“I’m Mad as Hell, and I’m Not Going to Take it Anymore!!†This classic Peter Finch line from the 1976 movie Network, has now become a standard part of the American lexicon. It also neatly sums up my personal reaction last night when I received the long dreaded notice of an increase in Ravens ticket prices for 2007.
I read through the usual pabulum from the Ravens Vice President of Insignificant Whomever, stating what a great season the Ravens had and all the personal honors garnered by the players. Yeah, yeah, the usual setup. Then I quickly got to the meat of the letter. My corner end zone seat costs are being raised $20 per ticket to $80. First payment due March 5, 2007.
I knew this already but it didn’t hit me until I looked at the invoice which said
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NO.
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DESCRIPTION
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SECTION
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ROW
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PRICE
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TOTAL COST
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2
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2007 Season Tickets
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134
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22
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$80.00
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$1,600.00
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Why $20 more? Is it the ease of access, the fact that I don’t have to negotiate steps or long ramps? Why not $25 more? It surely can’t be the view. My corner end zone seats give me an unrestricted view of about 30% of the playing field. Thank God for Smart vision – I guess.
But one of the things that really burns my butt, what really gets my blood boiling, is that I’ll be paying $320 to attend 2 largely meaningless exhibition games, played mostly by players whose next job stop is working behind an Avis counter.
I hated this when Carroll Rosenbloom/Bob Irsay rammed this down our throats when I was a Baltimore Colt season ticket holder, and I still hate it as a Ravens fan today.
The only exhibition game worth its salt is the 3rd game, the one that the vets get their most work. By the 4th game, most of vets are either in their street clothes by half time or standing in uniform sans pads on the sideline. What a treat!
But back to the finances – In 2004, my tickets were $48. Now they’re $80. That’s a 66% increase in 3 years, and a 33% increase over last year!
Hell, even the Redskins, owned by that legendary fleecer of the sweating masses, Danny Snyder, hasn’t raised ticket prices that high. In a short article in today’s Washington Post, the Redskin beat writer wrote that the Skins were holding the line on ticket increases this year and had last hiked general admission prices in 2000 and in 2006 – the years the team reached the postseason. Last year the Redskins raised prices by 17.3 percent, most in the NFL.
I wonder how the Ravens 2007 price increase ranks. I know one thing: .I won’t be pointing my ridiculing finger solely in the direction of Ashburton, VA anymore. One Winning Drive, huh? For that kind of money the Ravens better produce, it better be all the way, and it better be next year.
I’m pissed off, I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore!!
…..Oh wait a minute…..where did I put the checkbook? Now, how much is that March deposit?…..OK. Let’s see……Make out the check to Baltimore Ravens LLP…….
