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Dodgers offering big discounts on tickets

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Times Staff Writer

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Dodgers expect to sell up to 10,000 heavily discounted tickets for their seven-game homestand that starts tonight but don’t think that will lead to the unruly fan behavior that marred their “$2 Tuesdays” promotion in 2005.

Under the latest promotion, offered by Dodgers.com to Travelzoo.com members, $16 reserved seats cost $3, $20 lower reserved seats $6, $28 infield reserved $9 and $50 field box seats $18. To purchase tickets, fans can log onto www.travelzoo.com/newsflash.asp?429281 and use the promotion code TZOOJULY.

Steve Shiffman, the Dodgers’ vice president of ticket sales, said the method of distributing tickets wouldn’t attract the kind of fans who misbehaved and prompted the cancellation of the once-popular promotion that included $2 right-field pavilion seats on Tuesday nights.

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Because this promotion is Internet-based, Shiffman said, “You’re targeting an affluent crowd, a computerized crowd.”

Shiffman called the promotion “a group sale -- no more, no less,” noting that the prices are similar to what they are in other group sales for “super savings games,” the designation given to these seven games because the Atlanta Braves and Florida Marlins aren’t big draws. But he acknowledged the decision to partner with TravelZoo.com was made in part because of concerns the Dodgers have about how the economy and high gas prices are affecting ticket sales. Based on feedback he has received, Shiffman said fans who used to attend four to six games a year are visiting Dodger Stadium less frequently.

“They don’t come to as many games because of the price of gas,” he said.

The Dodgers are averaging 45,240 fans per home game this season, down from 47,614 last season.

Shiffman said he is excited about the potential of Internet-based group sales. He noted how in the past, when groups purchased blocks of tickets, the tickets would all be in the same price range. Using the Internet, he said, people are able to buy tickets at different price levels.

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dylan.hernandez@latimes.com

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