Suns Capitalizing On Premium Courtside Seating

The Suns’ sixteen new “Jack Nicholson” courtside seats at America West Arena cost $1,500 per game — “nearly three times the price of last year’s most expensive ticket” –- and are already sold out, according to Craig Harris of the ARIZONA REPUBLIC. The seats, at center court between the team benches, are in front of 16 more new seats that cost $1,000 per game. There are also 34 new seats behind the benches that cost $500. In addition, the Suns are adding more courtside seats on the baseline and across from the team benches. Those seats, which are also sold out, range from $300-895 each, up from $250-550 last season. The 504 courtside seats, “almost double the amount from last year, are projected to generate about $13[M], ... more than four times the amount the team made two years ago” with 154 courtside seats at $450 each. Suns investor Sam Garvin bought four of the sixteen $1,500 seats. Garvin and Suns President Rick Welts said that “by adding the premium seats, the Suns were able to keep costs down in the upper bowl.” NBA sources estimated that “about one-third of the teams have courtside seats of $1,000 or more” (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 9/21).