DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum Browns to raise some season ticket prices

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Dear Season Ticket Member,

First and foremost, I want to thank you for your support and loyalty to the Cleveland Browns. Our entire organization greatly values our Dawg Pound, the most passionate and dedicated fans in the NFL.

Mike Pettine and his coaches are building a strong foundation and understand there is much more to be done to create and sustain the winning culture you deserve. Ray Farmer and his staff have been hard at work looking to capitalize on our 10 picks in the 2015 NFL Draft (including two in the first round) and will strategically use the valuable cap space we have to strengthen our roster.

Make no mistake, winning is our priority, but our consistent focus is also the fan experience. We completed Phase I of our Stadium Modernization plan for the 2014 season, which provided various stadium enhancements that were very well received. FirstEnergy Stadium now has two state-of-the-art high-definition video boards, a concert-quality audio system, unique upper level balconies, new escalators and more seating in the lower bowl, all of which were made directly in response to our fans’ feedback. These changes have brought an energized fan experience and a much louder, more intimate stadium environment.

We have continued our commitment to modernizing FirstEnergy Stadium with the recent announcement of Phase II. This next phase will focus on creating vibrant and dramatic enhancements to the interior space, adding more Cleveland-centric food options that are accessible to everyone, while also upgrading our concessions and renovating suite, club and hospitality areas. We are confident that after Phase II is complete, our stadium will have undergone a transformation that is truly unique in the NFL – all with a focus on the fan experience.

As you may notice with your enclosed invoice, ticket prices have changed for the 2015 season. We are one of only three NFL clubs that have kept prices flat for the last six years and our average ticket price in 2014 was second lowest in the league. While other teams have not announced potential changes yet, we are confident that our ticket price averages will remain among the most affordable in the NFL. We approach any changes with great sensitivity as we are acutely aware of always trying to create the best fan experience at reasonable prices.

If you have any questions regarding your 2015 renewal, please contact your personal Membership Services Representative or click here. On behalf of the entire Cleveland Browns organization, I want to extend my great appreciation for your support and commitment. We look forward to seeing and hearing you next season at FirstEnergy Stadium as we work together to provide our team the best home-field advantage in the NFL!

Sincerely,

Alec Scheiner, President

We have 2 seats, Section 527, Row 21, seats 3 and 4. They're kind of nosebleed, but we've had them since 2006. $40 each seat. So $804 each season ($4 handling fee).

I just looked and we now have to pay $1,004. So, increased from 40 to 50 each seat. Oh, and we got them when you had to pay for a PSL, too.

I gotta say, considering how few games we went to this season, I am seriously considering dumping my tix.

Interesting - mine did not go up. I paid $1400 last year (section 534, 50 yard line upper deck) and that is what it is this year; $70 per seat @ 2 seats. I also paid for a PSL back when I bought my tickets originally.

I'll be interested to hear if Ballpeens club seats went up and also if other sections had price increases as well.

"Hey we won 7 games, gotta raise the ticket prices!"

Jim bob knows the sheep will keep flocking to the stadium.

Have no fear guys ... rumor has it the tickets come with a rebate

What is interesting is my first payment due (which I didn't look at as I always pay in full right away) is $802, which if there were two payments would be 1604, $200 more than last year. Maybe a rebate for pay all at once?

I'm so happy I gave mine up last year and won't have to fork any more money over to the crook.

I don't like it at all, but in all fairness we do have the 2nd lowest prices in the league. I personally would not have raised prices (like Randy always did) before a descent product was on the field.

I understand that, but then again...........we have had one of the worst teams in the NFL for how long now? And since the end of the season, our team actually looks worse. We replaced two of our better coaches w/crap.

Again, I gave mine up last year. Just glad I did.

You know what, bro............I was so happy when Jimmy took over from Junior. Hated Junior. I threw my full support behind JH. He sounded like a winner. But, he has done nothing but mismanage and disgrace our team since he has been here.

Glad I am out of having to pay for such a poor and corrupt product.

