With the opening of Golden 1 Center, the NBA Kings have taken dynamic pricing ticket models to a higher level by having systems "allow the team to fine tune its prices down to the last dollar," according to Dale Kasler of the SACRAMENTO BEE. Kings President Chris Granger said, "It’s a very rigorous process behind the scenes on our end ... to predict how to price a particular game or price a particular row or price a particular seat." Kasler noted a game against the Lakers on Nov. 10 "cost a lot more -- twice as much for some upper-bowl seats -- than the contest two days earlier" against the Pelicans. Seat location "matters more than ever: In some cases, moving just a couple of rows closer to the action for the Pelicans game cost an extra $10 to $20 per seat." Timing "makes a difference, too." A week before the Pelicans game, "eighth-row seats behind the basket cost $154 apiece, not counting taxes and fees." A day before the game, they "jumped to $163." However, according to Ticketmaster, in that same time period, a "cluster of seats in the middle of the upper bowl dropped in price, from $62 to $48." Multiple factors "play into pricing decisions." Some opponents are "more appealing than others." Weekend games are in "higher demand." The team’s recent "on-court performance plays a role." And price movements on the secondary market "provide additional insight on which prices need to be adjusted." Prices have "risen with the move to Golden 1." Yet Granger said that pricing is "'largely similar' to the team’s former home at Sleep Train Arena." He said that tickets in the last rows of the upper and lower bowls are "about $2 to $3 more expensive at Golden 1." Granger said that in all, the Kings have as many as 500 "different pricing options available on any given night" (SACRAMENTO BEE, 11/27).
