Playoff Tickets and Seasons Tickets

[nfitz]

My medium grey pricing is $710 per ticket. Crazy that there is such a wide difference. People around longer are apparently better fans and as such are treated better

$760 I think you said.

Continuing the price differences is interesting. It's almost like it's a threat to those who are tempted to cancel. Don't do it, because you'll never get in this cheap again.

I'd certainly give them a call, and ask why your price went up $76 a ticket (I think), when first year holders only went up $57 in your section. (though medium grey in 120 has reported $95 increase ... gosh, this is getting even more complex.).

[molenshtain]

My medium grey pricing is $710 per ticket. Crazy that there is such a wide difference. People around longer are apparently better fans and as such are treated better

Well, yeah. How many Mariner games did you go to? fuck me if they're not compensating me for going to all of those.

[Tim110]

So stupid question, once I renew where do I click in my account manager to buy more playoff tickets?

[nfitz]

So stupid question, once I renew where do I click in my account manager to buy more playoff tickets?

I don't think it's there yet. Rumour has it there'll be an email with info on Monday.

[lobo]

That's interesting. 111 row 7 is light grey. Auzzy reported that his seat in 226 (also light grey) is only $35 for the playoffs. Yet both he and magmadragon (in 111) reported seasons are $323 up from $228. So did magmadragon get $35 playoff tickets? Are they changing the zone of the bottom of 111? Did someone get their price or location wrong?

Year 1 ssh, top of 110, light grey ... renewal $343, playoff ticket $40

My argument to my rep will be as long as we are a supporters section 111, top 110, 119(?) we should have a similar increase as the south. I'll be adding my voice to this on Monday when I call my rep.

i'm very concerned that top of 110 is not going to be a supporters section in the future for several reasons, and now this 43% price increase is yet another.

[Nuvinho]

My cost over the past 2 years:

supporters - $380/pair now $437/pair - increase of 15%
light greys - $456/pair now $646/pair - increase of 42%
dark greys - $1520/pair now $1710/pair - increase of 13%

Does that sound about right?

[jvanpeebles]

$760 I think you said.

Continuing the price differences is interesting. It's almost like it's a threat to those who are tempted to cancel. Don't do it, because you'll never get in this cheap again.

I'd certainly give them a call, and ask why your price went up $76 a ticket (I think), when first year holders only went up $57 in your section. (though medium grey in 120 has reported $95 increase ... gosh, this is getting even more complex.).

My apologies, you are correct. It is 1520 for the pair. It is very complex for sure and without a doubt a money grab. one season making the playoffs does not make up for all the previous years where we suffered.

[Mateo1985]

So once you get season seats you always renew at the same price? is that it?

[JDMD]

OgtheDim & JDMD: were your old prices ($550 for medium grey; $730 for dark grey) year 1 prices i.e., loyalty prices after the big price drop a few years ago?

My grey ones were year 1 prices. My north end seat dropped in price a bit last year, but I only got it in 2013 so I'm not really sure exactly how much of a discount it was.

[JDMD]

$730? Year 1 pricing was $760 in dark grey. (actually it was $800, but that was based on 20 games, and they've used 19 games recently).

What were playoff tickets in Dark Grey?

$494? When did you get this ticket? Light Blue was $513 when they first went to Year 1 pricing in 2013. Are you sure that's the correct price?

(I'm tryng to put the whole thing together).

That's my bad - sorry. I just went back and looked and the prices I gave included some discounts I had in my account (I think from selling a few seats on the ticket exchange). My actual full prices last year were $760 for the greys and $513 for the light blues, which are exactly as you pointed out.

[gdg_9]

My cost over the past 2 years:

supporters - $380/pair now $437/pair - increase of 15%
light greys - $456/pair now $646/pair - increase of 42%
dark greys - $1520/pair now $1710/pair - increase of 13%

Does that sound about right?

That was me as well... supporters went from $380/pair to $437/pair.
About $1.50 increase per ticket per game (with the cost evenly split across all games - not considering premium vs value games, etc.)

