1985 Bears Coverage: McCaskey seeking to hold down price hikes

Every day of the 2015 Chicago Bears season, Chicago Sun-Times Sports will revisit its coverage 30 years ago during the 1985 Bears’ run to a Super Bowl title.

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McCaskey seeking to hold down price hikes

Kevin Lamb

Originally published Aug. 14, 1985

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. – One reason Bears president Michael McCaskey insists on not renegotiating contracts is to keep the team’s credibility with its fans.

“When they spend their hard-earned dollars on tickets,” he says, “we want them to see we’re being fiscally responsible.

“You’ve got to take care of those people. If you have a good season, you don’t jack the price of tickets up right away.”

The Bears did increase the price of sideline seats from $15 to $18 this season, but they also reduced the price of 1,600 seats in four corner sections to $10. Those sections, where alcohol will not be sold, are designated family sections.

McCaskey said yesterday he was encouraged that season ticket sales of 52,000 are more than 2,000 ahead of last year’s pace. He also said all 2,500 tickets for Friday’s Fan Appreciation Night have been claimed.

He had hoped, however, that the more realistic prospect of playoff games at home would attract more season tickets.

“You’d think with a metropolitan area of 12 million people, we’d be able to sell all the season tickets we want,” he said. That’s why he emphasized the importance of “making it an enjoyable experience to go to a game.”

The Bears would cut off season tickets at around 60,000 in 65,793-seat Soldier Field, leaving the rest for single-game sales. But the few thousand season tickets still available are not for choice seats.

More than 99 percent of the sideline season tickets were renewed in spite of the price increase, McCaskey said.

About 55,000 tickets have been sold for the Bears’ home exhibition opener against Indianapolis at 6 p.m. Saturday.