The Los Angeles Chargers announced on Tuesday important renewal information for 2018 Season Ticket Members, highlighted by the fact that 75% of the seats in the stadium will see either no change or a reduction in pricing.
If you are not already a Chargers Season Ticket Member – and want to catch Pro Bowl selections Philip Rivers, Joey Bosa, Melvin Ingram, Casey Hayward, Keenan Allen, Russell Okung and the rest of the Bolts in the most intimate stadium in the NFL – you can join the waitlist for 2018 season tickets and view pricing by visiting fightforla.com. All you have to do is put down a refundable $100 deposit to secure your spot.
To better understand what went into the 2018 Season Ticket Member pricing plan, we sat down with President of Business Operations A.G. Spanos to get the details.
Question: First off, why lower prices when we sold out all but one regular season game last year?
Spanos: Our goal is to always provide value to our fans. Every year we conduct research, analyze the data and, most importantly, listen to what our fans have to say. We knew we had one of the higher average ticket prices in the league last year, so we've been focused on improved accessibility for fans. Now, with more than half of our seats priced at or under $155 per game, we think we've created new value for fans throughout the stadium.
Question: What about this plan is fan friendly?
Spanos: With 3/4 of the stadium either having no change in price or enjoying a price reduction, we feel this is a win for fans. Our pricing plan has been simplified to create more value to match the experience. Even premium pricing remains unchanged. The Fight for LA means working hard to earn the trust, respect and support of each fan. This is part of that effort.
Question: Why raise prices in the Lower North End Zone? Or at all? Was that to offset the price decrease in other areas?
Spanos: The Lower North End Zone was an area of the stadium where the data revealed that these seats were worth more to fans than our face value. We adjusted accordingly.
Question: How does this plan combat, if at all, the resale of tickets to opposing fans?
Spanos: The absence of live NFL games in LA for more than 20 years led local football fans to form allegiances with teams across the country and throughout the league. It's also common for every stadium in the league to have a large number of opposing fans turn out for game day. That just speaks to the popularity of the NFL more than anything. Playing in a 27,000-seat venue can draw more attention to opposing fans. We think being priced right can help more of our fans to access games. And, we also saw first-hand last season that winning made a huge difference on this front.
Question: Finally, even with the price adjustment, isn't it still a significant investment for the fans?
Spanos: Chargers games at StubHub Center last year were a one-of-a-kind experience. You simply do not get this close to NFL action anywhere else. We think our 2018 pricing provides access, value, and increased simplicity for Chargers fans.