I hear ya. It gets old driving up from Columbus to every game. There are times when I wonder what the heck I am doing when I send in my money. I doubt I'll give up my tickets unless I need to for financial reasons, but it is getting hard to justify.

My dad always asks me why I don't get OSU season tickets since I live so close. I often wonder the same thing now as well.

Just keep donating to Jimmah. Fools. LMAO

Browns fans are THE dumbest fans on the planet. Keep dumping your hard earned money into a LOSER for YEARS on end. SMH

Stay home, go to BWs, whatever. Just stop donating your money to watch this LOSER in person. It makes ZERO sense.

But wait...NEW uniforms are coming in April. I'm sure you fools will run right out and get a brand new shiny version. LOL

Keep wasting your money. SO glad I stop donating to this team years ago. Until they show me ANYTHING resembling a playoff caliber team, my money stays in my pocket. These LOSERS aren't getting a dime from me.

The one thing I question is how someone can come to a Browns fan message board and post things like this. It makes me wonder who the loser really is.

I understand people who feel the way you do. That's not an issue with me. I actually haven't bought one Browns item since the uniform change was announced. Why? Because I have a ton of Browns gear now and anything else I bought this year would be outdated next season.

But if I felt the way you did, I wouldn't bother being here on a Browns fan message board wasting my time trying to piss everybody off.

Put a winning team on the field THEN ask for more money.

Season tickets should have some kind of performance factor tied to them. Pay a full amount up front. If the team fails to win x amount of game, fans get some money back. Just my random wishful thinking thought of the day.

Hear ya! I shouldn't be surprised that, but am that crooked Jimmy and the Browns raised the tickets prices. Are they serious...2 more wins and yet another losing season...wow is all I got to say!

I think that Jimmy has been a worse owner than Randy when I didn't think that was possible. I will always be a fan, but I refuse to put another dime in that criminal's pocket.

I disagree, a week ago the Browns were the second cheapest ticket in the NFL. I'd be curious to see where we rank after the price hike? Even if we move up to the 19th most expensive ticket in the nfl, I'd look at it as getting by cheaply for the past several years. That was reflective of the on field performance.

A 27% increase all at once is a bit much when you consider the quality of the performance on the field. I could handle a 5-10% increase then increase commensurate with the quality of play. IMO, this is nothing but paying Haslam for the dollars he fronted for the "fan experience".

My improved "fan experience" is directly related to winning games.

Fancy schools do not produce better learners, fancy stadiums do not produce better football.

We are mulling over whether we will renew or not at this steep increase.

Where are your seats? Mine did not go up; I'm in section 534 row 18 (50 yard line upper deck).

I think I may be in one of the few sections that didn't increase prices.

345 row 17 seats 11 and 12. Love my seats. Can see the plays develop and folks around us are great. But, for this increase, I can see the plays develop just as well from my 60 inch screen.

Just not wanting to relinquish season tix I've had for decades. Yeah, I feel a bit silly saying that with the record. But, the Browns are my passion in the middle of Steeler country!

Hmmph.. I just now noticed the due date on the tickets.. March 13. I could swear ever since 99 my money was due May 1st. So.. JH wants another month and a half of interest on my money??

Grrr..

This rise in prices seems pretty extreme. Seriously, wth. If you want to raise ticket prices this much you do it over a couple years. Sadly, they know people will just suck it up and pay it.

Well, most might suck it up and pay but I'm not one of them. I was in Section 115 and my seats went up $20 a game per seat. So, even after paying for a PSL in the beginning and enduring all those years of frozen toes I'm kissing the "in-stadium experience" goodbye.

My man-cave is much warmer and I'm home as soon as the game ends. I'll probably still try to make the home opener each year but with all the costs involved, by doing this I'll probably be saving 3 grand a year. I was thinking of doing this anyway but the Browns made the decision for me.

You might want to consider selling them, rather than just not renewing. We sold our on ebay, w/the PSL included. We took a hit, but at least recouped some money.

Then lower the concessions some. Our BB club goes once a year. I am actively saving up for next year's beer and brat.

They did..He called me the other night about it..

