Heeding the feedback of their most loyal customers, the Pirates are offering an incentive to entice season-ticket holders to renew for next season -- a reduction in price.
"Season-ticket holders will get a discount of $1 per seat per game," said Vic Gregovits, vice president of marketing. "It's been very well received."
For example, a infield box seat with a face value of $27 will cost a dollar less for a savings of $81 for the season.
Other incentives to renew include bonus tickets to premium seats.
For those holding a 20-game plan, the Pirates are offering a free seat to another game.
As announced when the home schedule was released late in the season, ticket prices for other customers will remain the same as last season.
The price reduction is a contrast to last year when the Pirates raised ticket prices following a 100-loss season in 2001. Following a public furor, Kevin McClatchy admitted later the price increase was a mistake.
To take the pulse of their paying customers, the Pirates got feedback from focus groups, in-park surveys and phone surveys.
The Pirates had the equivalent of 10,200 season tickets last season, a drop of about 40 percent from the inaugural season at PNC Park.
The Pirates hope to know how many fans are renewing for the season in early January. Each season-ticket holder is being contacted by phone.
The club will also offer a package of tickets to six games, which is marketed as a six-pack.
Sales for individual games will start the first week of March.
Robert Dvorchak can be reached at bdvorchak@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1959.
Pirates offer savings for season tickets 
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