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While we may wish that pro sports ran on loyalty and the love of the game, that's not the case. The NFL, like it or not, is big business. Money simply makes the league go round. The New York Jets' reported plans for 2024 season tickets can be seen as proof of that reality.
We're only entering Week 8 of the 2023 campaign, but Gang Green is looking ahead to next season. According to Brian Costello, of the New York Post, the club is raising season ticket prices by an average of 10 percent. Fans will also have to make their commitment by November 15 as opposed to spring 2024.
That's just business as usual, right? When a team is good, the brand simply becomes more desirable. Well, some fans think that something else could be at play.
Aaron Rodgers Just Shared a More Realistic Rehab Update
When the Jets' big-name acquisition went down injured in Week 1, most assumed that he was done for the season. Rodgers, however, has made a career out of proving his doubters wrong and vowed to return from this setback.
Then, ahead of the Jets' date with the Eagles, the unthinkable happened. While Rodgers obviously wasn't ready to play, he did walk the field without crutches and throw some passes before the game. Maybe a miraculous return really was in the cards.
But more than a week later, the quarterback was a bit more down-to-earth.
"It's been a tough week of rehab," Rodgers said Tuesday on The Pat McAfee Show, according to an official Jets write-up. "It's been smaller gains. I think when you get to a certain point, you're not having the jumps that I did early on. It's been more of a grind the last week or so, but a lot of good things we're trending towards."
It seems like simply moving normally, not playing football, is Rodgers' next challenge.
"Just trying to get down to 100 percent walking as far as it looking normal," the quarterback added. "After that, I think that I will start to take a bigger jump. Once I can start walking normal in a shoe, which is close, really close, then we'll make a jump."
On Reddit, some couldn't help but notice that the Jets' push for (more expensive) season ticket renewals came on the heels of that news.
"Rodgers must've told them he's retiring," user on-the-cheeseburgers quipped. That comment garnered two replies: TuaAnon added "quick, renew your season tickets. nothing to see here," while ItIsYourPersonality noted, "I mean, this does come exactly 1 day after Rodgers said his recovery isn't going as quickly as it previously was, causing him frustration."
The speculation, however, didn't stop there.
User tytrim89, for example, wrote: "This feels like they know something we dont and they are trying to cash in quick." Lonesoldier4789 countered by saying, "This is stupid. Fanbase is amped for the first time in over a decade and they are capitalizing. It's that simple," but user Otherwise_Horse_1659 wasn't sold. "Might not be! Middle aged QB who tore his Achilles may not be coming back," their reply read.
We will return to Lonesoldier4789's perspective shortly, though.
Further down the thread, Mechajlaw wondered if the opposite was afoot, musing, "The conspiracy theorist in me wonders if this means Rodgers' rehab is ahead of schedule." OldGodsProphet, however, was ready to see the other side of the argument. "Quite the opposite probably. They think he won't come back so they want to lock in money now before everyone decides it isnt worth it," their comment explained.
Hype Is the Simplest Explanation for the Jets' Choice
Remember how Lonesoldier4789 suggested that Jets fans are the most excited they've been for a while and the organization wants to capitalize on that buzz? Well, that certainly seems like a reasonable explanation.
Flashing back to the offseason, Rodgers' arrival dominated the headlines. Adding an elite quarterback to a team that possessed both formidable offensive weapons (Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall chief among them) and a top-notch defense seemed like a recipe for success. And, perhaps as importantly as anything, Jets fans finally had something to look forward to.
"This is the best I've ever felt as a Jets fan in my entire life. I've been a Jets fan for about 15 years. Never had an experience like this going into a season," one fan told CBS News ahead of the season opener.
And while Rodgers' injury did rain on the parade a bit, Gang Green has hung tough. The club is sitting at .500, went toe-to-toe with the Kansas City Chiefs and defeated the Philadelphia Eagles. A playoff berth could still be in the cards, but, if nothing else, the club's performance bodes well for the future.
In light of that reality, a price hike and earlier renewal deadline probably make business sense.
"The reason for the price hike and the earlier renewal deadline is the increased demand the Jets have seen for tickets this year," Costello wrote in his New York Post piece. "They are already fielding requests from fans wanting 2024 season tickets and need to know how much inventory they will have based on how many current season-ticket holders plan on renewing for next year."
Newsweek has reached out to the Jets for comment via email on Wednesday.
About the writer
Joe Kozlowski is the Newsweek Sports Team Lead based in New York. His focus is covering U.S. sports. He is especially passionate about ... Read more