The Browns didn’t dare raise season ticket prices after winning three games in 2015, one in 2016 and none in 2017.
With excitement and anticipation building after the Browns went 7-8-1 this season, owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam seized the opportunity to raise prices for 57 percent of season tickets at FirstEnergy Stadium for the 2019 season. The team announced the hike will be about 7 percent.
The last two increases came after seven-win seasons in 2007 and ’14. The Browns lowered some prices after the winless 2017.
“We greatly appreciate the passion and support from Browns season ticket members and fans, and when we considered implementing a new pricing structure, one of our most important priorities was ensuring all fans have affordable options to attend home games,” senior vice president of communications Peter John-Baptiste said Thursday in the news release. “We also expect that our average ticket price will remain one of the four-lowest in the league.”
The team will send renewal information to season ticket holders Monday.
The majority of the pricing changes will affect the most desirable sections in the stadium — lower bowl, upper prime, end zone mezzanine and select premium clubs.
More than 68 percent of seats in the upper bowl will remain unchanged, the team said. The four sections nearest the 50-yard line on each side will increase by $5 per seat. Despite the increase, 92 percent of seats in the upper bowl are less expensive than in 2015 and ’16.
The regular-season home schedule features games against Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Cincinnati, the Los Angeles Rams, Seattle, Tennessee, Buffalo and Miami.
The Browns went 5-2-1 at home this season and had six sellouts.
SPACE JAM
The Browns will carry over a league-leading $56.5 million in salary cap space, the NFL Players Association announced.
Teams are allowed to carry over unused space from the previous year, and the Browns are expected to be about $82 million under the salary cap when the league year starts in March.
The Colts were next at $49.1 million carried over, followed by the 49ers at $35 million.
