The Brewers Friday announced that they are "raising ticket prices next season," with the average price increasing to $24.01, up 8.6% from this season, according to Don Walker of the MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL. Season-ticket holders "will also see an increase of 8.6%." The hike "comes after a season in which the team froze ticket prices for season-ticket packages and single-game seats." One "interesting twist to the announcement is the decision by the Brewers to introduce a new ticket structure for single games." Under the new plan, there "will be three categories of games for those wishing to buy single game seats" -- Blue, Gold and Marquee. For the 56 Blue games, "seats will be either $1 or $2 more than this past season." A Gold game seat "will be anywhere from $1 to $6 higher than this past season." The Marquee games "will be the most expensive, but the team decided not to increase prices for those games." However, there "will be three fewer Marquee games next season." The NL Central-champion Brewers drew 3,071,373 fans to Miller Park during the regular season, a "new franchise attendance record" (JSONLINE.com, 9/30). The Brewers tested dynamic pricing system out for three games this season, and Brewers COO Rick Schlesinger said that the team "would try it out again for a few games" next season. But overall, Schlesinger is "not convinced the system works in Milwaukee." Schlesinger: "I need to be shown that it works for us. I'm learning more about it and debating it" (JSONLINE.com, 10/1).
OWNER'S BOX: In N.Y., Tyler Kepner notes when Mark Attanasio bought the Brewers in January '05, the team "had the majors’ lowest payroll, at $27.5 million, and a streak of 12 consecutive losing seasons." Attanasio said it "was possible" the team could re-sign impending free agent 1B Prince Fielder, but the team "probably cannot raise" its $85.5M payroll for '12. Attanasio "owns more than twice the percentage of any other Brewers investor and has full decision-making authority." But he "still owns less than half the team." He said that that figure is "about 38 percent." MLB Commissioner and former Brewers Owner Bud Selig said, "Mark is quiet, thoughtful -- he has a personality that really fits Milwaukee, even though he’s not from here" (N.Y. TIMES, 10/1).
