Major League Baseball

Mets cut ticket prices by average of 14 percent

Published Nov. 3, 2010 10:43 p.m. ET

foxsports

After losing on the field for two straight seasons, the New York Mets will take in less money at the box office for most tickets next year.

The Mets said Wednesday they are cutting prices by an average of 14 percent and that season-ticket holders and groups will get an additional 10 percent off at Citi Field.

''The team performance is certainly a major factor,'' executive vice president Dave Howard said. ''The economy is a major factor. You know, we looked at the market, the secondary market and we saw where many of these tickets were selling in the secondary market.''

Prices for 62 percent of the Citi Field's tickets have been cut, while 5 percent of the seats will have higher prices - mostly the cheap seats in the upper deck.

And to help drive sales, an ''Amazin' Mets Perks'' program will let season-ticket holders take batting practice on the field on non-game days, watch BP before games from the left-center warning track and attend an event with owner, management or players.

In addition, renewing season ticket-holders will be entered in a drawing for awards, such as announcing the starting lineup, having a child bring the lineup card to home plate, a game-worn player jersey and a personal fielding lesson from a Mets player. New York was seventh in the majors in fielding percentage last season.

Attendance dropped to 2,573,137 this year at Citi Field, down from 3,154,262 in the ballpark's first season. While sales picked up in May and June, they trailed off with a 2-9 trip following the All-Star break.

New York looked at its sales data and held focus groups - and is investigating dynamic pricing for 2012. Howard said the majority of tickets on the secondary market sold above list price.

Despite the cuts, the Mets hope to gross more from ticket sales in 2011.

''We've had a change in, a dramatic change in the economy. And that I think is probably the most significant factor. And, you know, that was not something we could have anticipated,'' Howard said. ''We need to sell more tickets than we did this year with an overall price reduction but we think we can do that.''

Long gone are the days when there were two prices of tickets: box and reserved.

While the Mets' ticket grid had 220 categories of prices last season, the 2011 color-coded list had 285 when the discounts for season tickets are taken into account.

The highest-priced seats, Delta Club Platinum, were cut from $460 to $440 per game - and to $396 as part of season plans.

Promenade reserved, the lowest-priced tickets, were raised from $11-27 last season to $12-$36 - but will cost $10.80 to $32.40 as part of season plans.

While the ticket prices were lowered for luxury suites, the rental prices will remain unchanged.

The Mets have four games next year at their highest prices - opening day and the series against the Yankees. They classified 22 games premium, 25 classic and 30 value. Last season, they had five categories and called four platinum, 21 gold, 25 silver, 21 bronze and 10 value. That was down from 4-30-19-18-10 in Citi Field's first season.