To bolster attendance, Tigers offer all July games for $56
Detroit — Wednesday's series finale against the Miami Marlins was to be the last time the Tigers will play at Comerica Park for more than two weeks, until a July 15-17 series against the Kansas City Royals.
Because of the four-day All-Star break, the Tigers only will play nine games at home all next month, and if any fans want to see all nine games, the ballclub has a deal.
The Tigers announced this week that fans can purchase a package that includes the entire July home slate for $49 plus a processing fee of $7, bringing the total to $56.
After the Tigers-Royals series, the Minnesota Twins visit Detroit on July 18-20, and the Houston Astros on July 29-31.
The Royals and Astros series are weekend series, and will include postgame fireworks on Friday and Saturday nights.
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This latest deal comes after the Tigers held a one-day "flash sale," selling $6.01 mezzanine tickets last month.
With the July pass, the Tigers will send you a barcode for each game through the MLB.com Ballpark app. Seat locations will vary from game to game, and will be given to fans prior to that day's first pitch.
Detroit has been a top-10 attendance team each of the previous four seasons, but entered Wednesday's game ranked 14th among all 30 major-league teams, the Tigers' lowest rank since they were 15th in 2010.
Meanwhile, the Tigers have their highest payroll ever, approaching nearly $200 million. With the sagging attendance, that's a brutal combination.
There are a number of factors in play here. For starters, the Tigers didn't make the playoffs last year, and season tickets almost always dip the season after a down year. Second, the Tigers are just a .500 time so far this season. And the schedule-makers haven't done the Tigers a ton of favors, with a lack of early season marquee opponents, which, combined with some rotten early weather, have spelled bad news for the box office.
Through the first 38 home games this season, the Tigers are averaging 30,579 fans, with just one sellout, Opening Day.
Through the first 38 home games last season, the Tigers were averaging 32,916 fans, a difference of 2,337 fans.
tpaul@detroitnews.com
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