Rays to keep ticket prices affordable in 2013
Majority of seats to cost less or same as 2012; season-ticket holders can save most
Almost 75 percent of those tickets -- nearly 2 million, in all -- will decrease in price or remain the same. Nearly 80 percent of games at Tropicana Field next season will feature tickets for $14 or less, and upper-deck seats will be available for $10 for 28 of Tampa Bay's 2013 home games.
All but seven weekday home games are scheduled for a 7:10 p.m. ET first pitch, with the exceptions including Opening Day (April 2, 3:10 p.m.), Memorial Day (May 27, 3:10) and the Trop's regular-season finale (Sept. 23, 3:10). Sunday games will again start at 1:40 p.m., and Saturday game times have yet to be announced.
The Rays will continue using four categories for home games: Diamond, Platinum, Gold and Silver. The outfield ticket prices for Gold games will drop from $22 in 2012 to $17 in 2013.
The Rays were named the most affordable team in sports by ESPN the Magazine, the sixth straight year Tampa Bay finished in the top three in that category. All of the Rays' fan-friendly policies will remain intact, as fans can still bring in food and select drinks, and limited free parking is available in team-controlled lots.
Season-ticket holders can save the most -- up to 25 percent for those renewing their season tickets -- in addition to receiving exclusive benefits, including the opportunity to buy postseason ticket packages.
"The Rays take great pride in providing a compelling and affordable experience for our fans, and we offer the best pricing and benefits for our season-ticket holders," club president Matt Silverman said in a statement. "It's a great time to be a Rays season-ticket holder."