The Chicago Cubs revealed this week that their season ticket price will drop slightly over the next season by an average of 2.5 percent.
Individual game prices will increase in several categories, but additional games in lower-priced tiers will bring the overall cost down. Bronze and Silver tiers will increase while the upper-box outfield will decrease by 6.5 percent. According to the Chicago Tribune, the Vice President of Ticketing Cale Vennum said the decrease in price has to do with the early-season home games, not necessarily the fact that the Cubs didn’t make the postseason for the first time in five seasons.
“Our season ticket holders are obviously disappointed that we didn’t make the playoffs last year,” Vennum said in a statement earlier this week. “But they look at this team and still see a roster they expect to be really competitive for 2020. The feedback we’ve gotten around (new manager) David Ross has been fantastic. Our fans are really excited to see him and lead this team in 2020.”
Season ticket holders have until December 11 to make their first payment, and invoices were reportedly sent out this week for the 2020 season. Amid roster changes and the average ticket prices dropping by 2.5 percent, fans have a little time to think about if they want to continue with their membership.
This past year, the Cubs finished fourth in attendance, averaging 38,208 people per game, which is a slight decline from 2018 and 2016, when the team won their first World Series championship in 108 years. The ticket price raised from 10 percent from 2015 to 2016, meaning that this will be the first decrease since the team was purchased by the Ricketts family back in 2009. Vennum noted that the market is dictating the price and “people are telling us they really want to come to Cubs games” so they’re just trying to “commensurate with the market.”
“It’s predominantly when you have six more games in March and April that obviously is going to factor in (to the price),” Vennum said. “So really strong sales, you combine that with a little different schedule next year, put all those factors together, that’s what led to the 2.5% price decrease.”
