Football fans in many cities will not have to dig as deep this year as 21 teams kept prices the same or reduced them, according to a study by a sports marketing firm.
However, the average cost of NFL tickets overall actually rose 3.9 percent to $74.99 thanks largely to a pricey new home for the Dallas Cowboys, where the average price hit a record $159.65, up 89.8 percent from last year, in an annual survey compiled by Team Marketing Report in Northbrook, Illinois.
The results suggest that the NFL, the most popular sports league in North America, has been forced to adjust to lower fan and corporate spending amid the weak economy.
The league, which boasts strong television ratings and annual revenue topping $7 billion, kicks off its season on Thursday night in Pittsburgh.
Last year, the NFL’s 32 owners terminated their labor contract with the players union early, in a move to cut salary costs. They cited rising payments to cover stadium construction, operations and improvements.
The TMR survey found that after four consecutive seasons of increases of about $5, the 2009 average rose only $2.79 from last year.
Meanwhile, the average Fan Cost Index, the cost of taking a family of four to an NFL game, rose 4.1 percent to $412.64, said TMR, which released the survey late on Wednesday. However, only 10 of the 32 NFL teams were above that average, led by the Cowboys’ 74.2 percent increase to $758.58.
The Fan Cost Index comprises the price of four tickets, two beers, four soft drinks, four hot dogs, parking, two game programs and two caps, said TMR, which compiles ticket data on all the major North American sports leagues.
In TMR’s 2009 survey, the only other NFL teams with double-digit percentage increases in their average ticket prices were the Baltimore Ravens (up 12.6 percent) and the Atlanta Falcons (up 13.3 percent). Last year, 12 teams had such increases.
Eighteen teams saw their averages remain unchanged, while the Miami Dolphins, Detroit Lions and Tampa Bay Buccaneers cut their prices by 0.8 percent, 1 percent and 10.1 percent, respectively, TMR said.
While the Cowboys, who move into a new $1.2 billion stadium this season, jumped to the top, they offer season tickets starting at $59, as well as standing room-only tickets on a game-by-game basis that cost $29. TMR said the standing room-only tickets did not figure in the average price.
The Cowboys moved ahead of the New England Patriots, which have an average of $117.84, unchanged from last year, TMR said. Those two were the only teams with average prices in the triple digits.
TMR Executive Editor Jon Greenberg said next year’s average is likely to rise at a higher rate as the economy recovers and teams look to boost prices after easing off this year. Also included in next year’s average will be a new stadium to be shared by the New York Giants and Jets.
The Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers ranked No. 14 with an average of $67.47, unchanged from last year, while its Fan Cost Index cost rose 2 percent to $391.88, TMR said.
On a Fan Cost Index basis, 10 teams saw their average prices remain unchanged or fall, TMR said.
– By Ben Klayman l Reuters