DETROIT – Many fans are expressing their frustration with the Detroit Lions after season ticket prices were apparently sharply increased now that the team has finally started to win.
The Lions are in the midst of their best season in decades, and they need just one more win to clinch the NFC North Division for the first time. So it’s no surprise that ticket prices would increase for next season alongside increased demand.
But many fans who stuck with the franchise through years and years of disappointment are frustrated at how much their tickets are going year-to-year. Some fans on social media said their tickets will cost nearly double what they paid for this season.
That would be a tough pill to swallow for those who, for example, kept their tickets through the 0-16 season in 2008. Or fans who have had the same seats through decades without a playoff win -- the Lions have only won a single playoff game in the last 65 years.
But Detroit is 10-4 and led by young players such as Sam LaPorta, Aidan Hutchinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Amon-Ra St. Brown. If that core sticks around for a long time, the Lions could be at the start of a very exciting window of contention.
It’s also hard to find concrete data about season ticket prices throughout the NFL. Maybe the Lions had one of the cheaper season ticket packages across the league and this will bring them closer to the average? Full disclosure: It’s hard to say.
There’s likely some justification for the price hikes, but that doesn’t mean loyal fans have to like it.
