The Detroit Lions as a franchise haven’t had much success on the field in their history and last season was no different as the Lions finished under .500 and missed the playoffs again. Same old Lions, right?
Well, it appears the franchise is ready for some fresh changes and have already begun the process as they have hired a new head coach and look to have different fortunes on the field this season. If you were interested in attending any games this season, it also appears they’ve taken a different approach with their ticket pricing.
Per Adam Caplan, the Lions are introducing for the first time variable ticket pricing in 2014. SB Nation has the details:
Detroit is the first NFL team to introduce variable pricing, which basically allows ticket prices to fluctuate. Prices are being broken down into three categories, from preseason games (lowest category) to primetime and Thanksgiving games (highest category) on a scale of one to three.
Prices for the two highest categories are actually up from the team’s prices in 2013 despite the Lions’ collapse down the stretch. In fairness, the Lions have dropped the preseason prices significantly. Season-ticket holders will actually get a 70 percent decrease in preseason prices, a long-standing concern since those games often feature very little star power.
Team President Tom Lewand had this to say when talking about the changes.
“The decision to incorporate an increase in overall ticket pricing was made after careful consideration,” said Team President Tom Lewand. “To remain competitive in the NFL and offer an extraordinary fan experience, we need to be able to invest right back into our product and that’s exactly what we’ll continue to do.”
“Our focus is on a value proposition and the desire to have a top-level product in the NFL for a mid-level or below mid-level investment,” said Lewand. “The Ford family allows us to charge below-average prices while demanding a championship team.”
It’ll be interesting to see how this change is viewed around the city and if other teams will decide to follow suit.