Suns' Ticket Sales Rising Despite Increase In Prices

Suns' Season-Ticket Renewals At 93%

Suns season-ticket holders have renewed at a 93% rate and the team has sold “more than 13,000 ‘season ticket equivalents’” for the coming season, according to Paul Coro of the ARIZONA REPUBLIC. The US Airways Center’s lower bowl is sold out, and the Suns have sold all 88 suites for the second consecutive year. The Suns “remain in the league’s top five for new season ticket sales despite average prices increases” of 9.4% in ’05 and 11.3% this year. The total for the ’06-07 season “is the most the Suns have sold since the 2000-2001 season hit 14,100, a figure [Suns President & COO Rick] Welts thinks could be toppled this year.” The team also saw a 97% renewal rate “among the group most affected by higher prices,” the 600 seats in the first six rows between each baseline, which “went from $125 to $175 apiece to create a club for those patrons.” The Suns this summer also added five new, multimedia sponsorship deals with Ford, Re/Max, Safe Auto, Dex and Stoudemire’s Downtown restaurant (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 9/2).