In K.C., Rick Montgomery reports the price of Royals tickets sold by independent vendors "is trending up because of the team’s success -- a World Series appearance last year and a strong start this year." Ticket buyers are "paying an average of $279 a game for the very best seat in the house, compared to $230 for the same seat" in '12. For lesser seats, ticket brokers "are selling at prices" 10-30% higher than last year. Royals fans "don’t seem to mind, with attendance up more than 10,600 per game from a year ago." SeatGeek data shows that since '13, the average value of Royals tickets sold or resold in the secondary market "has jumped from $28 to $41 for an outfield box seat" (K.C. STAR, 5/15).
RAG DOLLS: On Long Island, Neil Best cites TiqIQ data as showing that the average asking price for the Rangers' four potential NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Eastern Conference Finals games at MSG "was $1,261.21" as of Thursday morning. That number was "skewed upward by speculation in late-series games, including $2,363.03 for a potential Game 7 against the Lightning." The average asking price for Saturday's Game 1 is $883.33 (NEWSDAY, 5/15).
STEELY COMPOSITION: In Pittsburgh, Ray Fittipaldo reported the Steelers "will continue the variable ticket pricing plan they instituted last year." The Steelers "have three price tiers for tickets for season ticket-holders -- preseason, black and gold." This year, the black tier includes games against the 49ers, Ravens and Browns. The gold tier includes the other five home games against the Cardinals, Bengals, Raiders, Colts and Broncos (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 5/14). The Steelers "did not announce the pricing structure of the tiers but said preseason ticket costs fell and there was no overall price increase." Ticket prices in '14 jumped 3.5% (PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW, 5/14).
PEL GRANTS: In New Orleans, John Reid reported Pelicans GM Dell Demps "has been given the reins from the team's brass to hire the best coach available," whom in a best-case scenario would be "a big-name coach that will excite the fan base, yet give full autonomy to Demps on personnel decisions and not usurp his power." It "could be a delicate balance finding a coach with name recognition to accept such an arrangement" (NOLA.com, 5/14). Meanwhile, in Baton Rouge, Ted Lewis writes the Pelicans hiring Univ. of Kentucky coach John Calipari "makes a lot of sense," as the team "would like to make a splash hire." Despite the presence of F Anthony Davis, the Pelicans are a "franchise that sorely needs to ignite the fan base" (Baton Rouge ADVOCATE, 5/15).
