The Oakland Coliseum Authority voted to increase the
price of a Raiders season-ticket package by $10 next season,
"an increase some officials fear may drive away fans,"
according to Renee Koury of the SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS. The
extra fees will bring about $310,000 "in badly needed
revenue" to the Authority. Though the increase averages
just $1 per home game, Oakland Football Marketing Assoc. Dir
Richard Rogers said it may cause fans "to bail out of their
contracts." Just 33,000 of 55,000 PSLs and club seats have
been sold and "about" 7,000 fans have forfeited licenses
since the Raiders moved back to Oakland in '95. Rogers:
"The extra $10 isn't a lot of money, but it may be the straw
that breaks the camel's back." But Coliseum Authority Chair
Mary King said her group has "a responsibility to show good
faith" to county residents, "whether they have an interest
in football or not" (MERCURY NEWS, 3/20). In Oakland, Laura
Counts wrote that the increase gives fans "another reason to
feel sour about the whole deal" (OAKLAND TRIBUNE, 2/20).
