The good news is that the Miami Dolphins won’t be raising season ticket prices for the 2013 season. The confusing news is that the Dolphins won’t be dropping season ticket prices, either.
According to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, season tickets went on sale earlier this week without the prices being any higher.
They shouldn’t be, given the team’s chronic inability to sell all non-premium tickets to someone other than the team or its sponsors. If anything, the prices should be dropping.
The problem is that, if the prices go down now and the team improves and demand goes up, the Dolphins would take a P.R. hit in 2014 if they increase ticket prices.
That’s why the smart move for teams should be to adopt pricing formulas based on their success, or lack thereof. Like those soda machines that charge more or less based on the outside temperature, team’s should charge prices based on whether they are hot, or cold.
It’s the ultimate money-where-your-mouth-is gesture for any sports team. If we stink, you pay less. If we’re good, you pay more.
Though the idea may not be practical or appealing to any NFL teams, it’s an example of the kind of thinking that will be critical to coaxing more and more fans out of their man caves and into the land of beer that costs $10 to consume and 10 minutes in line to purge.