The Lions are enjoying their best season in decades, virtually assured of a postseason berth with a 10–4 record and the current No. 3 seed in the NFC playoff standings.
Yet that success comes with a price. For Lions season ticket holders, that means a massive increase in how much they must pay to keep their seats next season.
Detroit Free Press beat reporter Dave Birkett heard from plenty of Lions fans on Monday who just got their renewal notice in the mail and were shocked at how much prices were going up.
While the team hasn’t yet officially announced the increase for 2024 season-ticket packages, the longtime reporter got feedback from his social media followers indicating prices were going up by as much as 30% to 85%.
Lions fans weren’t happy with this development and posted their outrage to Birkett on X (formerly Twitter). Here’s a sampling:
If you’re a season ticket holder, reply to this message and lemme know what your increase is. Curious how big https://t.co/j4LKwKqiGA
— Dave Birkett (@davebirkett) December 18, 2023
ours went up from $1015 to $ 2749! I'm not joking, I called and he said because we're in the first row, a unique game experiene. I'm stressed, 40 years of going to games
— julie haller (@jhaller61) December 18, 2023
The problem is we've become spoiled. My price is going from $1,400 to $2,000 per seat. Which is crazy. But I just looked at the Bears ticket prices, and an equivalent seat this season was $1,900, plus you'd have to pay $7k per seat for a PSL just to have the right to buy them.
— jschulz (@jschulz79) December 18, 2023
$580 increase per ticket for me. Section 128
— Joe Grabowski (@jeebsy3) December 18, 2023
With 9 games 2023 and 10 in 2024 … on per game basis it jumps from $253 to $353 per game for my club seat. 40% jump
— R.T. Eisenhart (@chips1) December 18, 2023
40% here. BS. Lions haven’t won anything yet and they are jacking up the prices like we’ve won the Super Bowl.
— Football Guy 🏈 𝕏 (@Raldi616) December 18, 2023
I have Lower Bowl my ticket went from 1719 for the year to 2679
— Justin H (@JKillinIt248) December 18, 2023
Most fans expect an increase in tickets year-to-year, especially if the team is successful. But the Lions have struggled and prices have held for the past four seasons. However, such a huge jump now appears to be opportunistic.
In August, the Lions announced that season tickets were sold out for the first time since the team moved to Ford Field in 2002. Since then, the waitlist for 2024 season tickets has grown to 6,300 seats, according to team executives. Fans who balk at paying more for their seats might find others more than willing to pick them up.