LAS VEGAS — Broncos Country continues to drive ticket demand and fan interest, despite the team’s on-field struggles and eight-year playoff drought.
With demand among the most of any team on both the primary and secondary ticket market —including a wait list of more than 100,000 people — there's a price adjustment. The Broncos opened their 2024 season ticket renewal window on Thursday, sending information to season-ticket holders that outlined a price increase of about 7.9%.
The team says their ticket prices still rank “in the middle of the pack.” According to league data, this year’s increase is in-line with the NFL average increase of between 7.5% and 8% last year in which approximately 25 teams raised their ticket prices.
“It’s overall market demand and looking at a data-driven approach to how we price our tickets for our fans,’’ said Marc Jackson, Broncos vice president of ticketing sales. “We also look at secondary resale pricing. What the secondary market really shows us is that they’re being resold for a significant lift of what we’re actually charging our season-ticket members and our fans to begin with. So we do know our tickets are in demand.’’
Most recently, the Detroit Lions announced a whopping 30% increase in ticket prices for 2024. On Wednesday, the Chicago Bears announced an 8% ticket price increase.
The average ticket price for 2024 Broncos games will now be around $143, up about $10 year-over-year. The team has worked to create price points for every fan, it said in its letter, with nearly 25% of their 76,125-seat stadium priced under $100.
While the average ticket increased by 7.9%, specific section pricing adjustments varies by location.
“To provide the highest value to you as a Season Ticket Member, we are deeply committed to ensuring your season tickets are priced fairly and competitively based on a thoughtful review of market demand and league data,’’ Broncos President Damani Leech stated in a letter to season-ticket holders.
With a 54-year sellout streak that ranks among the longest of any team in one city across all of sports, the Broncos say last year’s renewal rate of around 98% ranked among the Top 3 in the NFL.
“Our market in general, our wait list has grown,’’ Jackson said. “I think the last time we talked, our wait list was 80,000 or 90,000. It’s grown over 100,000. It continues to grow and strengthen. I don’t know of another team in North American team that has a 100,000-person wait list on season tickets. I think all of those factors support what we’re doing, especially when you see the price increase is in line with league averages across the board.”
While no one likes a price increase, Broncos owners Greg Penner, Carrie Walton Penner and Rob Walton have demonstrated a willingness to significantly re-invest in the team since they bought the franchise in August 2022.
In addition to the reported highest paid coach in all of North American sports in Sean Payton, the team has pledged more than a quarter of a billion dollars on facilities over the last year. This includes $100 million in Empower Field at Mile High upgrades this past year and the announcement of a brand new training facility set to open in 2026.
“The investments in our stadium — along with a revamped gameday entertainment program —helped us receive some of the highest fan survey results in years,” Leech said.
Despite the longest playoff drought in 45 years, there are some hopefully signs the Broncos’ on-field product catches up to their off-field popularity and progress. The team improved its win total from three games in Payton’s first year as head coach and had one of the NFL’s longest win streaks at five games to lead a playoff push.
The Broncos defeated four playoff teams, including three that advanced to the Divisional Round, and finished 5-1 at home.
Still, they must solve the quarterback conundrum that has plagued the team since experiencing the winningest four-year period in franchise history under Peyton Manning. Denver also must work through complex salary cap consequences from the Russell Wilson trade and contract extension.
Regardless of the team’s issues, Broncos Country continues to demonstrate interest, in good times and bad, with the belief better days are ahead.
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