[ahandle]

^ This is the point I made abundantly clear to the sales rep I spoke with yesterday at BMO. I also added that I fully expect prices to increase for those of us enjoying year 1 pricing, but that I would have hoped the increase would be applied across the board equally to all season seat holders enjoying year 1 pricing. To hit one price point at 40% and counter with "it's only $5 per game" while others see an increase of 19% or a decrease is not a very convincing argument.

He told me they are hearing this from many people in the light greys.

Does anybody here have the email addresses of the people at TFC/MLSE to whom we could write letters?

This was the same excuse I was given when I called it about the light greys. The rep also said that they wanted to bring the light grey price point closer to the med and dark grey. 41% increase is insane! They keep ignoring the percentage increase and says its only a few dollars more per seat per game.. Its even more frustrating to see the light greys getting hit with the most.

[Primavera]

... and says its only a few dollars more per seat per game..

Clearly a talking point handed to them by their managers.

[nascarguy]

my are 267$ for 114 this is the 3rd year for me in that section

[nfitz]

So once you get season seats you always renew at the same price? is that it?

No. It was for last 3 years, but this year it's a mixed bag.

What happened is that everyone used to be the same, no matter when they purchased. And prices increased noticeably every year. Especially in the south and Light Grey, because to be honest, they had priced them too low compared to the other seats.

But when things went badly in 2011 (year 5) when they tried to hike the prices too high, (and include too many games). So they held 2011 pricing in 2012. But after another dreadful season, they came up with this year 1 pricing thing for 2013, but sold new tickets at closer to year 3 prices. Then after another dreadful year in 2014 they froze everyone at what they paid (2012 or 2013 prices) but sold new tickets close to year 5 pricing, with the whole Defoe/Bradley thing. Then in 2015, after yet another bad season, they froze again, sold a lot of new seasons at 2014 prices, and then switched late in the day to even higher prices than every before. Putting current seat holders at 4 different pricing levels, that vary drastically, based on when they first purchased.

Now in 2015, they are moving up the Year 1 pricing, but only moderately, except in the under-priced light-grey (but not the under-priced yellow). Hard to see exactly what they are doing everywhere, though some with 2014 pricing have been frozen.

If you look at the price per game, I tried to summarize as best I know, on Twitter a couple of weeks ago, over the years.



(price per game = divide total by the 19 games in recent years. In earlier years, premium (MLS Cup, friendlies) games were double. In 2007, MLSE assumed 20 games).

There appears to be some even weirder stuff going on this year, with different reported prices by Year 1 holders in Medium Grey in the east stands than the west stands. We'll be using PriceLine to pick our price at this rate ...

[sully]

This was the same excuse I was given when I called it about the light greys. The rep also said that they wanted to bring the light grey price point closer to the med and dark grey. 41% increase is insane! They keep ignoring the percentage increase and says its only a few dollars more per seat per game.. Its even more frustrating to see the light greys getting hit with the most.

The other issue to me is that while they want to consolidate all like minded people in the south end, for good reasons, there's little incentive for people to move out of the south end and allow other people in, when the price point jumps so much to leave the south end..

[Mateo1985]

No. It was for last 3 years, but this year it's a mixed bag.

What happened is that everyone used to be the same, no matter when they purchased. And prices increased noticeably every year. Especially in the south and Light Grey, because to be honest, they had priced them too low compared to the other seats.

But when things went badly in 2011 (year 5) when they tried to hike the prices too high, (and include too many games). So they held 2011 pricing in 2012. But after another dreadful season, they came up with this year 1 pricing thing for 2013, but sold new tickets at closer to year 3 prices. Then after another dreadful year in 2014 they froze everyone at what they paid (2012 or 2013 prices) but sold new tickets close to year 5 pricing, with the whole Defoe/Bradley thing. Then in 2015, after yet another bad season, they froze again, sold a lot of new seasons at 2014 prices, and then switched late in the day to even higher prices than every before. Putting current seat holders at 4 different pricing levels, that vary drastically, based on when they first purchased.

Now in 2015, they are moving up the Year 1 pricing, but only moderately, except in the under-priced light-grey (but not the under-priced yellow). Hard to see exactly what they are doing everywhere, though some with 2014 pricing have been frozen.

