Around 4,500 fans "are being asked to swallow price
hikes of up to" 138% for Angels season-tickets for the '98
season, according to Barbara Kingsley of the ORANGE COUNTY
REGISTER. Of those, 625 are "in prime locations behind home
plate" and are being moved to make way for a new Diamond
Club restaurant. Brian Ducker, who has had season-tickets
in his family for 35 years, paid $4,698 for his four seats
this season. Next season he will be asked to pay $11,178
for the same seats. Ducker: "I've suffered with this team
for 30 years. All the fans who have been diehards are
getting screwed. That doesn't seem fair to me." Kingsley
reports that "fan anger, along with mediocre play, is
contributing to fan apathy at the box office." The Angels
are averaging 20,277 per game, down 17% from the same point
in '96. Disney says the ticket increase is to "reflect the
'reality' of baseball and help fund Disney's portion" of the
$100M stadium renovation. Disney Chair & CEO Michael
Eisner: "This is a two-year renovation of the stadium and
the team and you'll see a much more exciting team. It's not
profitable to say the least. We're not trying to squeeze
out profits. We're trying to make it a competitive team"
(ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 5/12).