Despite a 3-13 season in 2016 — the franchise’s worst since the NFL went to a 16-game schedule in 1978 — the Bears are raising prices for the majority of tickets for games at Soldier Field.
Team President and CEO Ted Phillips sent a letter to season ticket holders Wednesday detailing the changes for customers who left tens of thousands of tickets unused during the second half of last season.
All sections of the stadium will have a price adjustment. Increases will range from 1 percent to 4 percent for most seats, with the average increase 2.6 percent. Ticket prices for certain sections will be reduced, but the team did not specify which seats will cost less in 2017. Club seats will increase by an average of 2 percent while nonclub seats will go up 2.9 percent.
"Thank you for your support in 2016," Phillips wrote. "It was a challenging and disappointing season. One we will not repeat."
The Bears did not raise the overall cost of season tickets in 2016, when they went to a variable-pricing plan that raised the cost of tickets for regular-season games and lowered the price of exhibition games, keeping the total cost flat. Ticket prices remained flat in 2015 after a disastrous 2014 season, making this the first ticket-price hike in three seasons.
Attendance decreased dramatically at Soldier Field last season as the Bears struggled. The team announced attendance of 39,837 for the final home game Dec. 24 against the Redskins, meaning 21,663 seats were empty. For the Packers game the week before, the team distributed 61,137 tickets but had an announced attendance of 44,601, leaving 16,536 unused. There were 59,782 tickets distributed for the Dec. 4 game against the 49ers; the announced attendance was 46,622, leaving 13,160 unused. On Nov. 27 against the Titans, the Bears distributed 59,494 tickets and the attendance was 48,408, leaving 11,056 unused.
Phillips lauded the work of general manager Ryan Pace and coach John Fox in transforming the roster from one of the oldest in the league to among the youngest. He also credited them for improving the culture of the organization.
"We are positioned for an exciting offseason with the third overall pick in the draft and one of best salary-cap situations in the NFL heading into free agency," Phillips wrote. "We will take advantage of these assets to bring in more talent."
The Bears will continue with variable pricing this season and will use three pricing tiers for regular-season games, to be announced after the release of the schedule in April. Individual tickets will be more expensive, as has been the team’s policy for some time.
bmbiggs@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @BradBiggs
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