Seahawks Keep Things Fan Friendly

by: Michael Steffes

The Buffalo News kicked off a three part series today about the changing economics in football. This is an interesting topic. The economics of this sport are changing. This is part of the reason that owners are about to opt out of the current labor agreement and take their chances with a new negotiation. There has become quite a schism between small and large market teams. If you want to learn more, you should read Mark Gaughan's article.

What fascinated me about this story was the chart that went along with it. It chronicles the average ticket price of each NFL team. Buffalo has the lowest average ticket price. The interesting part is that Seattle has the 5th lowest at $54.74. The only teams lower are Tennessee, Jacksonville, Cleveland, and of course Buffalo. Seattle clearly sticks out on that list.

Ticket prices essentially work on a free market system. Teams get what they can for tickets. That is why you see a team like New England on top with an average price of over $90 a ticket. Seattle has now had a wait list for tickets since 2005. I would believe they could get more for the tickets, but by selling them below market value, they continue to show that this organization puts the fans first. Maybe that is why the 12th man is so crazy. So dedicated.

As a fan, and a season ticket holder, I applaud this. As Seahawks fans we are treated better than the majority of fans. We have a new, and beautiful stadium with all the amenities. Plus, the Seahawks organization takes the necessary steps to keep a winner on the field. It is truly the best of both worlds, and I didn't want it to go unrecognized. END