Reidy’s latest column: Rockies celebrate last season’s failures with price hike

Just how dumb are Rockies fans?  The team seems determined to find out.  To thank everybody for coming out to watch a lousy team, Monfort and Co. has decided to raise ticket prices in 2012.  Our own John Reidy adressed this in his column, Jock Itch over at the AV Club Denver / Boulder:

“After a terrible season that left a ravenous fan base colder than date night at Michele Bachmann’s house, the Rockies did the natural thing and announced they were increasing the cost of season tickets.”

“If the Rockies had used Tim Tebow to keep the heat off of them, the ticket increase would have been brushed off like a tough question at the GOP debate.”

“After what was hands-down their most disappointing season to date, should the Rockies be raising ticket prices? It sounds ridiculous to pay more for a 73-88 record and a complete no-show by a team that was supposed to be great, but the Rockies feel like you should pony up the extra dough.”

Read Reidy’s column RIGHT HERE and be sure and leave comments!

Sweet Jesus, the Colorado Rockies can’t get anything right. After a terrible season that left a ravenous fan base colder than date night at Michele Bachmann’s house, the Rockies did the natural thing and announced they were increasing the cost of season tickets. Worse, they did it at a bizarre time that allowed everyone to ponder the stupidity of that decision, when they could have waited a few days and dropped the news while everyone basked in a certain popular quarterback’s OT victory in Miami.

If the Rockies had used Tim Tebow to keep the heat off of them, the ticket increase would have been brushed off like a tough question at the GOP debate. They chose not to, and while the response was as indignant as expected, the vitriol faded quickly. If they waited until Monday morning, local talk radio wouldn’t have given it five minutes, what with all the Tebow that needed to be discussed, though they would have run the risk of seeming like they were dodging the issue by knowingly letting the Tebow hype take the teeth out of their announcement. Bringing it up on Thursday seemed to give fans just enough time to discuss it, and not look like the Rockies were hiding from criticism, before letting the Broncos eclipse them once again. So was the timing of the announcement shrewd or just another boneheaded move that bounced the Rockies way?

As reported by the fine Rockies beat writer Troy Renck of the Denver Post, the price increase is in the 7 to 8 percent range for the sweet seats, with a slight 3 percent bump for outfield seats. To the Rockies’ credit, they are offering season ticket holders the opportunity to lock in at last year’s rate if they do it by Dec. 6. Unless you’re completely disgusted by the team and its owners, I don’t know why you wouldn’t do that. In that case, why increase it at all? Again, a confusing mixed message from a team that doesn’t seem to know which direction it’s headed.

After what was hands-down their most disappointing season to date, should the Rockies be raising ticket prices? It sounds ridiculous to pay more for a 73-88 record and a complete no-show by a team that was supposed to be great, but the Rockies feel like you should pony up the extra dough. Because of this, the team has a huge image problem on its hands. If the team starts slow again next April, that price increase is going to gnaw at your conscience and your wallet. They’re getting the season ticket holders now, because if next season turns out to be even crappier—a distinct possibility—fans may just abandon their seats entirely.

It’s understood that the Rockies paid out an enormous amount of money to secure the talents of Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez, but it’s a bold move to raise prices, considering how badly the season turned out. As bad as it was, the Rockies did not suffer financially. The seats at Coors were nearly full all season long—well after the team fell on it face. If this increase seems a bit gratuitous, just think about how much more money they’ll make in 2012 and try not to throw up.

Take a look at the Denver Post Rockies page and you’ll find the story has already almost disappeared from view. Out of sight, out of mind. Maybe they didn’t feel the need to try and hide it behind the hottest story in town (Tebow, in case you forgot), because fans have either accepted this as a cost of getting a contending baseball team or accepted this is how the Rockies will go about screwing you. Either way, the Rockies won’t have anything to hide behind next season if they play the same game—on the field or in the box office.

Written by Colin D.