Jan. 28--The Bears have finally acknowledged the obvious: Regular-season games and exhibition games are not equal.
In a letter sent to season ticket holders on Wednesday, the Bears announced that the 10-game season ticket package will not see a price change from last year.
However, to better reflect the value of the preseason versus the regular season, tickets for the team's two home exhibition games will be reduced by 40 percent, while tickets for the eight regular-season home games will see an approximate 10 percent increase per game.
"We believe this two-tier pricing approach better reflects the value for each game," team President Ted Phillips wrote.
NFL season ticket holders have long complained about having to pay full price for preseason games, which don't count, rarely feature top talent and sell for a tiny fraction of regular-season games on the secondary market. The disinterest often leads to sparse attendance at those games.
Predictably, in the letter to season ticket holders, Phillips expressed the Bears' optimism in what was accomplished in the first season under general manager Ryan Pace and coach John Fox. Phillips also trumpeted the organization's support for the direction the team seems headed in.
"While we fell short of our goals," Phillips said, "we established a culture under John Fox and Ryan Pace that we will build upon in 2016. ... We are focused on delivering sustained success and an unforgettable experience for every person visiting Soldier Field."
The Bears' regular-season schedule for 2016 won't be announced until April. In addition to their three NFC North home games, they will host the Eagles, Redskins, Jaguars, Titans and San Francisco 49ers.
dwiederer@tribpub.com
