Chicago Bears raise ticket prices for next season
After two years without any increase in ticket prices, the Bears are raising prices for most tickets, even though they're coming off a 3-13 season, their worst since the NFL went to a 16-game schedule in 1978.
Team president/CEO Ted Phillips sent a letter to season-ticket holders Wednesday announcing the increase. All sections of Soldier Field will see price adjustments in 2017. Most will receive a 1-4 percent price increase, while some will see a price decrease. The overall average increase for 2017 season tickets is 2.6 percent. Non-club seats will see an average increase of 2.9 percent and club seats an average increase of 2 percent.
In 2014, the Bears approved an overall average increase of 4.1 percent. They did not increase ticket prices in 2015 and 2016.
In his letter to season-ticket holders, Phillips acknowledged the team's sixth straight season without a playoff game.
"Thank you for your support in 2016," Phillips wrote. "It was a challenging and disappointing season. One we will not repeat. We shared in your frustration and do not take your passion and loyalty for granted. We are humbled by your dedication to the Bears and know we must be better."
Fans showed their displeasure last season as each of final four home games was played before at least 10,000 empty seats at Soldier Field, the smallest stadium in the NFL.
In the final home game against Washington on Dec. 24, the announced attendance was 39,837, meaning there were 21,663 empty seats. A week earlier, against the long-time rival Green Bay Packers, the attendance was 44,601. Two weeks earlier, against the San Francisco 49ers, the attendance was 46,622; and a week before that, the game against the Tennessee Titans was witnessed by 48,408.
In 2015, the Bears showed a one-game improvement (6-10) in the team's first year with general manager Ryan Pace and John Fox at the controls. But, in an injury-ravaged 2016, they were three games worse.
In his letter, Phillips pointed to a younger roster among reasons for optimism.
The Bears "are committed to building a winning team that can sustain success" and are "focused on acquiring ascending players who can contribute to championships," Phillips wrote. "We are positioned for an exciting off-season with the third overall pick in the draft and one of the best salary cap situations in the NFL heading into free agency. We will take advantage of these assets to bring in more talent to strengthen the foundation we have in place."
The Bears will continue to utilize variable ticket pricing in 2017. Last season, preseason tickets were priced at a lower tier than regular-season tickets. This year, in addition to a preseason tier, each regular-season game will be assigned one of three pricing tiers.
The 2017 home schedule includes the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers and San Francisco 49ers, in addition to the three NFC North opponents, the Packers, Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions.
Dates for those games will not be announced until April, at which time the Bears will set the pricing tiers for each.
A limited number of individual tickets will continue to be sold on a game-by-game basis at a higher price than season-ticket holders pay.