When the Detroit Lions raised season ticket prices for the second consecutive year, it sparked concern among fans — especially in light of how team president Rod Wood addressed the situation. Despite the team’s recent success and soaring demand, many felt Wood’s comments at the NFL Annual League Meetings were out of touch.
Wood confidently reported that season ticket renewals were at 98%, with over 20,000 fans on a waitlist. More notably, he claimed not to have received any complaints about the price increases. “Unlike prior years, I never got a single complaint this year about anybody’s ticket price going up,” he stated, suggesting that the only criticism came from brokers upset about losing the ability to resell tickets for profit.
However, his remarks didn’t sit well with everyone. Detroit News Lions beat writer Nolan Bianchi criticized Wood’s comments on the Gritiron Gang podcast, calling them “tone deaf.” Bianchi argued that many loyal fans — especially longtime season ticket holders — are feeling priced out of games. He highlighted the challenge fans face when trying to balance attendance and affordability, noting that even selling a few games to offset costs can put fans at risk of losing their tickets under current team rules.
“It’s like a chicken or the egg situation,” Bianchi explained. “If you sell too many, you can get your tickets taken away, even though you still want to go to the games.”
He expressed frustration at the idea that only brokers were upset, insisting that genuine fans are being affected by the price hikes. “You hate to see real fans get priced out, especially those who’ve held tickets for decades,” he added.
Bianchi also took issue with Wood’s apparent dismissal of public concern, especially as ticket resale prices have soared. Last season, Lions tickets had the highest average resale price in the NFL at $404. Given those numbers, Bianchi suggested it’s unrealistic to believe no fans voiced concern — and warned that this topic is likely to keep resurfacing if prices continue to rise.
Ultimately, while the Lions’ success is generating excitement, it’s also creating tension. Fans are being asked to pay more, and some are feeling left behind. As Bianchi noted, Wood might have done better to recognize the emotional and financial impact on fans — and shown a bit more empathy.
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