Cubs raising season ticket prices an average of 19.5 percent

CHICAGO (AP) The Chicago Cubs gave their long-suffering fans a World Series championship last season and now fans are going to have to give the Cubs something: More money.

The team says the average season ticket price at Wrigley Field will climb 19.5 percent next season. The best seats will go up the most: 31 percent for club box infield seats and 22 percent for seats in the bleachers. Other seats will go up between 6 percent and 17 percent.

Cubs Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing Colin Faulkner says last year's team created ''unprecedented demand'' for tickets and that the higher prices shouldn't be a surprise.

The increase marks the second straight season that the team has raised the face value of its tickets by at least 10 percent.