| Ticket prices being studied By TOM SILVERSTEIN [email protected] With completion of renovated Lambeau Field scheduled for this summer, the Green Bay Packers may be asking their fans to reach a little deeper in their pockets to attend football games. Team president Bob Harlan said Wednesday that he was still evaluating the current price structure but had not ruled out an increase for the 2003 season. Considering the Packers did not institute a price hike last season and have fallen into the bottom third of the National Football League in "gross (ticket price) average," it would not be surprising to see them raise prices this season. "We're in the process of talking about that right now," Harlan said. "We may do it. We didn't last year. We're exploring our options. We'll probably know in the next couple of weeks." Harlan said that a big factor in the decision is the Packers' ranking among the NFL's 32 teams in average ticket price. According to director of ticket operations Mark Wagner, the Packers rank 22nd in the NFL in gross average, which measures the price of all stadium seating, including those in the club level and luxury suites. Harlan's preference is to be in the middle of the pack, so it would seem logical that a price increase was coming. Five teams around the league have already announced price hikes and more could be coming, which means the Packers could fall further down the list. "I've always said we'd like to be around the middle," Harlan said. "I don't want us to be in the top eight or in the bottom eight. We're still looking into it." Ticket prices last went up in 2001 when a 10% stadium tax was applied to the price of each seat. The tax was instituted to help the Packers raise funds for their portion of the $295 million it cost to renovate Lambeau Field. |