[rquoter]Ticket prices for more 5,000 seats have been lowered, as have domestic beer prices. And for the first time since Minute Maid Park opened, fans will be permitted to bring in their own food and beverages. "We feel this is the right thing to do," Crane said. "It is a way for us to let our fans know how vital they are to our success, and to let them know we've been listening to them." The rundown: Tickets The Astros reduced the price of seats in the Field and Club levels and the Outfield Deck. Seats in Field Box II (section 132, rows 11-40 and all of sections 133-134) are now priced at $29, down from $41 in 2011. The new Power Club (sections 233-236) in the Club Level offers tickets for $35 that includes a $15 credit for food, beverage and retail items. Those seats were $46 in 2011 with no food credit. The Outfield Deck tickets are now $5 for adults and $1 for kids ages 3-14. In 2011, adult tickets were $7. With this reduction, a family of four with young children can attend a game for $12. As a special thank you for their loyalty and commitment, the Astros will also issue five-percent rebates to full-season and 27-game-plan season-ticket accounts in 2012 who have renewed their tickets by Jan. 31. Those rebates will be distributed in the form of a gift card that can be used to purchase food, merchandise or individual game tickets at Minute Maid Park. Beer The Astros have expanded their $5 beer special to include every permanent concession stand and permanent bar at Minute Maid Park where domestic beer is sold. This 14-ounce draft beer will now be available at 35 locations throughout the ballpark. Outside food and beverages Fans are now allowed to bring food and water into Minute Maid Park for games. Food must be transported in a small, clear (see-through) plastic bag, and water must be in a sealed, plastic bottle, being one liter or less in size. One bottle of water per person is allowed. The Astros will also continue to offer several of the popular ticket specials that have been available in recent years: Price Matters Days presented by H-E-B: This offer, which is available for every Monday through Thursday Astros game, includes one View Deck II ticket, one hot dog, a bag of H-E-B chips and one soda for $10, which represents a savings of over 50 percent. Also, for $10 more, fans can purchase a lower level seat in the Bullpen Boxes. All You Can Eat: For $30, this deal includes a Mezzanine game ticket and unlimited hot dogs, popcorn, peanuts, nachos, soda and water and is available for every home game. Groups of 20 or more are eligible to purchase this package for $25. Coca-Cola Value Zone: This offer, which is available for every Friday, Saturday and Sunday game, includes a Mezzanine ticket and Astros cap, as well as a hot dog and Coke product beverage for $20. POWERADE Double Play Tuesdays: This offer, which is available every Tuesday, features two Outfield Deck tickets for $2. Additionally, fans can now also purchase two Field Box II tickets for $40, which is new in 2012. 9-Inning Lunch Break: This package is offered for weekday, 1:05 p.m. CT games and includes a Field Box ticket and $20 in Minute Maid Park food and beverage vouchers, which is a $61 value, for $45, a savings of $16 per ticket. Dynamic Pricing: This offer is available for every Astros home game for select seats. Prices, which fluctuate based on demand, can represent up to 50 percent in savings per ticket. Special Fundraising Pricing: Charities and community organizations can earn up to $10 per ticket by selling discounted Astros tickets. Group Ticket Specials: With the Astros Group Ticket Program, groups of 20 or more can purchase discounted tickets. Group discounts can be as high as 50 percent per ticket, depending on the size of the group.[/rquoter] Crane also says they'll look at uniforms, the hill, and "Astros" name next year. zacharylevine Zachary Levine [rquoter]Astros considering uniform changes for 2013. Nothing new beyond 50th anniversary stuff this year. Crane says they'll even evaluate the name "Astros" before next year. No change promised.[/rquoter] alysonfooter Alyson Footer [rQUOTEr]What about a name change? They're looking into it. Probably not changing name from Astros but they're exploring everything.[/rQUOTEr]
Astros do something right($$$) Ticket prices lowered + Cheaper beer and you can now bring some food into the park Beer at $5 isnt that much more than a Saturday night on washington ave. Great changes now just fix the product on the field! http://footer.mlblogs.com/2012/01/2...er-beer-new-outside-food-and-beverage-policy/ Minute Maid Park in 2012: cheaper tickets, cheaper beer, new outside food and beverage policy. The day that Jim Crane officially became the owner of the Houston Astros, he hinted that several changes were on the way that would benefit fans in 2012. This wasn’t just window dressing. Asked during the press conference in November if those changes included lowering ticket prices, Crane indicated that was indeed the area that he and President/CEO George Postolos would be focusing their attention on in the immediate future. Turns out, Crane consulted with the staff on these issues even before he took over as the Astros’ owner. And now, less than three months before Opening day, a comprehensive plan has been put in place. Ticket prices for more 5,000 seats have been lowered, as have domestic beer prices. And for