Aces to increase ticket prices for 2025 season
Aces fans will see an increase in ticket prices next season for the first time since Mark Davis bought the team in 2021.
Season-ticket holders were to receive a letter from Aces president Nikki Fargas on Monday that detailed the “enhanced benefits and price changes” before the renewal period begins Aug. 15.
The increase will be slight.
The average ticket price will increase from $30.78 this year to $43.95 for next season.
“It was a fight in here,” Davis said Thursday of discussions to raise the prices, a decision he opposed. “Basically no blood, but there could have been. I’d rather just give (the tickets) away for free, but they’re not letting you do that.”
The biggest changes will occur at the higher end. The Aces offered courtside seats on the sideline and baseline for $500 per game and $10,000 for the 2024 season. Those prices will increase to $600 and $13,200.
The most affordable seats remain in the upper bowl. Season tickets will cost $220 – a $20 increase – but the same price per game, as teams will have 22 home games next season instead of 20 with Golden State joining the league. Single-game tickets will remain at $10.
The Aces don’t price dynamically, meaning their prices don’t change depending on the opponent. That’s not the case on the secondary market.
The two-time defending champions sold out all their home games this season and became the first team in WNBA history to sell out its allotted season tickets. There’s a waiting list of 2,300 people looking to purchase memberships for the 2025 season.
New season-ticket holders won’t get free parking at Mandalay Bay, but renewing members will be grandfathered in.
The Aces are adding other perks for new season-ticket holders, depending on the tier. Among them are events with player appearances and a Q&A session with coach Becky Hammon.
The WNBA is experiencing exponential growth impacted by a popular rookie class featuring Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark and Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese. The Sky capitalized on that interest by more than doubling their prices for next season, reportedly increasing courtside season tickets from $4,500 to $11,000.
Davis defends female athletes
Davis also discussed the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority’s decision in May to sponsor each player on the Aces’ roster for $100,000 apiece for a total of $1.2 million.
“What the LVCVA did in recognizing these women … I’m so grateful,” said Davis, who often has criticized the pay disparity between male and female athletes.
The WNBA responded to the sponsorships by hiring outside legal counsel to investigate. The league has declined to comment on the status of the investigation.
The LVCVA said this month that payments were being dispersed to some of the players.
“Part of the goal here is for other organizations within the city to understand that these women at this time are highly undervalued and underpaid,” Davis said. “Any help they can get is really important.”
Davis added that if players made more in the U.S. they wouldn’t have to play overseas during the offseason.
When asked if he had received feedback from other owners about the LVCVA’s sponsorships, Davis jokingly said: “Yeah. They say we’re going to investigate the Aces.”
Contact reporter Callie Lawson-Freeman at clawsonfreeman@reviewjournal.com. Follow @CallieJLaw on X.