The Broncos on Thursday mailed out notices informing 56% of their season-ticket holders that it will "cost more for their seats" in '14, according to Mike Klis of the DENVER POST. There will be "higher prices attached to 36,065 seats in the general bowl seating area, while 28,436 seats were not increased." The "overall price increase" per ticket is 6.35%, up from an average of $84.51 last year to $89.91 in '14. The most "significant increases are to the seats in the lower prime and lower sideline sections" of Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Seats in the lower prime section have "gone from costing $150 to $170 per game," a 13.3% increase. The lower sideline seats were "bumped from $125 to $145 per game," an increase of 16%. Broncos Senior VP/Business Development Mac Freeman said, "The reality is the Broncos' average ticket price in 2013 was 14th in the NFL, so we're really in the middle of the pack." Klis notes at least 10 NFL teams have "announced a ticket hike this year." It is the "third consecutive year the Broncos have raised ticket prices, following a four-year run (2008-11) when there was no increase." But some fans "might wonder if the Broncos are raising ticket prices simply because they can." Freeman said, "It's relative to the investments we're making off the field and in the stadium and now at Dove Valley with the practice facility. ... I don't think there's any question of where the dollars go when we raise prices. It's been consistent throughout Pat Bowlen's ownership tenure" (DENVER POST, 2/21).
