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After a 17.6% drop in paid attendance from 2010 to 2011, dropping below three million fans at Dodger Stadium for the first time since 2000, the Dodgers have dropped season ticket prices for 2012. According to the Dodgers the prices will be lower next year than this year in 96% of seats at Dodger Stadium. In many levels, the season ticket prices are the lowest in several years:
- Top Deck is $5, the lowest in two decades
- Reserved level has seats at $6, the lowest since 1987
- Preferred Loge Box has seats at $10, the lowest since 1995
- Preferred Field Box has seats at $16, the lowest since 2001
The Dodgers will also allow season ticket holders early entrance to the stadium, one hour before the general public, to watch Dodgers batting practice. More details here.
With many fans still fed up with McCourt, the Dodgers had to do something to keep their core fans happy. As noted by Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times, Dodgers season ticket sales dropped from 27,000 in 2010 to 17,000 in 2011. In addition, the Dodgers offered several individual game deals later in 2011 that seemed to undercut season ticket holders.
The question is, will this be enough to lure season ticket holders back to Dodger Stadium? While the Dodgers suffered a drop in paid attendance in 2011, the actual people coming to games was far less, with many season ticket holders simply not showing up to games.
On This Date
On this date 30 years ago, the Dodgers trailed the New York Yankees in the World Series two games to one heading into Game 4 at Dodger Stadium. Bob Welch got the start for the Dodgers, but failed to retire any of the four batters he faced, allowing three hits and a walk. With four batters faced and no outs recorded, Welch matched Harry Taylor's Game 4 of the 1947 World Series as the shortest start by a Dodger in the postseason.
The Dodgers trailed 4-0 in the middle of the third inning, but chipped away and pulled to within 4-3 in the fifth inning. The Yankees scored two off Tom Niedenfuer in the top of the sixth inning to go up 6-3, but Jay Johnstone hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the inning, and Davey Lopes followed with a fly ball to right field that Reggie Jackson lost in the sun. Lopes ended up on second base, then stole third, and scored the equalizer on a sacrifice fly by Bill Russell.
The Dodgers rallied for two more in the bottom of the seventh inning, taking their first lead of the game. The Dodgers held on to win 8-7 to even the series, which they would eventually win in six game. Both runs in that seventh inning of Game 4 were charged to relief pitcher George Frazier, who pitched in three games during the 1981 World Series and took the loss in all three games, allowing seven runs while recording 11 outs.
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In other news of potential future Dodgers, catcher Gorman Erickson spoke with MiLB.com about his minor league experience and time in the Arizona Fall League, and Jon Weisman at Dodger Thoughts laid out the case for the Dodgers signing free agent Prince Fielder this offseason.