Clipping:Season ticket price raised in Boston; compared with other cities
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| Date | Sunday, February 24, 1884 |
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| Text | Several days now have elapsed since the announcement was made that the Boston management had voted $30 to be the price of season tickets for the season of 1884, and the state of the public pulse over this action has been pretty clearly developed as nothing in base ball circles has for years created such a general and varied discussion as this step on the part of the board of directors. The general base ball public which marches up to the gate and pays its 50 cents at every game, and which last year numbered about 136,000 people, seems to take but little interest in the controversy which has arisen over the sale of season tickets, because that same public will do as it has done heretofore. There is, however, a small but influential class of base ball patrons—numbering last year about 50 persons—who have been in the habit for several seasons of purchasing season tickets and paying $15 therefor, and this class met the announcement of he directors first with expressions of surprise, and then with indignation. The board of directors have not only been severely denounced for their action in doubling the price of the tickets, but their motives in so doing have been impugned in a manner not at all consistent with the well known reputation for business integrity enjoyed by the gentlemen composing the board among their associates in mercantile life. The directors, in discussing the season ticket matter, had no direct means of knowing what would be satisfactory to those who had patronized them in the past, and they were well aware that, whatever price was decided upon, there would be more or less dissatisfaction. It was finally determined to place the price at$30, the holder of the ticket to be entitled to admission to all league games and to a numbered reserved seat in the grand stand, the the tickets to be transferable. The argument used was that the ticket holder was getting for $30 what, if he paid full rates, would cost him $45, and that it was worth something for the holder to be enabled to enter the grounds at any stage of the game and be entitled to a certain seat in the grandstand. It was also argued that the expenses of the club for the next season would be about 50 per cent. More than last, and that, as the season ticket holder was getting for 50 cents what he would have to pay 75 cents for at full rates, it was thought that a majority of this class of patrons would be satisfied paying $30. In setting the price mentioned the directors made a serious mistake. A great many people do not care to sit in the grand stand at all; in fact, they always prefer a seat behind the first or third base, and to oblige them to pay $30 for what they formerly received for $15 is entirely without reason, even taking into consideration that there were seven more league games played this season than last. It is altogether too long a jump from $15 to $30. A plan that would undoubtedly work satisfactorily, and one which is recommended to the directors for their adoption, is to establish two lasses of season tickets, charging for one $20, and admitting the holder to the grounds only, and for the second class $30, according to the plan recently adopted by the directors. This would enable the holder of the ticket in the first class to exercise his own option in locating his seats, with the proviso that if he desired a seat in the grand stand, he must pay an extra 25 cents. On the other hand, if any one considered the advantage of having a seat in the grand stand reserved for him at any and all times of sufficient inducement for him to pay $30, he could do so. It seems as though this matter might be amicably settled and everything move on serenely. Certain it is that all talk about the directors of the Boston club desiring to snub any portion of the patrons, or that they don't appreciate the liberal patronage of the past, is simply nonsense and unjust. In order to ascertain the policy adopted by the several league clubs in regard to the sale of season tickets, the Herald addressed a communication to parties in a position to know in the various league cities, to which replies have been received as follows: Secretary Hughes of the Buffalo club writes: Our people have not yet decided as to sale of season tickets. Last year they were $15 to stockholders and $20 to others. As there are seven more games this season, my idea would be to charge stockholders $17.50, and outsiders $22.50. Our directors hold a meeting next Monday, when I presume it will be settled. All our season tickets admit the holders to the grand stand, and are good for every game played by our club on home grounds. The Herald special correspondent at Cleveland writes: Before 1883, when the Cleveland club played 34 games for a season's league work, season tickets, without grand stand privileges, cost $15, and with a stand coupon $25. Last season the common ticket's price was $18, with a stand coupon $25, and this year the prices will be $20, and either $25 or $30 for a book admitting to the grand stand. Treasurer Watson of the Detroit club writes: “We sold season tickets last year for 420 (40 games), said tickets being good to grand stand or ladies' stand, and being transferable. There being seven more games this season the price may be raised.” President Day of the New York club writes: “We have never issued any season tickets for our grounds, yet we are contemplating doing so for the coming season, giving the purchaser admission to grounds and a reserved seat in the grand stand. We expect to charge $30 for the ticket, which will be transferable.” President Reach of the Philadelphia club writes: We issue season ticket to the number of100 (limited) if wanted. Those in the grand stand at $15 each, good for all exhibitions, with reserved seat, up to Nov. 1. we also have another season ticket for the private boxes, four seats in each, situated on top of grand stand, price $20 each. Tickets not transferable. President Spalding of the Chicago club writes: “Last year we sold our season tickets at $17.50. This year they will no doubt be raised to $20 on account of the increased number of games. These tickets will be good only to our league championship games, and will not be good for our “reserve” games. The purchasers of these tickets are permitted to select any seat in the grand stand, which are numbered, and the same is reserved for them during the season. They are made transferable. The fact has already been published that Providence proposes to charge $15 for her season tickets and $12 for a lady's season ticket. In considering the above replies it will be remembered that in Philadelphia only 25 cents is charged for admittance to the league games, and therefore her price for a season ticket is in the same ratio as that recently set upon by Boston. It will also be seen that in most of the cities a larger sum has been charged for season tickets in the past than in Boston,and in at least two places the price for the season of1884 will probably be $30. In no case, however, has the advance for 1884 been double that of 1883, and it is to be hoped that the Boston management will modify the terms it decided on at its recent meeting. Boston Herald February 24, 1884 A meeting of the board of directors of the Boston Base Ball Club was held yesterday afternoon, at which the principal topic for consideration was the petition of the stockholders and last year's season ticket purchasers for a decrease in the price of season tickets for 1884. It will be remembered that a few weeks ago the price of the tickets was placed at $30. At the meeting, yesterday, it was voted to charge $20 for season tickets admitting to the grounds only, and $30 for admission to the games with a numbered reserve seat in the grant stand. The tickets will be transferable, but good for league games only. It was decided to partition off a portion of the space now occupied by stockholders' seats for the exclusive accommodation of the directors and reporters. The reporters' seats will be arranged in three rows, one behind the other, with accommodations for three reporters to a row. The grand stand will be enlarged to the extent of seating about 500 more people than at present. Boston Herald March 12, 1884 |
| Source | Boston Herald |
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| Submitted by | Richard Hershberger |
| Origin | Initial Hershberger Clippings |
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