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Bucs raise season ticket prices for second straight year

 
Published Feb. 19, 2017

TAMPA — After their first winning season in six years, the Bucs are making some of their fans pay more to see a game at Raymond James Stadium next season.

For the second year in a row, the Bucs are raising season ticket prices for most seats, with increases as much as 20 percent for some upper- and lower-level seats.

The team began a social media blitz advertising season ticket passes Saturday.

The Bucs raised ticket prices last year for the first time in eight years. In 2015, they had the second-lowest ticket price in the NFL with an average of $62.35.

The past two increases have raised the prices of some upper-level seats by 50 percent, from $300 to $450. Ten other upper-level sections have gone from $350 to $500, a two-year increase of 43 percent. Lower-level 50-yard line seats have gone from $990 to $1,350, an increase of 36 percent.

For 2017, the price of some seats remain unchanged.

The Bucs went 9-7 in their first year under coach Dirk Koetter last season, narrowly missing the playoffs while expanding their postseason drought to nine seasons. They had a minor dip in attendance, with an announced average of 60,624, down about 1.5 percent from the 2015 announced average of 61,560. That drop put the Bucs 28th out of the 32 NFL teams in average attendance after ranking 26th in 2015.

Before last season, the Bucs did the first phase of a $140 million renovation project at Raymond James Stadium, highlighted by 31,000 square feet of video boards and a new sound system. They also added Hall of Fame Clubs, each of which has 240 seats in 9,500 square feet of air-conditioned space and comes with food and drinks.

More major expansion of the club areas is expected to begin this month.

Next season the Bucs have an attractive home schedule that includes visits from both Super Bowl LI teams, the champion Patriots and the Falcons. The Bucs also have home games against the Giants, Bears, Jets, Lions, Panthers and Saints.

Here's a breakdown of the 2017 increases:

UPPER LEVEL: More than half the sections have price increases of $50, a hike of as much as 12 percent. Prices in 12 sections have stayed the same.

LOWER LEVEL: All prices have increased, with most season passes going up $50. Of 48 sections, 36 have price increases of $50 (a hike as low as 7 percent), 12 of $100 and two of $200, which is an increase of more than 20 percent.

STADIUM CLUB: Some of the most expensive seats have only modest increases. None of the West sections have increased by more than $50, and four sections actually have had prices go down, from $2,250 to $2,000. On the East side, the most expensive sections have remained the same. Other sections have increases of $150 to $205.

"Feeding off the tremendous energy and excitement of the recently completed 2016 season, we know that Bucs fans are already looking forward to what should be one of the most anticipated seasons in recent memory," chief operating officer Brian Ford said.

"Our focus is always on providing our fans with a world-class atmosphere when they are visiting Raymond James Stadium, and we are proud that we have been able to continue enhancing the game day experience while still maintaining one of the most affordable ticket prices in the NFL."