Agree somewhat. I for one will not renew. I have received less and less as time has gone on. From the ransom of getting into once was an open Legends club, to projection TVs that washout during day games, to not being able to sit in my assigned area of seating due to overcrowding of the bench seating in the pound. Modest increases over the years would have gotten by me. Not this.

I also don't buy the secondary market prices argument or Stadium Renovations. Those tickets were either bought when Manziel was drafted and / or sold at 7-4. Those in county are footing it now by both tax and ticket increase.

Good luck getting that secondary market money next year with a QB in rehab, a WR who should be there, a coaching staff who's most experienced guy has about 18 months and what will be another 5 win season. IMHO, this team will go backwards yet again and I for one am done footing my part of the bill no matter how small it may be in comparison to others or what the team is worth. 30% is 30% and I just don't feel there will be a 30% increase on the return of the investment which is 9 wins. I just don't see it. I'll take the money and go on a road trip to see them and make a week of it.

I understand your reasoning. I had season tickets in the pound before the team left. Actually, I split them with a friend. 4 tickets - used to split them up 2 for him, 2 for me. When the Browns came back, we split them differently after the first 2 years, since he had a child born, and so did I. We went to 4 tickets each, for half the games.

Then, about 4 weeks after I got fired from my job, he called and said "hey, got the tickets, you owe x. I told him I'd lost my job, wouldn't be able to come up with the money - call me next year. He didn't call the next year. I was sad I lost my seats.

Until I realized that, without having season tickets, I didn't feel the DUTY to go to games. Wife and I still go for 1-3 games in Cleveland each year. But we've also gone to a few away games. Instead of heading to Cleveland Sunday morning, 8 times a year........we head to Cleveland 1-3 times a year on Saturday and spend the night downtown. (or, for a 4 pm game, we leave Sun. morning and spend Sunday night.)

Plus, like I said, we've been able to go to some away games.

Tickets are never a problem to get, home or away, and rarely have we paid over face value (but, you have to add in ticketmaster's fee)

Attending the games: Nothing beats being there. Nothing beats tailgating. The drive home sucks, win or lose. Bathroom breaks suck, replays aren't what you get at home, etc.

Watching at home: Atmosphere isn't the same (although I do my best), bathroom is literally steps away (outside, in the back yard, basically). Can eat, cheap, at home. Replays are better, no drive home, can watch the 4 pm games, etc.

I like attending games, I like watching the games. NOT being a season ticket holder frees me up in so many ways. We can still go if we want, but we can make a weekend out of it. We can stay at home, see the game, and still have a weekend.

A 27% increase is steep. I just got a notice last week that my home/car insurance is going up 20%. I was on the phone with the agent wanting to know exactly why. If I still had season tickets, and they raised them 27%, I would not have renewed. LIke I said, I can watch the games on t.v. I miss the stadium experience, but I save money, get to go to the bathroom when I want without missing a play, can eat my own food, don't pay through the nose for beer, don't have to drive, etc.

Some of us - probably MOST of us, have limited discretionary income - especially when other "musts" increase yearly, while our income doesn't match the increases.

On a different note, I'm afraid the nfl is going to become like nascar........got too big for their britches, jacked prices on everything up, salaries or sponsorships went up up up....

Bristol used to be about the toughest ticket available - at least in nascar, for a "regular season" event. They added seats.......now, with the economy the way it's been, tickets are EASY to get, and trust me, ain't no sell outs. MIS - a decade ago or so they added seats in turn 3 and 4. They've since torn them down. They didn't lower prices for them, they liteally tore the grandstands down.

While the nfl sits at the top, sports wise, they are seeing and feeling the effects of the economy, their rising costs and declining attendance. JMO.

Mine (Club section 304) went up $286/seat....or roughly $57/game.

Uh, no thanks.

Yeah, my wife and I discussed it and, considering where we are in our lives (young kids, new house, etc.) and considering the state of this sorry team, we're not going to renew.

FYI to all:

I emailed my season ticket rep and said we weren't going to renew and asked if they had any suggestions on how I could sell my psl, etc.

