DeCarolis Announces Increased Season Ticket Prices, Sort Of

Oregon St. Athletic Director Bob DeCarolis has released the latest of his periodic A.D. Reports, and it doesn't really say much, other than announcing the dates for significant events for season ticket sales.

Online renewals can be made beginning Feb. 1, and 3 weeks later Oregon St. will get around to mailing out the renewal order letters. DeCarolis did not explain why the delay. Existing season ticket holders have to place their order by the end of March.

New orders can't be made until April 23, and new orders where the buyer will know where they are buying seats at begins June 11.

DeCarolis said season ticket prices will increase this season, though DeCarolis said the average price of a ticket will decline. This is due to Oregon St. playing 7 home games instead of 6 for the first time in 6 years, opening with 2 home non-conference games in a year where the Civil War will be in Corvallis. And no inflated price game against USC.

With Oregon coming, it means both participants in the 2012 Rose Bowl will be visiting Reser this fall, with Wisconsin coming Sept. 8. The Badgers' visit will be the first by a Big 10 team in 41 years.

Oregon St. set an average attendance record of 42,420 for years which do not include the Civil War in 2011.

DeCarolis admitted he too was disappointed with the embarrassing 2011 debacle, but since the report is a sales pitch for season ticket sales, expressed optimism for the future, citing the experience gained this past season.

"We have a young team that gained invaluable experience last year. 17 starters and 58 players who played will be back in 2012."

DeCarolis did not bother to detail the price increase, information that could be useful during tax season for planning purposes. Hard to imagine they haven't finalized their price structure already.

DeCarolis also mentioned that another "Orange Perspective" will be coming next week, where he will be writing about something called the 2012 "Amnesty Program" for season ticket holders.

"I think you'll find it interesting, and a welcome opportunity, if the program applies to you, or someone you know," DeCarolis said, though, again, he gave no details, or reason for the delay.

Whether the "amnesty" (since when has being a regular customer been an "offense" anyway?) proves to be an attempt to lure former ticket holders to return, or a temporary break for existing season ticket holders who also have to make a contribution (not all do), in order to retain them, remains to be seen. The very implication that there is or has been any wrong doing by ticket buyers is a disturbing tone to say the least. But it is an indication that there is concern for the consequences that 3 consecutive years of dramatically declining on-field performance might be about to cause.

There was no mention about possible improvements to the game day experience in the report either, which was surprising. If Oregon St. wants to maintain and increase season ticket support, some indication of response to calls for access to the Truax indoor center, relief for the persistent parking problems, improvements to the in stadium experience, and more, would seem to be good things to address before asking for more money.

We'll pass along the details once there are some.

Andy_Wooldridge@yahoo.com