Saturday, November 13, 1999

Reds raise ticket prices

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BY JOHN FAY
The Cincinnati Enquirer

        The Reds might not have Ken Griffey Jr. in the fold, but they'll have more money to pay him if they do pull off the trade.

        The team announced that ticket prices were going up for the second straight year.

        The best blue seats go from $17 to $21. The rest of blue seats go from $15 to $18.

        Green seats go from $13, $12 and $9 to $16, $14 and $11; yellow seats go from $12 to $13; red seats from $10, $7 and $4 to $12, $8, and $5.

        “As the cost of operating a Major League Baseball club escalates, it is necessary to increase our ticket prices,” Reds Managing Executive John Allen said.

        This is fourth price increase since 1993, but the most significant jumps have come since 1998.

        In 1998, the blue seats went for $14. So the best tickets have gone up 50 percent over the last two years.Red-level box seats have gone up 33 percent, from $9 to $12, since 1998.

        The Reds' prices likely will remain among the cheapest in baseball. For the 1999 season, their average tickets price was $9.71, third-lowest behind Minnesota ($8.46) and Montreal ($9.38).

        Minnesota has already announced an increase.

        The Reds' increase is designed to offset rising player salaries. Even if the Reds don't get Mr. Griffey, their payroll will go up because more players are eligible for arbitration.

        “Keeping the nucleus of last season's team intact will come at a cost,” Mr. Allen said. “The increase in ticket prices will help us to maintain the financial stability necessary to compete.”

        Tickets go on sale Jan.15. Season-ticket packages will continue to offer seats at a discount.

       

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