Mike Florio ,
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The Browns are planning to build a new stadium. And they may be planning to stick season-ticket holders with part of the bill.
On Wednesday, Daryl Ruiter of 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland posted the screenshot of a survey from the team regarding the possibility of Personal Seat Licenses at the new building.
Which reminded me of a link that I opened last week and inevitably forgot to turn into a PFT blurb. Via Rich Exner of Cleveland.com, the proposed PSLs will range from a very low price of $500 to the can’t-hide-money/if-you-have-to-ask-you-can’t-afford-it sticker shock of $149,300.
First, who’s going to pay that much for the privilege of then buying season tickets? Second, why not just make it $150,000? Would the extra $700 be a dealbreaker?
The Browns have applied a key qualifier — “could be” — to their PSL inquiry. Which means they’ll be monitoring the local reaction to it, in an effort to determine whether fans will ultimately accept that going to the games will mean plunking down extra money, over and above the money spent to purchase season tickets each and every year.
Although the entire PSL concept is an unsavory money-for-nothing ruse aimed at bilking football fans, it’s better to get cash to build a stadium from those who use it than to stick the taxpayers for a building that most of them will never visit.
It all comes back to supply vs. demand, and what zealous fans will pay for the privilege of attending games. Even when the product is bad, they’re still hooked on it. Regarding the Browns’ flirtation with PSLs, it’s just a matter of time before “could be” becomes “will be.”
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