Bear Digest

Why Bears feel justified raising ticket prices 10% across the board

The Bears raised their ticket prices and in doing so president Kevin Warren gave an explanation why it needs to happen, but was it necessary?
Gene Chamberlain|
Angry Bears fans didn't have a problem expressing themselves at the December loss to Detroit in Soldier Field, but prices for tickets have gone up.
Angry Bears fans didn't have a problem expressing themselves at the December loss to Detroit in Soldier Field, but prices for tickets have gone up. | Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

The Bears received praise from all corners, particularly president Kevin Warren, for convincing board chairman George McCaskey to pay what was necessary to bring in coach Ben Johnson.

Now comes the time to pay the price and it will be Bears fans who foot the bill, even after a season when the team was an embarrassment with a 10-game losing streak and a collapse after a Hail Mary pass in Washington.

Fans will have to pay a 10% increase for 2025 season ticket packages. Warren, in a letter to fans, said season ticket holders will have savings over single-game ticket prices and incurs no other ticket fees.

Warren, in thanking Bears fans for their support, basically described it as an investment in the future, or what they can do now with the changes made.

"While we did not reach our goals during the 2024 season, we are making clear, intentional, andstrategic decisions to ensure our 2025 season meets the expectations of both our organization and our fans," Warren wrote. "Our focus will remain the same–we must perform well on the football field, continue to build a world-class business operation, and break ground on a transformative stadium."

He cited Johnson's hiring and the working relationship between GM Ryan Poles and Johnson as keys to justifying the increase.

"As coach Johnson stressed during his introductory press conference, we are committed to creating an environment of accountability, discipline, and hard work," Warren wrote. "We are building an organization that will embrace challenges and operate with a fearless, innovative, and championship mindset. Ryan Poles and Coach Johnson will be aggressive in free agency and will also embrace the opportunities to build our roster during the 2025 NFL Draft."

The bottom line was an increase.

"After careful and thoughtful consideration–incorporating market dynamics, industry trends, and a strong home schedule–an average increase of 10 percent for our 2025 season ticket package will be instituted," Warren wrote.

The ticket increase comes on the heels of an increase in 2024. It was a range of increases and not across the board then. The range was 6.2% to 11.3% with 8% for an average.

Ultimately, the increases probably should have been expected as high prices everywhere continue to linger even though the rate of inflation overall declined to 3% in January.

Tying the coaching hire and potential for an improved team to the higher prices seems superfluous as even teams that struggle across the league raise prices every year.

A study done going into last year revealed the cost of going to an NFL game had increased $43 or 39% over the previous decade and the Browns, Raiders and Buccaneers had raised theirs by at least 85%. The Raiders raised ticket prices by 160% from 2013 to 2023.

The Bottom Line to Bears Increase

From that end, the higher prices are expected, though not welcomed or even necessary. They should have simply said prices are up and let it go at that.

The Bears don't need to make promises they might be unable to keep by explaining the price in conjunction with Johnson's hiring and other team actions.

They've hired coaches in the past and sought out stadium property and raised ticket prices then, and still haven't won.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.