I got a phone call from him within about 30 seconds. He said since I put it in writing, I can't sell my PSL because it's null and void now. So, I told him I may still reconsider before the March payment deadline (so I can try to sell my PSL, though I know that's futile).

But just so you guys know, they're quick to respond to cancellation notices. They must have a long line of people waiting to sign up for season tickets!

Wait......you paid for a "psl", which enabled you to pay for season tickets, under the presumption that if you ever wanted to, you could sell you psl.

Is that right?

And now the Browns are telling you you can't sell your psl....."since you put it in writing"????

I guess my understanding of the whole b.s. psl is/was wrong.

What's going on in Berea? (and yeah, you'd probably have trouble selling the psl anyway, don't you think?)

Haslem's business acumen seems to be missing. I understand he's a very wealthy guy, thanks to dad.

He seems to be under the assumption he can do what he wants, as all too many uber wealthy are. (not all, mind you)

Just because you have money doesn't mean you have a clue what to do with a football team. Yes men don't help you run a football team - or a business, for that matter.

It does seem odd. Your #1 WR gets suspended for next year, your 1st round QB draft pick enters rehab, your GM is under investigation for text gate and you raise ticket prices by 25%?

There's certainly a disconnect somewhere.

It's with the fans who will keep buying them. I'm not one of them anymore. I have gotten a couple of cheap seat tickets the last few years, but that's it.

I think that this year they will lose more season ticket holders than ever. It's hard to justify spending any money on this team!

People have continued to pay ever increasing prices for an inferior product.

What would be odd is if that corporation didn't keep trying to milk the cow.

Yep. I get it Arch. You and I are both NASCAR fans and Bristol fans. I had season tickets to that place since 1992 and gave those up 2 years ago. Why pay a ton of money when you can go there and get tickets at less than face now? Now many venues (and the Browns did this, but maybe not for same reason) have removed seating trying to cause a shortage in attempt to still get premium dollars. Did it really cost Michigan Speedway to have those grand stands still up?

Anyway, I can tell you folks that 2 seats in the pound will be available at the Season Ticket renewal deadline. After hearing everything that transpired yesterday, I tossed the renewal package in the trash last night. This team has no immediate bright future and after 15 years of 0 home playoff games, I am done. I thought this past season was going to be the payoff for my patience, but the joke was on me.

I feel liberated knowing I don't HAVE to go to that second home game in back to back weeks. I feel liberated knowing I don't have to pay full price for 2 preseason games. I will be like you Arch! I may take in a game or two a year now. I would rather travel and make a mini-vaca out of a game. I'm sure I will miss it at first, but like Bristol, I am now free to go somewhere else to watch.

With the way this team performs and the constant joke that is our front office and ownership, I have a hard enough time justifying paying for a single seat to a single game, much less entertaining the idea of one or more season tickets.

I don't even pay for cable/satellite... I watch the games completely free at home on the OTA broadcast, and I still found it not worth my while too many times this past season, and I regularly shut it off and went about doing other things around the house.

Like you said - it's very liberating to not be tied to them on Sundays. It makes my Mondays a whole lot better, too.

Not growing up in Ohio, the Browns were almost never on TV in my area. There wasn't cable or satellite for the most part and by the time I was able to get the Sunday Ticket, they were gone and it was down to watching the construction cam on the internet.

Finally they returned and I had my Sunday Ticket in place. Never before was I able to watch every Browns game, so for 15 years I have watched every Browns game. I really thought we might have the right combination this time to build a competitive team.

I like Pettine but the rest of this cast are misfits. What a disappointment all this has been. Getting liberated sounds like a wonderful solution.

Same here. I can get a few games OTA and the rest I don't even care about. It's not even worth going to a sports bar to see them.

Under the circumstances, I'd say this is a dumb move...

Hmnnnn, yeah.

I didn't attend every game from 08-2012 when I was a season ticket holder. I went to 4 or 5 a year and I saw three wins during that time span.

After we played for the tie against the Rams and Pontbriand botched the snap for the tie. I said to myself "I'm never coming back here." Needless to say they wont be drawing me back in anytime soon.