Yeah, totally agree with you there. And that's where mine are too. A lot of other people must agree also, because I essentially have my entire row to myself game in and game out. No one is buying those tickets.In my mind, DARK GREY are the worst value - and that's exactly where my tickets are...
TFC should have very limited 'Premium Priced Seats' and that should be 123 with Club Access - a significant dip to sections 122 & 124 (West) and lower 107/108...
After that - every ticket in the stadium should be in the range that the majority of the population see them as 'affordable'...
With so many varying factors (some out of the clubs control) having tickets priced as they are will continue to drop the fan base...
The simple fact that the weather can kick your ass - paying $69 per seat is something people will simply say "no thanks" to season seat package ($50ish at SSH prices) - but at say $35 (SSH Price) per ticket per game, a large majority in this city can/will embrace as decent value.... This is even before we get into the product on the field...
123 can be priced to the heavens - as the corps can fill them out. 107-108 / 122 & 124 can be priced 'stupid' as the rich and 'want to be seen' will purchase and actually show up June-July-August when it isn't raining. The rest of the stadium needs to be quite differently priced from those - and they will be filled, most games, most weather conditions, if priced accordingly...
That strategy will keep the "buzz" about it being a 'full' (not 100%) stadium. Keep the concessions going. And keep the entertainment value for those who are there...
Plus, it would give the club leverage to raise ticket prices for 'special occasions' (PLAYOFFS should they ever happen). Right now, if the stadium remained the way it is, the club would have no leverage really to raise prices for playoffs - there's no guarantee they'd fill it, in winter...
The type of decisions / pricing are fine balance - you have to find that 'perfect zone' of cheap enough to attract, not too cheap to detract your value... The year-1 pricing was an excellent idea, but the next step is lowering the 'mid-level' tickets...
Keep the corp seats jacked - in fact they could even raise the SS seats a touch (you'll all kill me for saying that, but at $9-$10 a game it's less than a movie), and trim down the mid-level - to ensure their number-1 marketing point (that being atmosphere and game-day experience) remains there to market...