Chargers to Announce Ticket Hike : Football: Average price of a ticket will increase about $3.

SAN DIEGO —  It will cost more in 1992 to watch the Chargers, and a lot more if fans elect to purchase tickets game-by-game rather than buying season tickets.

The Chargers mailed letters to their season ticket-holders late Wednesday detailing the team’s first price increase in four years. The team, however, declined to make such information immediately available to reporters.

“We are raising tickets as we said we would a year ago,” said Bill Johnston, team director of public relations. “But we’re holding off on our announcement. We feel the season ticket-holders should be the first to hear about it.”

However, it has been learned that season ticket-holders, who paid $23 per ticket the past three years for field, plaza, loge and upper level seats, will pay $26.

Those who do not buy the $260 10-game package, will pay $30 for a seat in San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium that cost $23 last year.

Press level seats, which went for $30, will cost season ticket-holders $35. Those who don’t buy season tickets will have to pay $40 for a press level seat.

There will be no price increase for extended plaza level season tickets, which have cost $15 a seat, but for those who do not purchase season tickets, there will be a $3 price hike.

A survey of ticket prices conducted by the Dallas Morning News last year indicated that the Chargers had the fourth lowest average ticket price ($22.77) in the league.

The Chargers will not be able to determine the average price of their ticket in 1992 until the end of the season when they break down season-ticket sales and game-by-game sales. Based on last year’s sales, however, they expect the average ticket price to be a little more than $26, which they believe still will keep them in the bottom half of the league in ticket prices.

The Chargers considered raising ticket prices in 1990, but were concerned about making fans unhappy after experiencing three consecutive 6-10 finishes. Instead, they announced that ticket prices would be increased this year.

Obviously, they didn’t intend on finishing 4-12. They hope to avert criticism by focusing on the lower increase for season ticket-holders. They will suggest in their announcements and marketing plans that they are rewarding season ticket-holders for their loyalty.

At the same time they will urge fans to purchase season tickets to avoid the higher per game prices for all others.

“It’s not an easy situation,” said Alex Spanos, Chargers owner. “It’s a question of keeping up with the league. We haven’t done anything in four years and we’ve got other teams coming in here.”

Spanos purchased controlling interest of the team in 1984. This will be the second time in his tenure that ticket prices have been hiked.

The Chargers, 4-12 last season, sold a little more than 39,000 season tickets and averaged 48,266 in attendance. The team sold a high of 56,600 season tickets in 1984, and averaged 53,097 in 1987 for its top average attendance.

The Chargers are counting on success this season with the hiring of Coach Bobby Ross and the benefit of a fifth-place schedule. However, the fifth-place schedule makes the sales pitch tough.

In addition to the Raiders, Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs, the Chargers will play home against the Indianapolis Colts (1-15), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-13), Cincinnati Bengals (3-13) and Pittsburgh Steelers (7-9).

The Chargers have not been to the playoffs since 1982--the longest present playoff drought for any NFL team.

“I’m well aware of that (the team’s recent record),” Spanos said. “But all I can say is, I’m expecting a better year.”