Rockies owner Dick Monfort, clearly enthused by his club’s first trip to the playoffs since 2009, delivered his annual letter to season-ticket holders this week.

The most noteworthy elements of the letter include:

News that the Rockies will be “instituting a modest price increase for 2018.”

Touting the new scoreboard above the left-field stands at Coors Field for the 2018 season “that is as unique as any in the game.”

New “ribbon scoreboards” throughout the ballpark.

The promise of a better sound system at Coors Field.

Monfort did not specify what he means by a “modest” price increase.

According to Forbes magazine, the average ticket price for a game at Coors Field in 2017 was $59.63, ranking as the 17th most-expensive ticket out of 30 major-league teams. Forbes based its number on an average of regular-season purchase prices for both regular and premium seating.

Following is the complete text of Monfort’s letter to fans: Related Articles September 20, 2020 Rockies’ starter Antonio Senzatela emerges as bright spot in 2020

September 20, 2020 Rockies’ Nolan Arenado might have, quietly, played his final home game at Coors Field

September 20, 2020 Why Raimel Tapia’s confidence is soaring in breakout season with Rockies

September 19, 2020 Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw stumps Rockies in 6-1 Colorado loss at Coors Field

September 19, 2020 Rockies designate veteran reliever Wade Davis for assignment

First and foremost, THANK YOU TO OUR MOST LOYAL FANS! What an incredible year.

So often over the course of the season, I heard from our players, coaches and staff about the incredible fans we have here at Coors Field. I’ll never forget the comment Jonathan Lucroy made soon after joining the team mid-season: “What a fan base! They rev us up!” Night in and night out, you showed up and cheered our team on, and we all thank you for your devotion.

In the highly competitive NL West, our 2017 Rockies were in playoff contention throughout the season, and our sustained success was a critical accomplishment. Even though we all would have preferred to play deeper into the postseason, 2017 was a tremendous step forward and delivered a valuable learning experience for our young players. Playing down the stretch, there was not a game that I can remember that wasn’t an edge-of-your-seat battle, and our guys never quit! So what’s next? As with any team, there are player decisions to be made and areas to improve, so that is our charge this offseason: Keep getting better and win more games!

Next year will mark our 25th Anniversary Season, which will give us the opportunity to celebrate our history while we cheer on our 2018 team. We continue to have the best stadium, the finest employees and the greatest fan base anywhere. Our recent lease extension ensures that 20th & Blake will have baseball for at least the next 30 years, and this great ballpark will only get better. Next year, we will unveil a brand new left-center field scoreboard on Opening Day that is as unique as any in the game, as well as new ribbon scoreboards, an improved sound system, upgraded bar and concession areas on the Club Level and more.

As we prepare for next season, an unfortunate step in our annual business planning is evaluating our ticket pricing. We understand that no one wants to pay more, however, our prices continue to be some of the lowest in baseball. We will be instituting a modest price increase for 2018. Hopefully, this will allow us to sign and retain players that can help get us over the top.

I will close by stating for the record that, yes, I am optimistic for our team’s chances in 2018. I am always optimistic, but this group headed by Bud Black seems to have that secret sauce that great teams possess: a mix of youth and veterans, strong arms and athletic bodies, and most important, an incredible desire to deliver a championship to our fans.

Thank you again for sharing an exciting 2017 with us. We all look forward to seeing you at Coors Field in 2018 to celebrate our 25th Anniversary and even greater success on the field!

Sincerely,

Richard L. Monfort