After this weekend's league-record-tying draw against the Vancouver Whitecaps, the RBNY Front Office has begun its renewal process for 2012 season tickets. The window for existing STHs to renew their seats began at 10AM this morning, and this digital booklet was issued to help explain the changes, which are significant. Here's an attempt to break down the changes
Seating Rezoned
The first change is that for the first time since the opening in 2010, Red Bull Arena is restructuring the seating tiers. While Club Seats and Premium Midfield still go by those names, the remainder of the stadium is divided into "zones". Nearly every lower bowl section is zoned differently between the front and the back, and the central sections in the upper deck are similarly split.Here's a look at the pricing changes between 2011 and 2012:
Lower Bowl
| Section | 2011 STH Price | 2012 STH Price | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 101 | $320 | $320 | 0% |
| 102 | $320 | $320 | 0% |
| 103 Back | $340 | $360 | +5.9% |
| 103 Front | $340 | $400 | +17.6% |
| 104 Back | $400 | $400 | 0% |
| 104 Front | $400 | $480 | +20% |
| 105 Back | $400 | $400 | 0% |
| 105 Front | $400 | $480 | +20% |
| 106 Back | $400 | $400 | 0% |
| 106 Front | $400 | $480 | +20% |
| 107 Back | $530 | $640 | +20.8% |
| 107 Front | $530 | $720 | +35.8% |
| 108 Back | $1000 | $1100 | +10% |
| 108 Middle | $1000 | $3000 | +200% |
| 108 Front | $3000 | $3000 | 0% |
| 109 | $3000 | $3000 | 0% |
| 110 | $3000 | $3000 | 0% |
| 111 Back | $1000 | $1100 | +10% |
| 111 Middle | $1000 | $3000 | +200% |
| 111 Front | $3000 | $3000 | 0% |
| 112 Back | $530 | $640 | +20.8% |
| 112 Front | $530 | $720 | +35.8% |
| 113 Back | $400 | $400 | 0% |
| 113 Front | $400 | $480 | +20% |
| 114 Back | $400 | $400 | 0% |
| 114 Front | $400 | $480 | +20% |
| 115 Back | $400 | $400 | 0% |
| 115 Front | $400 | $480 | +20% |
| 116 Back | $340 | $360 | +5.9% |
| 116 Front | $340 | $400 | +17.6% |
| 117 Back | $340 | $360 | +5.9% |
| 117 Front | $340 | $400 | +17.6% |
| 118 Back | $340 | $360 | +5.9% |
| 118 Front | $340 | $400 | +17.6% |
| 119 Back | $340 | $360 | +5.9% |
| 119 Front | $340 | $400 | +17.6% |
| 120 Back | $340 | $360 | +5.9% |
| 120 Front | $340 | $400 | +17.6% |
| 121 Back | $400 | $400 | 0% |
| 121 Front | $400 | $480 | +20% |
| 122 Back | $400 | $400 | 0% |
| 122 Front | $400 | $480 | +20% |
| 123 Back | $400 | $400 | 0% |
| 123 Front | $400 | $480 | +20% |
| 124 Back | $530 | $640 | +20.8% |
| 124 Front | $530 | $720 | +35.8% |
| 125 Back | $720 | $840 | +16.7% |
| 125 Front | $720 | $1100 | +52.8% |
| 126 Back | $720 | $920 | +27.8% |
| 126 Front | $720 | $1100 | +52.8% |
| 127 Back | $720 | $840 | +16.7% |
| 127 Front | $720 | $1100 | +52.8% |
| 128 Back | $530 | $640 | +20.8% |
| 128 Front | $530 | $720 | +35.8% |
| 129 Back | $400 | $400 | 0% |
| 129 Front | $400 | $480 | +20% |
| 130 Back | $400 | $400 | 0% |
| 130 Front | $400 | $480 | +20% |
| 131 Back | $400 | $400 | 0% |
| 131 Front | $400 | $480 | +20% |
| 132 Back | $340 | $360 | +5.9% |
| 132 Front | $340 | $400 | +17.6% |
| 133 | $320 | $320 | 0% |
Upper Deck
| Section | 2011 STH Price | 2012 STH Price | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 201 | $340 | $360 | +5.9% |
| 202 | $340 | $360 | +5.9% |
| 203 | $340 | No Longer Available | N/A |
| 204 | $400 | $340 | -15% |
| 205 | $400 | $340 | -15% |
| 206 | $400 | $340 | -15% |
| 213 | $400 | $340 | -15% |
| 214 | $400 | $340 | -15% |
| 215 | $400 | $340 | -15% |
| 216 | $340 | No Longer Available | N/A |
