Eagles to raise ticket prices on 52 percent of seats in 2014; 43 percent remain same, 5 percent decreases

The Eagles will raise tickets for 52 percent of the seats at Lincoln Financial Field in 2014, while ticket prices will remain the same in 43 percent of the stadium and prices will decrease in five percent of the stadium. This news comes as the Eagles begin construction on the second phase of their stadium renovations, which will include 1,600 new seats and new video boards and ribbon boards.

Seating capacity will increase to more than 69,000. The Eagles' lease with the city does not allow the stadium capacity to exceed 70,000.

The team's pricing model has been adjusted from five pricing categories to eight pricing categories, with tickets at midfield gaining in value. The Eagles will not adopt the variable pricing that other teams have used, in which different games include a different price point.

The price increase ranges from $10 to $25 per ticket. Midfield lower-level seats will go from $105 to $130. Lower-level sideline seats go from $105 to $115. Lower-level end zone seats will go from $95 to $105. Some of the upper-level seating will drop from $105 to $85. Much of the upper-level remains at $75.

It's the second consecutive season the Eagles raised ticket prices, although team president Don Smolenski said the Eagles still have the lowest average ticket price in the NFC East.

"We kind of taken a step back and looked at how other team priced their building," Smolenski said in his office on Thursday. "We looked at our own feedback, our own research from the fans, the seats that were most popular and had the most value. …The marketplace has shown which seats are the most desirable seats. That's how the configuration and pricing category were set, to reflect the inherent values in the seats."

The new seats are being added in the lower bowl, middle level, and upper level. The seats in the lower bowl (about 700) will require stadium builder license. Every lower-bowl seat for a season-ticket holder still requires a license. The new seats will go to season-ticket holders who want to add seats to their account and from a waiting list that is at 40,000.

There are 354 seats that are being displaced by new construction, and those season-ticket holders will get first priority for a change. There will still be 2,500 single-game tickets available.

The renovations will be completed by late July. The stadium will host a soccer match on July 30 and three concerts in August.

Smolenski reiterated that the stadium renovation was not involved in the franchise's push for a Philadelphia Super Bowl.

"The whole revitalization project was for one purpose only, and that was for the fans," Smolenski said. "It's to improve that experience, and to keep it current, much like it was 10 years when we opened the building for a first time. But as a byproduct, it puts us in the conversation."