the first time since Minute Maid Park opened, fans will be permitted to bring in their own food and beverages. “We feel this is the right thing to do,” Crane said. “It is a way for us to let our fans know how vital they are to our success, and to let them know we’ve been listening to them.” Here’s the skinny: Tickets: The Astros reduced the price of seats in the Field and Club levels and the Outfield Deck. Seats in Field Box II (section 132, rows 11-40 and all of sections 133-134) are now priced at $29, down from $41 in 2011. The new Power Club (sections 233-236) in the Club Level offers tickets for $35 that includes a $15 credit for food, beverage and retail items. Those seats were $46 in 2011 with no food credit. The Outfield Deck tickets are now $5 for adults and $1 for kids ages 3-14 . In 2011, adult tickets were $7. With this reduction, a family of four can attend a game for $12. As a special thank you for their loyalty and commitment, the Astros will also issue five percent rebates to full-season and 27-game plan season ticket accounts in 2012 to those who have renewed their tickets by the Jan. 31 deadline. Those rebates will be distributed in the form of a gift card that can be used to purchase food, merchandise or individual game tickets at Minute Maid Park. Beer: The Astros have expanded their $5 beer special to include every permanent concession stand and permanent bar at Minute Maid Park where domestic beer is sold. This 14-ounce draft beer will now be available at 35 locations throughout the ballpark. Outside Food and Beverages: Fans are now allowed to bring food and water into Minute Maid Park for games. Food must be transported in a small, clear (see-through) plastic bag, and water must be in a sealed, plastic bottle, being one liter or less in size. One bottle of water per person is allowed. _________ The Astros will also continue to offer several of the popular ticket specials that have been available in recent years: Price Matters Days presented by H-E-B This offer, which is available for every Monday through Thursday Astros game, includes one View Deck II ticket, one hot dog, a bag of H-E-B chips and one soda for $10, which represents a savings of over 50 percent. Also, for $10 more, fans can purchase a lower level seat in the Bullpen Boxes. All You Can Eat For $30, this deal includes a Mezzanine game ticket and unlimited hot dogs, popcorn, peanuts, nachos, soda and water and is available for every home game. Groups of 20 or more are eligible to purchase this package for $25. Coca-Cola Value Zone This offer, which is available for every Friday, Saturday and Sunday game, includes a Mezzanine ticket and Astros cap, as well as a hot dog and Coke product beverage for $20. POWERADE Double Play Tuesdays This offer, which is available every Tuesday, features two Outfield Deck tickets for $2. Additionally, fans can now also purchase two Field Box II tickets for $40, which is new in 2012. 9-Inning Lunch Break This package is offered for weekday, 1:05 p.m. games and includes a Field Box ticket and $20 in Minute Maid Park food and beverage vouchers, which is a $61 value, for $45, a savings of $16 per ticket. Dynamic Pricing This offer is available for every Astros home game for select seats. Prices, which fluctuate based on demand, can represent up to 50% in savings per ticket. Special Fundraising Pricing Charities and community organizations can earn up to $10 per ticket by selling discounted Astros tickets. Group Ticket Specials With the Astros Group Ticket Program, groups of 20 or more can purchase discounted tickets. Group discounts can be as high as 50% per ticket, depending on the size of the group.
$30 for a mezzanine ticket and all you can eat dogs and nachos? Damn, at yankee stadium I don't even think you can get a hot dog for $30.
I wonder if the # of hotdogs they make on mezzanine level (with all you can eat) is going to be more than the # of homeruns hit over the crawford boxes. I say it's a tossup.
$5 beers are something great. Would be the lowest price of any professional or college game I've been to in several years.
Yeppers. I can tell you, for a fact, that the outside food concession was one of three major complaints among season tickets holders. And lookey lookey, first move he makes includes lifting the ban. The AL move was absolutely, positively forced not upon him, specifically, but upon anyone that wanted to buy the Astros. It was a condition of sale. he had no choice. Beyond that, Crane's model is the Texans, from a PR standpoint. They are blown-away impressed with McNair's group. That will include engaging fans and listening intently to their wants and desires. IOW, he's not changing the name. He got people to talk about a franchise with nothing worth talking about. Hints at a little savvy-ness, if you ask me. So far, so good.
Other thread was locked so I thought I would share my joy that the Astros will remain the Astros. NSFY Spoiler
Hey, maybe people will focus on the good Crane has done (lower ticket prices, allowing you to bring food into the building) rather than freaking out about an unrealistic name change that was never going to happen anyway!
Hey, if we hadn't have already had this same exact argument in another thread, I'd be excited about this one!
Hey, that's the point of the off season, to argue about things that will probably never happen because, hey, it's the off season!
