NEWSLETTER
Well then. You don’t love what is generating this move, but it absolutely seems like the right one.
Per multiple reports, the average price of season tickets for Chicago Cubs games is being reduced by 5.1% for next season. As near as Jon Greenberg can tell, that’s the largest annual average decrease since at least 1991, which is as far back as he can check.
We talked about Cubs attendance issues all year, and with the season ticket base (or at least the famed waiting list) almost certainly seeing substantial drops since the 2015-18 era, it’s understandable why the Cubs would aim to make the value proposition a little more attractive. Price moves for single game tickets, which won’t go on sale until next year, don’t always track exactly with season tickets, but they are typically pretty close.
In other words, the Cubs are making a notable move to see that their games are a little more affordable next season. According to Cale Vennum, senior vice president of Marquee 360, which oversees the team’s ticketing, the economic environment was a factor in the decision (Tribune):
The Cubs’ annual analysis of trends and review of ticket prices — in conjunction with feedback from current season ticket holders after a disappointing season — factored into the decision.
“We definitely do hear that it’s a more competitive environment,” Vennum said. “People have a lot of choice in their opportunities and the things they want to go out and do in their lives. And a lot of them are choosing to come to Wrigley Field, but we saw that there was an opportunity that we could decrease prices heading into next year.
“Fans have a lot of choice and they’re making a big commitment to us when they decide to have season tickets, and we wanted to be responsive to the competitive environment and economic environment that they’re seeing today.”
Of course, we all know the main driver of attendance is and always will be how compelling (read: competitive) the team is. To that end, the Cubs will have all the reason in the world to be aggressive this offseason toward setting themselves up to win 85+ games in 2023. That’s the minimum on-paper goal if you really want a chance to compete.
That, in turn, would give Cubs ticket sales a little better chance at competing with all the other options for peoples’ dollars these days, regardless of price level. (Yes, as soon as the Cubs start winning again, you can expect ticket prices to climb.)
For now, a reduction in the ticket price for 2023 is wholly appropriate, and could actually generate more revenue to the organization in the end if it helps prop up the season ticket base.
Time to have a very strong offseason and sell even more tickets, amirite?
