The Philadelphia Eagles were not a team that fans should have paid high prices to watch this season. Yet Eagles fans came to Lincoln Financial Field anyway, although they either booed them heavily or left in disgust by the end of most games. But if they still want to do that in 2013, they will have to pay even more.
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer on Jan. 31, Eagles ticket prices will go up by an average of 9.45 percent per ticket next season. Whereas tickets ranged from $70-$95 in 2012, they will average out to between $75-$105 in 2013.
The Eagles aren’t necessarily the kind of team that deserves higher prices. They bottomed out to 4-12 this past season, and no one knows what their future will look like. If they don’t make the right choices this offseason, they could be stuck in the NFC East basement for some time.
However, Philadelphia does have a lot of new blood as a selling point. If anything, the chance to see Chip Kelly take over -- and to see someone other than Andy Reid on the sidelines -- will make the Eagles a solid attraction. In addition, they will likely have a new quarterback in charge, or at least someone other than Michael Vick.
Fans should still come and pay in droves at the start of 2013, if only to see how the new-look Eagles will do. Of course, if they stumble out of the gate towards another lost season, they may not be around as much at the end. If Kelly really was the wrong man for the job, then it would take at least another few years for Philadelphia to be worth watching live.
But no matter how many fans come to Lincoln Financial Field, it hasn’t made a difference for the Eagles lately. They have gone a combined 5-11 at home since 2011, including a 2-6 mark in 2012. Philadelphia used to have one of the strongest home-field advantages in football, yet road teams are hardly intimidated anymore.
Even if the Eagles keep losing, fans will still come out to boo them and call for the players and coaches heads. However, is it really worth paying even more just to boo them in person? Yet if the Eagles start to win again, no one will have to ask that question.
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