When the Yankees built a new stadium and hiked ticket prices during a recession, everyone saw what happened: Lots of empty seats. The Jets are making sure they don't make the same mistake with their new stadium.
The Boston Globe reports that fans will be able to buy season tickets for the new Meadowlands stadium starting on Nov. 1, and some premium seat prices will be cut by as much as 50 percent. The reduced prices will affect about 7,000 of the 80,000 seats in the new stadium.
Corner-seat ticekts are being cut from $400 to $195, and sideline seats will be reduced from $500 to $295. Prime seats at the 50-yard line will be reduced from $500 to $395.
"The jump from $120 a ticket or $150 a ticket to $400 just put it out of reach for a lot of people who did want to experience the clubs," said Matt Higgins, New York's executive vice president of business operations. "We came to the conclusion that these prices are really 2007 prices in a 2009 world."
Higgins and the Jets owners put in the legwork to decide upon new ticket prices, conducting focus groups and devising plans for affordable ticket packages.
"We looked at the possible pricing options we had, and we took the most aggressive option we could, which is slashing the price more than 50 percent on the entry point," Higgins said. "Our strategy is really clear: We want to open the building sold out."
The Giants — who will share the stadium with the Jets — have no plans to slash prices.
