Pittsburgh Pirates Success Leads To Average Ticket Price Increase of 44% Over Last Season

By Dan Groob, TiqIQ

Despite a relatively successful beginning to last season, the Pittsburgh Pirates faded down the stretch on their way to a fourth place finish in the NL Central in 2012. Exactly halfway through the 2013 MLB Season, the Pirates currently hold baseball’s best record at 51-30 and show no signs of slowing down having won their last nine games in a row. As a result of their apparently sustainable fast start, Pittsburgh Pirates tickets have experienced among the biggest jumps in average ticket price year over year, shooting up 44% from last year’s average.

So far, the Pirates have really gotten it done with pitching. While staff ace AJ Burnett had been lights-out before hitting the disabled list in June, it has really been unsung heroes Jeff Locke and Francisco Liriano who have catapulted the Pirates into first place with a combined 14-4 record and 2.12 ERA in 157 innings pitched (26 starts). Closer Jason Grilli has been on his game as well, doing his best Craig Kimbrel impression while registering a 1.72 era and 59 K’s in 36.2 innings pitched en route to 27 saves in 28 opportunities.

The Pirates could easily continue rolling into the All-Star break, with three of their next four series against teams below .500 and with negative run differentials. Pittsburgh will open the month with a three game set at home at PNC Park against the Philadelphia Phillies, before hitting the road for a three game weekend series against the lowly Chicago Cubs. Then it’s back home for a slightly more difficult interleague set against the Oakland Athletics, before a day off and a weekend visit from the Mets prior to heading off into the All-Star break.

According to TiqIQ, the average Pittsburgh Pirates home ticket price has jumped significantly this season, from $34 dollars in 2012 to $49 dollars in 2013. As the Pirates success runs deeper into the season, it can be expected that ticket prices will continue to rise. If the Pirates continue to win ballgames down the stretch and clinch their first postseason berth since Barry Bonds last donned the black and gold in 1992, the average $34 dollar ticket of 2012 might seem like a distant memory to the Pittsburgh faithful.

• 2012 Average: $34
• 2013 Average: $49
• Pirates tickets up 44% this from last year’s average

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We found this post interesting as our season tickets have sold on average for $37 this year.  We will be doing a story on this at the end of the year with some more specific detail for you.  Tom