Post by TheShadow on Feb 15, 2006 20:04:00 GMT -5
www.sacbee.com/
By Jason Jones -- Bee Staff Writer
ALAMEDA - The Raider Nation can now go to its team for access to the Black Hole - and every other seat in the Coliseum.
The Raiders on Tuesday announced ticket prices for the 2006 season and reminded that, for the first time since they returned to Oakland in 1995, the Raiders will again manage ticket sales.
The prices for 65 percent of tickets will be lower this season than last, with 16,567 costing $45 or less.
The Raiders reached an agreement with the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Authority to take over ticket sales from the Oakland Football Marketing Association.
The agreement ended personal seat licenses, which required fans to pay from $250 to $4,000 just for the right to purchase season tickets.
Ticket prices for 2006 will rise in some sections, but there will no longer be PSLs, which were designed to help raise extra funds for the $200 million in publicly financed bonds to expand the Coliseum.
There were approximately 30,000 season-ticket holders last season, and left the team well short of the sellout crowds it expected when it returned.
Since the Raiders returned, 59 of 88 home games have been blacked out on local television, including five last season.
"We want a home-field advantage from our team," said Raiders CEO Amy Trask. "We want to provide excellent service to our fans, the Raider Nation."
PSL owners have through March 15 to renew their tickets by paying half of the cost for their season tickets, relocate to available seats, or purchase additional season tickets.
Season tickets include eight regular-season games and two exhibitions.
Ticket costs that ranged from $47 to $71 before fees last season will range from $26 to $101 in 2006. The cost includes $1 per ticket that goes to a public benefit fund.
Tickets last season included the extra $1 plus a $7 maintenance fee for PSL holders that did not go to the team. Non-PSL holders paid the extra $1 and often a location premium charge of $20. Some paid $10 or $30 in fees the Raiders did not receive.
Trask said the focus since the agreement in November to take over ticket operations has been setting the season-ticket plans.
When single-game tickets become available, future plans include making them available at Raider Image stores.
The team has hired 15 staff members and took calls Monday when PSL holders began receiving information for next season.
The Coliseum's football capacity (63,126) is the smallest of AFC West teams. Denver, Kansas City and San Diego all hold more than 71,000. Because of the smaller capacity, the Raiders will not tarp off the upper deck, which the A's plan to do this season.
In the NFL, the home team keeps 66 percent of ticket revenue. The rest goes to the visiting team.
Trask said the new ticket plan isn't a solution to revenue issues involving the Raiders.
"This is a piece, this is a component," Trask said. "There are a lot of components to economic viability."