a new stadium this year. But the
Cardinals also upped ticket prices in 2005 by 13.2 percent.
The Super Bowl champion Steelers did not increase ticket prices
and remain among the lowest in the league at an average of $59.19.
The highest average ticket cost is in New England ($90.89) and
the lowest is in Buffalo ($41.29).
One team, the San Francisco 49ers, actually went down 0.5 percent to $63.70. The 49ers are the last team to make season tickets available at more than one rate. Before this season every seat in the stadium was available for $64; now tickets can also be purchased for $84 and $49.