Are the Detroit Lions making the right move increasing ticket prices by the amount they are?
Earlier this week, the Detroit Lions sent out season ticket renewal notices with updated prices. According to the Detroit Free Press, every season ticket price is seeing an increase, with an average increase of 24 percent. Some fans are claiming to have seen increases as high as 60-70 percent.
No one likes to see ticket prices increase. We’d all love to be able to afford a single weekend to enjoy our Detroit Lions in person. But it’s worth pointing out that this ticket increase is expected to make Lions tickets right around the NFL average in 2025.
So today’s Question of the Day is:
Are you okay with the Lions raising ticket prices?
My answer: I have a very hard time answering this question.
I know, from a business standpoint, it makes sense to raise ticket prices. Demand is extremely high—the Lions’ season ticket waitlist is reportedly around 20,000—and just a glance at the second-market prices show that face value of these tickets are quite low compared to what fans are willing to pay. The Lions are one of the best and most entertaining teams, so it would make sense to at least charge “average” NFL prices for tickets.
But the NFL is also a multi-billion dollar enterprise. Fans are already getting squeezed by the NFL in many other ways, including merchandise (and constantly changing team designs), parking, concessions, Sunday Ticket, etc. I’m not asking for the Lions to become a charity, but would it hurt to give some of the most loyal fans who have stuck around for decades of losing a little bit of a break?
And it’s also worth considering the median income of their consumers. As of 2023 data, Michigan’s average household income ranks 38th among the 50 states. So is it truly fair to charge average NFL prices to families with below-average budgets?
The Lions are obviously well within their rights to do whatever they want. And with a move like this, the Lions are only going to benefit. They will find people willing to pay these prices and earn more revenue. All it’ll cost them is a week or two of bad PR. But just because it’s the profitable and financially sound option doesn’t mean it’s the right option.
