After the Cubs turned the corner on the field and made a run to the NLCS in 2015, the inevitable happened: ticket prices went up, on average by about 10%.
With prices staying relatively flat during the rebuild, it was to be expected that they’d climb back up when the product on the field became more compelling; and, indeed, after another (very) successful year in 2016, the prices went up again last offseason. The average increase was nearly 20%.
This offseason, season ticket prices are going up again, but only by about 1% (Tribune). In some sections – like the bleachers! – prices will actually be going down.
Anecdotally, I feel like demand was a bit down in 2017, and certainly on the secondary market. While I struggled to get the tickets I wanted at times in 2016 (without pay unbelievable prices), that was rarely the case in 2017. I think having just won a World Series plays a part in that (the emotional zest of a regular season game in May is not quite the same after winning it all), and I think the Cubs’ slow start played a huge part in it.
Not raising prices substantially this year, I think, will prove to be a wise move by the Cubs, who might face a little bit of softness in the early going in 2018, too.