Following the lead of the New York Giants, Dallas Cowboys and others, the San Francisco 49ers will charge fans tens of thousands of dollars for the right to buy premium tickets at the team’s new stadium.
This week , the team began to charge between $20,000 and $30,000 for a Stadium Builders License (SBL) for a Club seat. A fan will then have to pay between $325 and $375 per ticket per game. SBLs are akin to the Personal Seat Licenses (PSLs) used by many teams.
Groundbreaking on the new $1.02 billion stadium in Santa Clara, CA, is expected to start in the spring, and the venue could be ready in time for the 2014-2015 season. Current season ticket holders will have the first shot at purchasing an SBL.
SBLs for most of the 9,000 Club seats at the new stadium will carry the $20K–$30K price tag. But a small number — less than 1 percent of the seats at the new 68,500-seat facility — will cost $80,000 per seat, the team said.
“There are some extraordinary benefits you will have if you purchase the SBL and the rights to buy 49ers seats for the lifetime of the building,” team CEO Jed York said in a statement. Among the amenities that come with SBLs are VIP parking privileges and free concessions (except liquor).
Letters were mailed to season ticket holders explaining the allocation process for tickets in the stadium. There will be about 15,000 additional lower bowl seats in the new stadium compared to Candlestick Park, where the team currently plays.
The announcement of the SBL prices comes at a high point for the 49ers. The team just completed a 13-3 campaign and will face the New Orleans Saints in a divisional playoff game on January 14.
Last month, the team announced it was freezing ticket prices for next season. York announced the freeze on Twitter while thanking fans for their loyalty.