There were many factors that "combined to make playoff ticket sales difficult" for the Packers this year, but the team said that it "will review the one it has control over: its ticket-refund policy," according to Richard Ryman of the GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE. The Packers this year decided "to make what had been an optional policy mandatory" for playoff ticketing. Unused money paid to buy playoff tickets would "be applied to the cost of the following year's season tickets, meaning the team would hold the money for about four months." Packers Dir of Public Affairs Aaron Popkey said that the team "did not expect that to be a problem because half its season-ticket holders had chosen that option in the past." He added the number "had been growing." But Ryman writes other circumstances "came into play" when playoff invoices were due, as the Packers were 5-6-1 and "showed little prospect of making the playoffs." The cost of playoff tickets "probably was a factor throughout," as the face value of tickets was 28-38% higher "than during the regular season." The cost "would have more than doubled" for the NFC Championship Game. The Packers said that they "invoice for two playoff games because of the difficulty involved in selling to season-ticket holders in less than a week, potentially." Popkey said that the policy "simplifies the logistics of selling to fans in the team's two ticket packages." He added that the team will "start contacting season-ticket holders in the next couple of weeks to find out the factors in this year's playoff ticket sales" (GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE, 1/13).
