Apparently, selling worthless shares of stock for $250 only gets an NFL franchise so far.
The Packers have announced that ticket prices will increase in 2012, with the bumps ranging from $3 to $5 per seat.
“For the Packers, ticket revenue continues be an important component of our ability to remain financially competitive with the other 31 NFL teams,” Packers CEO Mark Murphy said in a letter to season-ticket holders. “Our goal each year is to be at the league average in terms of our ticket prices. This increase maintains our position near the league average.”
Murphy needs to make no excuses. The truth is that the Packers could jack the prices up even higher and still sell out Lambeau Field. It’s basic economics. Demand currently far outweighs the supply, which would allow the Packers to set an even higher price before exhausting a waiting list that stretches on for decades.
At a time when plenty of teams are struggling to sell out their stadiums, Packers fans have no qualms about doing whatever it takes to be part of the game day experience. That’s the kind of passion that the NFL needs in every city, because it prompts fans to be willing to open their wallets for whatever it takes to feel like they’re part of a broader community experience.