Phillies_tickets"I remember when you could sit in the infield at a Phillies game for $20"

I step away from my computer for a few moments and come back to angry emails from readers complaining that the Phillies raised ticket prices.

I'm not sure a $2-$5 increase (depending on the seat) is all that drastic, given the fact that the Phillies have sold out 123 straight games and have been to three straight NLCS.  BUT when you're team gets beat by a rag-tag Giants club and by all accounts will let their star right fielder walk because he demands too much money, well, people aren't going to be happy.

Funny email from reader "Jason," calling Rub "Ruin Tomorrow Jr.":

The face value (season tix holder cost) of my Section 102 outfield seats in 2005 was $21. The 2010 face was $29 after yet another increase last year. Now I get my statement and they are raising prices $3 each ticket. Last year was bad because they raised prices yet cried poor and dumped Cliff Lee's salary only to give Bum Blanton a raise and now $3 a game. Thats 52% in 6 years! WTF?!
Ruin Tomorrow Jr. better sign a slam dunk free agent and stop pocketing the profits. I wouldn't care as much if the money was going into a winning team but they are def squeezing us for profits and not to improve the team. With over 100+ consecutive sellouts they are hardly strapped for cash and when I called the front office the response I got was "supply and demand". More like the ch squeezing the little guys to get richer!

I got similar, angry emails.

Nick in the comments was a little more reasonable:

Stop getting mad at this. The Phillies are finally a powerhouse in all facets of being a franchise. Great stadium, great team, great fans, and a national appeal. When you are this good, you have to do things to stay on top. As annoying as it is, they need money to stay where they are and I can't fault them for doing what they can to keep the franchise strong.

Sports are a business, but it is one of the only businesses that plays on the emotion of its customers. Sometimes you just don't want to piss those people off.  However, a slight increase on a very successful product isn't exactly "screwing fans."

Details of the increases after the jump.

via David Murphy

Infield (115-132) and baseline rows 1-6 up to $65 from $60
Baseline (112-114, 133-135) up to $50 from $45
Baseline (108-111, 136-139) up to $47 from $45
Outfield (101-107, 140-148) up to $36 from $33
Pavilion (206-211) up to $36 from $33
Arcade (233-237) up to $36 from $33
Scoreboard porch (241-245) up to $40 from $38, including a $10 credit for food, beverage and merchandise
Pavilion (201-205) up to $30 from $28
Pavilion (306-310) up to $28 from $26
Pavilion Deck (301-305) remain at $20
Terrace (312-329) up to $36 from $34
Terrance (330-333) up to $28 from $26
Terrace deck (412-429) up to $28 from $26
Terrance deck (430-434) remain at $20
Rooftop bleachers remain at $28, including $10 credit for food, beverage and merchandise