The Green Seats

You’ve seen them behind home plate at both Busch Stadiums. Maybe you’ve been lucky enough to sit in them and experience the rock star parking, the all-you-can-eat-and-drink fancy restaurant and the waiter/waitress service in the seats with another all-you-can-eat menu and of course the umpire-like view of the game.

The seats were added for the 1996 season and I was lucky enough to be involved on the project. Once the dome was built for the new St. Louis Rams, we knew Busch Stadium would no longer be hosting any major football games so the movable field box seats could be made permanent. It was decided to remove the turf and add grass and look at the new high-end seats the other teams were adding.

One day my boss sent me home early to pack…I had to go on the trip with the other executives to see the stadiums with the high-end seats the next day. This is when the team was still owned by Anheuser Busch. This was also my first time to ride in a private jet.

We flew from St. Louis to Houston to see the Astrodome, flew to San Diego to see Joe Robbie Stadium then to Los Angeles overnight. We looked at Dodger Stadium in the morning, then flew to San Francisco to see Candlestick park, then home. We were supposed to stop in Denver to visit the Rockies but they had a game. (No, I'm not kidding and Yes it was awesome!)

When we returned we debated the various amenities offered, ran the numbers and evaluated the space in old Busch Stadium on where we might build the restaurant, kitchen etc. Once these decisions were made, the prices set, the question came to me and my boss…”Can you sell these seats?” Of course we said “Yes!”

Remember this was pre-PSL. You could not buy your way in to the good seats. We had a seniority system for upgrading season ticket holders. In the off-season, during season ticket renewals, if someone gave up their seats these were used to upgrade other ticket holders. A few rows lower, a section closer etc. Pre-PSL you couldn’t just sell your tickets to someone else….no matter how much money they offered!

We knew there were many companies and individuals who had the means to buy these high-end seats. The Club Seats were originally sold for $100 per seat or $8,100 per season ticket. We sold them on speculation while they were under construction. Clearly the benefits and the view combined were amazing and we sold out.

Luckily we were on commission for the sale of all season tickets including the new Club Seats. I paid off one of my student loans that year! Go Cardinals!