The Pirates will "hike the cost of season-ticket plans" by about 9% next season, according to Rob Biertempfel of the PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW. The team also has "launched a season-ticket holder membership program, which offers rewards based on tenure and plan type." The incentives "include autograph sessions, exclusive meet-and-greet events and field passes for a postgame concert." The cost of single-game tickets is "expected to go up at the same rate, but those prices won't be announced until next month." For all games "after the opener, the Pirates will use the three-tiered pricing system that was implemented this past season." Gold (which consists of most of the Friday and Saturday games) "is the priciest, followed by Black (two Fridays and most Sundays) and White (all other games)." This year, the Pirates "found the cost of their tickets on the secondary resale market was higher than what the team charged for many of its Gold and Black games." Depending upon seat location and the type of ticket plan, the price per ticket for the '15 home opener "will be $7 to $15 more" than the cost of a ticket to a '15 Gold level game. The team's "popular 20-game plans do not include the home opener." However, fans who "buy a 20-game plan will get pre-sale access to buy tickets to the opener or any other game." This is the "fourth year in a row the Pirates have raised ticket prices," and the "average ticket cost next season will be $19.99." The Pirates "drew a franchise-record" 2.44 million fans in '14, surpassing the 2 million mark for the third straight season. However, they "still had the lowest home attendance among the five NL Central teams." Player payroll this season was $82.06M, and since '10, when payroll was $44.15M, that figure "has risen" about 17% annually (PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW, 10/16).
