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Despite the bad news that the Blue Jays are increasing prices for season tickets and flex packs, there is some good news to report from the Blue Jays ticket office. Bluebird Banter has learned that the club has decided to continue to offer a Ballpark Pass for the 2015 season (the catch is that the sale will only be open to patrons who held a pass in 2014) however, we do not yet know the price of the pass, which has been $95 since at least 2006.
The Blue Jays' Ballpark Pass is probably the best ticket deal in Major League Baseball: the $95 pass, which is transferable, entitles the holder a specific 500-level seat for 80 home games (all save for the Home Opener) a season. Most pass holders would not attend all 80 games, but those who do would be paying just $1.19 per game. But unlike season tickets, pass holders would not get paper tickets but would have to swipe their card to gain entry, and they would also not have any priority for postseason ticket purchases (which has not been a problem, really).
The Ballpark Pass began as a Toronto Star dollar-a-game promotion in the 1990s. As far as we know, they were offered to the broad public until the 2013 season, when the Blue Jays only sold the passes to customers who already had a pass in the previous season. In addition, before 2013, fans would have to present their pass at the Rogers Centre box office on gameday in order to obtain a paper ticket for a 500-level seat; since 2013, fans have been assigned a particular seat for the season and they would simply present the card at the gate for entry.
Even though I hold the Ballpark Pass, I also purchase a 20-ticket flex pack in order to get good seats for the Home Opener and other popular games such as Canada Day and bobblehead giveaways. The 20-ticket flex pack is much better than the 10-, 15-, and 40-game flex packs as one could get multiple tickets for the same game.
The lucky ones who have a Ballpark Pass can expect an email from the ticket office in the next couple of months with details of how to purchase the 2015 pass.