CLEVELAND — For only the second time in the past 11 seasons, the Cleveland Browns are raising prices for season ticket holders.
The Browns will send out renewal information to ticket holders on Monday, and will detail the new pricing information for the 2019 season. The increases will affect “a segment of per-game season ticket prices, including those sections that decreased before the 2017 season.
“After thoroughly evaluating stadium pricing, attendance and various factors across the league, we decided to adjust ticket pricing in certain sections of FirstEnergy Stadium in 2019,” said Peter John-Baptiste, the Browns’ senior vice president of communications.
“We greatly appreciate the passion and support from Browns season ticket members and fans, and when we considered implementing a new pricing structure, one of our most important priorities was ensuring all fans have affordable options to attend home games. We also expect that our average ticket price will remain one of the four-lowest in the league following an approximately seven percent increase this year.”
Prices for 43 percent of the Browns’ season ticket holders “will not change or will decrease for the 2019 season,” which is expected to allow the organization “to rank in the bottom four in average per-game ticket price.”
The average ticket price is expected to increase seven percent, and “the most desirable sections” comprise the majority of the changes, including the lower bowl, upper prime, end zone mezzanine and select premium clubs “based on factors of season ticket percentages, attendance rates, demand, sightlines and other factors across the league.”
Season tickets still will be available in other sections for between $30 and $40 per game.
More than 68 percent of the seats in the upper bowl will remain unaffected by the changes. However, the four sections closest to midfield will increase by $5 per seat from $55 to $60 and from $65 to $70. Although there will be increases to prime upper bowl sections, 92 percent of the seats are less expensive than prices in either 2015 or 2016.
In addition to the AFC North Division games against the Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6-1), Baltimore Ravens (10-6) and Cincinnati Bengals (6-10), the Browns will host the Tennessee Titans (9-7), Buffalo Bills (6-10), Miami Dolphins (7-9), Los Angeles Rams (13-3) and Seattle Seahawks (10-6) at FirstEnergy Stadium in 2019.
The Ravens, Rams and Seahawks made the postseason in 2018, and Los Angeles could be the defending league champion on its next trip to Cleveland if they can defeat the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Sunday, February 3.
A 5-3 record over the second half of the season and a three-game winning streak in December secured the Browns’ greatest turnaround in team history, as they finished plus-7.5 in wins over the winless 2017 campaign.
With a 26-18 victory over the Bengals on December 23, the Browns not only swept The Battle of Ohio for the first time since 2002, but also, closed out a 5-2-1 showing at FirstEnergy Stadium in 2018, their second-best home record since the stadium opened in 1999.
During the 2018 season, the Browns posted a 2-0-1 record at home against AFC North Division foes.
“Absolutely, people need to fear coming to Cleveland,” quarterback Baker Mayfield said following the December 23 win over the Bengals. “They need to fear coming and playing around at the lake with an exciting crowd, a lot of noise and a team that is protecting their own turf. That is how it needs to be.”