| 217 | $340 | No Longer Available | N/A |
| 218 | $340 | No Longer Available | N/A |
| 219 | $340 | No Longer Available | N/A |
| 220 | $340 | No Longer Available | N/A |
| 221 | $400 | $340 | -15% |
| 222 | $400 | $340 | -15% |
| 223 | $400 | $340 | -15% |
| 224 Back | $530 | $400 | -24.5% |
| 224 Front | $530 | $480 | -9.4% |
| 225 Back | $720 | $480 | -33.3% |
| 225 Front | $720 | $640 | -11.1% |
| 226 Back | $720 | $640 | -11.1% |
| 226 Front | $720 | $720 | 0% |
| 227 Back | $720 | $480 | -33.3% |
| 227 Front | $720 | $640 | -11.1% |
| 228 Back | $530 | $400 | -24.5% |
| 228 Front | $530 | $480 | -9.4% |
| 229 | $400 | $340 | -15% |
| 230 | $400 | $340 | -15% |
| 231 | $400 | $340 | -15% |
| 232 | $340 | No Longer Available | N/A |
| 233 | $340 | $360 | +5.9% |
A few things of note here:
- Overall, lower bowl ticket prices have either remained flat (supporter's section, club seats, and the back halves of the corners) or gone up. But upper bowl tickets have generally dropped or are no longer available, with the strange exception of the tickets over the South Ward which have gone up slightly. This does finally end the weird state of the upper bowl tickets costing the same as the lower bowl tickets.
- Biggest losers in the price increase are the holders of Premium Midfield seats in 108 and 111 which were rezoned to Club Seats, thus forcing a $2000 per seat increase should they be hellbent on keeping those seats. (Full disclosure: I am one of these people.) People with front seats in 125-127 are also being rezoned up to Premium Midfield, a hike of $380 per seat.
- Biggest winners are the back sections of 225 and 227, (should there be any season ticket holders there at all), who are seeing a 33% drop in cost from last year.
- As Matt Conroy has pointed out, the Supporter's Sections being flat on cost (and a lack of information in the renewal booklet) means that there will likely be an increase in tourists for next season.
Membership Changes
The second change relates to the "Stampede" membership, first introduced this year with "Basic" and "Premium" tiers. 2012 will bring three tiers, which splits some of the traditional benefits of being a STH up further:- Gold brings you a $10 credit on your card, a 5% discount on all merchandise at the Bull Shop, and a $30-ish welcome gift. A Gold card costs $25 per seat.
- Platinum brings you presale access to other events at RBA, a chance to win a pre-season trip, a waiting list for seat upgrades, and "exclusive access to a team related event". It also ups the benefits from the Gold level to $25 credit and 15% discounts, and includes the welcome gift. Platinum cards are available for free if you renew on a payment plan and make at least one payment by September 30th.
- Black cards get you access to an "exclusive autograph session with several Red Bulls players and coaches" (R.I.P. Meet The Team Day), an "exclusive invitation to a VIP Season Kick-off Party", and all the lower tier benefits. It additionally raises the credit to $100 and the Bullshop discount to 25%. Black Cards are available for free if you pay for your package in full by September 30th. (My ticket rep confirmed that you can also upgrade to that level for $150 per seat, should you want to be on a payment plan.)
Let us know your experiences and thoughts on renewals -- especially after a season like this -- in the comments. And perhaps we'll be back later to talk about the Vancouver game.
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