Playoffs Are Part of the Plan

The Clippers are playoff-bound.

That’s the message they sent in mailing postseason ticket information to season-ticket holders as part of pricing plans for the 2006-07 season.

The Clippers expect to soon clinch their first playoff berth in nine seasons, and they’re eager to share the news.

“This isn’t a test, this is the real thing,” said Carl Lahr, senior vice president of marketing and sales. “It was a lot of fun to know that the work we did to get everything together won’t be in vain.”

The Clippers would be seeded fifth if the Western Conference playoffs began today, so they mailed the packages last week.

Tickets for an entire first-round series at Staples Center, as well as for regular-season packages next season, range from $15 to $800 per game.

The top-end ticket would cost $1,200 for an individual game, and prices increase the next three rounds through the NBA Finals.

Overall, next season’s ticket prices will increase 6.33%, the Clippers said. They increased 12% from the 2004-05 season to this season.