In the first hint as to what ticket prices will be like
in the next few years, the Ravens have "notified" their club
seat holders that fees will be increasing by "as much as"
50% by 2003, according to Jon Morgan of the Baltimore SUN.
Although the most expensive club seats would cost $337.50 in
2003 with the price increase, Ravens VP/Sales & Marketing
David Cope said that does not "necessarily mean other fans
will see their tickets go up as much." Cope said the team
has pledged to put off ticket-price increases until 2001.
But the team outlined price increases to club seat holders
in mid-January and "requested they sign a three-, five- or
seven-year lease." Cope said that fans will continue to pay
season-by-season, "even though they are being asked to
commit to multi-year agreements" to give the team more
"revenue security." Ravens club seats now sell from $1,075
to $2,975, depending on location and not including the one-
time $1,000 seat license fee. The cost of tickets in 2001
will range from $1,475 to $2,975, and in 2002 will range
from $1,625 to $3,375 (Baltimore SUN, 1/30).
NO RAVE REVIEWS: In Baltimore, Ken Rosenthal says that
after the team's lucrative naming rights deal, it's time the
team performed better on the field: "They take, they take,
they take -- a publicly financed stadium here, permanent
seat-licenses there, $105.5 million from PSINet, untold
millions from soon-to-be-gouged club-seat holders. It's
time they start giving back." Rosenthal: "They've delivered
a losing product. And they've exposed their true colors --
green and more green" (Baltimore SUN, 2/2).
