Ducks raise ticket prices for next season

A month after the defending Stanley Cup champion Kings raised their ticket prices next season by an average of 5.8%, the Pacific Division-leading Ducks announced Monday their season tickets will rise by a 4.1% average.

The Ducks worked to soften their news by noting that season tickets will start for as low as $13 per game and that the increase was the team’s first since the 2010-11 season.

“As we evaluate our pricing each season, we will continue to do everything possible to maintain reasonable pricing for our fans,” Tim Ryan, the team’s executive vice president and chief operating offier, said in a statement.

The rise comes on the heels of a lengthy lockout that shrunk this season from 82 to 48 games, an obvious financial hit for an organization that is drawing well and dominating at home this season.

A sellout crowd of 17,427 filled Honda Center on Sunday for the Ducks’ game against Detroit. Anaheim (22-5-4 before Monday night’s game against San Jose) won 13 consecutive home games before losing to the Red Wings on Friday night.

Suite owner David Kenney of Yorba Linda said Monday that although the increase seems excessive, he will likely maintain his suite contract after it expires after the 2013-14 season.

“It’s high, but this year we’ve had a quality product,” Kenney said. “I’ve been surprised by how the strong the fan turnout has been after the lockout.

“But we’ll renew. I still may talk to [Ducks’ marketing people] and say, ‘That’s a little high.’ ”

The Ducks took note that the NHL ticket-price-tracking Team Marketing Report cited the Ducks’ average ticket price as of Feb. 13, $40.49, is 22nd-lowest in the league, with the NHL average at $61.01.

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