Yankees Sneak In a Price Increase On Bleacher Seats For 2010 Partial Plan Season Tickets

Way back in September, the Yankees put out a press release, bragging about 2010 prices remaining the same (or getting cheaper) for most season ticket holders. At the time, they made it very clear that the release was referring to FULL SEASON ticket holders. Unfortunately, some partial plan ticket holders who misread that release are receiving their invoices and with it a surprise - higher prices.

As of now, the only confirmed higher prices are in the bleachers. In 2009, bleacher prices were $12 for season ticket holders (partial or full) and $14 in advance. In 2010, bleacher tickets will remain $12 for full season ticket holders, but for partial plans, the price will increase to $14 per seat. This is only a $2 increase, but if you have 4 seats in a 41 game plan, your invoice will be $328 more than expected.

This price increase shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone. The bleachers are without a doubt, the best value in the entire stadium. The views from the new bleachers, combined with having access to the rest of the stadium make them a better option than most of the upper deck seats. Even at $14, partial plan ticket holders in the bleachers should be thankful they have the seats. Many people (like us) would do anything to trade their crappy seats in the upper deck for the cheaper and better seats in the bleachers.

Read the full post, after the jump

Yankee ticket prices - the rise is exponential

This interesting piece on msgnetwork.com talks about MSNBC anchor (and huge sports fan) Keith Olberman's tough decision on whether or not to renew his Yankee season tickets.

Everything they are talking about applies to the best seats in the house, but believe me when I tell you that there is plenty of a trickle down for us average folk in the cheap seats:

Olbermann remembered back to 1972, when four seats for the season wound up costing $1,056 (there were 15 doubleheaders). Now the seats - so close to the field that his mother got hit by a ball when Chuck Knoblauch overthrew first base eight years ago - cost him $81,000.

"From $1,000 a season, it's $1,000 a game," he said. "So literally they've now crossed that mark where it's 81 times more expensive to see the season as it was in 1972."

According to the Consumer Price Index, $4 in 1972 is about $20 now - meaning even when adjusted for inflation, there's been a 12-fold increase for the best box seats.

To break it down a little more clearly, check out this chart of the most expensive tickets in Yankee Stadium since 1967.

Just think - all of this and the new stadium doesn't even open until next year.

Time to get a second job!

Talk about it in the NYYSI Forums! Read the full post, after the jump