According to a report, the Houston Astros are going to raise ticket prices for the 2015 season.
Astros president Reid Ryan told the Houston Chronicle that the increase will affect roughly 70 percent of tickets.
"“We looked at where our tickets were priced,” Ryan said. “When you don’t have a price increase dfor seven or eight years, it’s almost like you don’t have a cost-of-living increase. At some point you have to have an increase.”"
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Attendance at Minute Maid Park is up this year, with an average of 22,333 per home date in 2014 after the club drew an average of 20,393 last season.
Houston has lost at least 106 games in each of the last three seasons and is currently fourth in the American League West, just ahead of the Texas Rangers, at 44-65. That puts the Astros on pace to finish 65-97—better than last year’s 51-111 mark, but not to be confused even remotely with good.
Of course, as organizations that are floundering tend to do, the announcement did not come without a hiccup. From Jose de Jesus Ortiz of the Houston Chronicle:
I hear recently traded RHP Jarred Cosart is on the brochure season-ticket holders will receive informing them of the ticket price increase.
— Jose de Jesus Ortiz (@OrtizKicks) August 1, 2014
And by “recently traded,” de Jesus Ortiz means “yesterday.”
The Astros shipped right-hander Jarred Cosart and utility man Enrique Hernandez to the Miami Marlins for a package of minor-leaguers that included outfielder Jake Marisnick, third baseman Colin Moran, right-hander Frances Martes and outfielder Austin Wates.
Of course, given the length and scope of the rebuild in Houston, maybe they could have put a photo of a player to be named later on the brochure.