When I received my season ticket renewal form the other day I was not at all surprised to note that, once again, prices have increased. After all, this increase had been announced right in the middle of a horrendous portion of the ending of the season.

When I attended my first game at Arrowhead in 1989 I was able to get four tickets on about row 20 on the field level, at approximately the 10 yard line. These seats cost me just $20 each at the time. Now they go for either $68 or $79, depending on the location. My seats are in section 233, club level, and first cost me $70 each when obtained four years ago–they are now $88 each. Based on the current prices, and rounded off very roughly, I was astounded at just how much the tickets alone bring to the Chiefs. Follow the math–approximately 32,000 field level seats at an average of $74 each brings in about 2.4 million dollars each game; 12,000 club level at $88 each brings in about 1.1 million; 32,000 upper level at $70 each brings in about 2.2 million. This is just for each home game. Expand this over just the eight regular season games and you have approximately $45 million just in ticket revenue. I hope my math is correct. If someone out there has better figures please contribute. This does not include parking–$20 a pop for cash areas. Of course, the red and gold lots cost more which put the take from parking at over 3.5 million a season. Don’t even get me started on the price of concessions and how much money is made in that area. Just the cost of one beer could supply me with a six-pack of Michelob here at home. Throw in gas money (I drive about 600 miles each game day), food and other necessities for tailgating and you have a whopper of a bill for enjoying the greatest place on Earth–Arrowhead Stadium on game day.

All of this is to bring to light that perhaps Carl Peterson and the Hunt family could remember that it is the thousands of fans who pack the stadium each game who make the Chiefs what they are. All we ask is a little consideration and courtesy. I am a teacher in a psychiatric hospital working with adolescents. My salary has surely not increased the massive percentage that ticket, parking and concession prices have. As much as I love the Chiefs–I have been loyal since the early 1970′s–it should not require a second mortgage on the house to attend a game. Would it hurt to lower concession prices, hold ticket prices (or even lower them), lower parking and add a few amenities like more port-a-potties in the parking areas (one of my main pet peeves)? Please do not price yourselves out of the best fans in the world.