Seriously Astros? 25% price increase! (Crane: college, prices, farm)

[Oildog]

Tough call. I would expect better than worst record in the league 3 years running to justify an increase.

I haven't gone to a game in two years because I'm angry over the tv deal. They are killing the fanbase with poor decisions like this.

only way to send a message is with the wallet.

[eastontracks]

Originally Posted by Mr. Krinkle

Give it two years and you will see the Bagwell's and Biggio's again. Drayton completely screwed this team.

You will see names like Altuve, Springer, Correa, Santana, McCullers, and Deshields for a long time (hopefully Appel starts pitching well). The Astros also have 4 of the top 40 picks in next years draft. Luhnow made bids for a couple big contract in the past offseason, but players chose to play elsewhere.

The Comcast disaster looks like it is finally over now.

I disagree. Santana couldn't even make contact his last time up. Have you seen deshields in minor ball? He's struggling in corpus. He may be a pinch hitter at best but his stock is going down at the moment. Altuve, correa, and springer are key names if they can keep them together. Them plus our pitching still may not be enough.

But back to prices, they def don't warrant an increase. Crane needs to spend or get out of the business if he's dollar pinching a few million. Luhnow has that billy beane moneyball approach but is rough and has more to learn.

And the other who quoted me about $10 is right. Sometimes they say the cheap seats are sold out to make people pay more lol.

[marksmu]

I think they most likely are seeing an uptick in season holder sales because of the amount of new corporate season ticket business they are selling in Houston...all the new corporate investment needs entertainment accounts....the Astros season tickets are by far the cheapest, and so I am willing to bet they are able to increase season ticket prices due to increased corporate demand.

[astrohip]

Originally Posted by eastontracks

I thought with new ownership the light would start shining but they're being cheap. Makes me question how much cash Crane even has for the organization. GM luhnow is making decisions that have recently made me question his ability to better the team. He hasn't proven it and many products showing are from Ed Wade.

This is what I thought also. Drayton stripped the team to wring out every last dollar he could before he sold them. Incredibly poor show of character, considering he already stood to make 1/2 Billion dollars in profit from the sale. Not gross, but profit!

So we all think, new owners, new direction. But Crane has been an amazingly parsimonious (AKA cheapskate) owner. Considering how much he revenue he is raking in, versus how little he spends on salaries, one would think he would invest in the team, build a great product, and then you can charge what you want. But he runs it as if a bank has a noose around his neck.

Originally Posted by txdemo

They're supposed to be 40% better next year so you're actually getting a deal.

LOL!

[Black Jack22]

The Astros organization is content with letting the Astros be one of the worst teams in all of baseball and they're going to make fans pay more for their tickets.

You get what you allow.

[houston-nomad]

Take your kids to see the Sugar Land Skeeters or Rice play instead. You're closer to the field and will pay a good deal less. Personally I find Little League baseball to be far more thrilling than the Astros.

[HookTheBrotherUp]

Originally Posted by astrohip

I'm a long-time season ticket holder, thru good & bad, from the 'Dome to today. I rec'd my renewal packet today in the mail...

Last year, my seats were $48 a game, 83 games is $3,984. Now they want $60 a game, $4,980 a seat for the season. a 25% increase, or $3,984 more for the 2015 year for all four of my seats. WTF?!?

First the 'Stros will tell you they haven't raised prices in years. While that's not totally true (you had to pay really early to get the previous year's prices), it doesn't matter. You don't hold prices for years and then bump 'em 25% and say "we're making up for lost time". Either raise them every year like most teams, or when it is time to raise them, do it 3-5%.

Then they'll tell you it's an investment in the team. Excuse me? The Astros job is to put the best team they can on the field, and then ask for what they think the market will bear to watch them. To ask for money first, so they can buy a better team... can you imagine if any other business asked you to pay now for better service later? Maybe better service, as they've proven so far they have no idea how to build a team.

So for the first time ever, I am rethinking my season tickets. I'm not a fair weather fan, as evidenced by my sending them tens of thousands of dollars each year regardless of success. But I do expect professionalism in my team, in the owners, in the management. And I haven't seen ANY sign of it since the team changed hands.

But I have plenty of time to think about it. NOT! I must renew two weeks before this season is even over to get this reduced price, otherwise it goes up more than 30%.

Forget the team, I want to know how much a beer costs now!

[land161]

They want to raise ticket prices when the Astros are the worst team in all of professional sports. What a joke of a franchise.

[jfre81]

Originally Posted by land161

They want to raise ticket prices when the Astros are the worst team in all of professional sports.

In their defense, they're not even the worst major league baseball team in Texas.

[texsn95]

Originally Posted by houston-nomad

Take your kids to see the Sugar Land Skeeters or Rice play instead. You're closer to the field and will pay a good deal less. Personally I find Little League baseball to be far more thrilling than the Astros.

Thumbs up for Constellation Field. We took our 3 year old twins and teen for the first time a few weeks ago and they had a blast. We hardly even sat in our seats.