City praises Chihuahuas despite ticket pricing

City Representative Emma Acosta said the cost for Chihuahuas ballpark is fair and comparable to other entertainment venues in El Paso.

Acosta placed the item on Tuesday’s agenda after several constituents raised concerns about rising prices, she said

The Chihuahuas have kept grass tickets at $5 and season seats can still be purchased starting at $7.50 per seat per game. Individual advanced tickets, however, now range from $8 to as high as $30. A low-end $8 to $10 seat last year will now cost $11 to $15 dollars, depending on the day. And a high-end $25 seat behind home plate from last year, will now cost up to $30.

Acosta said the Chihuahuas raised the prices of some tickets because of an increase in electric, water and insurance rates. The rising cost of fireworks also led to the increase, according to Acosta’s presentation.

She said a trip to the movies or UTEP sporting events can often be more expensive than a day at the ballpark. “The Chihuahuas entertainment value is consistent with other family entertainment in El Paso,” Acosta said.

Her presentation heavily focused on the positive impact of the Chihuahuas, citing community involvement and the more than $371,000 the team donated to El Paso non profits last year.

“The Chihuahuas have more than exceeded my expectations with their city involvement. Regardless of what side of the issue you were on, this is good for El Paso,” said Mayor Oscar Leeser. He added the City does not have the authority to dictate ticket prices to the privately owned team, even though they lease the stadium from the city.

City Rep. Lily Limon said the team’s non profit donations came from revenue from ticket pricing. The council took no action on the issue.