If you look at the price per game, I tried to summarize as best I know, on Twitter a couple of weeks ago, over the years.



(price per game = divide total by the 19 games in recent years. In earlier years, premium (MLS Cup, friendlies) games were double. In 2007, MLSE assumed 20 games).

There appears to be some even weirder stuff going on this year, with different reported prices by Year 1 holders in Medium Grey in the east stands than the west stands. We'll be using PriceLine to pick our price at this rate ...

Thanks for the info. It seems like the pricing has been all over the place lol. I'm super happy at the pricing in the south end. Before becoming a SSH last year I'd usually never be able to get tickets in the south end before. Always had to pay quite a bit to watch games. Now it's a lot better though. Haven't missed even a single home game this season and couldn't be happier

[Fort York Redcoat]

The other issue to me is that while they want to consolidate all like minded people in the south end, for good reasons, there's little incentive for people to move out of the south end and allow other people in, when the price point jumps so much to leave the south end..

Wow. That is a great point. For all the focus and attention we've put on relocation to avoid incidents that does not help getting people where they want to support.

[TFC1154ever]

I was talking to some of the guys in 115, and what TFC should have done was make a second deck (maybe less seats) a top of supporter section so more people can relocate there or buy tickets there.

[kodiakTFC]

I was talking to some of the guys in 115, and what TFC should have done was make a second deck (maybe less seats) a top of supporter section so more people can relocate there or buy tickets there.

I don't think MLSE wants a second deck to the supporters. Why create more seats at a high cost when you'll sell those seats for relatively little.

[TFC1154ever]

I agree but, I think we would see more season ticket holders if they were priced like the south end. Every time I tell people how much I pay per season, everyone says to me they would get season's if it were that price. If we would have done that and made the east side 2nd deck smaller, we would have sold more season tickets then we would have now. Enough so to me that it would have been pretty much been even money wise. And if that's the case, what would u rather have? Less people in the stadium or more?

[sully]

For me to move out of the south end, it looks like it would cost me a minimum of 50 percent more to move to seats that in my opinion are less appealing than the seats i am already in. To me a view from the middle of the south end provide a better view than any seat in a corner. So to leave the south end i would have to pay more for less.

[SuperTCP]

I don't think MLSE wants a second deck to the supporters. Why create more seats at a high cost when you'll sell those seats for relatively little.

Proof is the new East side 2nd deck, priced high and very confusing, mainly empty all season long. If it was priced more reasonable, maybe more would have attended.

[Ben - D.O.W.]

A conversation with my ticket rep - thought some people might also be interested:

Me: Hi Kirsten - I had a question for you about Season Ticket Renewals. I get that there was going to be a price increase, we've made the playoffs for the first time and MLSE was never going to pass up that opportunity to raise prices. My question though is how do they justify a 42% increase for light greys ($228 to $323)? Especially when most of the stadium is facing increases of 10-15%. I know people all over the stadium and am on the Red Patch Boys forum all the time and so know what everyone else is facing, and I don't see how you (not you personally obviously) can justify charging one group 3+ times more of an increase than every other group. Have you received any sort of messaging about it? It's bad enough the Argos are coming to our National Soccer Stadium but now it feels like we're being made to pay for it with huge increases - 42% is kind of ridiculous for a one year increase.

Thanks for your time.

Ticket Rep:Hi Ben

Thanks for reaching out.

The prices and increases are not the same for all season seat holders as we have had different people paying different prices for a couple years now. As you had been paying loyalty pricing for the past couple years, you may see your increase to be larger than others. You would have more of an increase than someone who had purchased recently but in the end you are still receiving the same if not a less expensive package price.

Your increase ends up being approx. $5 a game per ticket on avg, equaling about $17 a ticket. I’d be happy to further discuss if necessary on the phone as it can be a little difficult over email. Please let me know.

Thanks

Me: Hi _____ - thanks for getting back to me. I understand there are at this point a number of different price points within each section based on when you first enrolled, whether you were renewing or buying new, etc. And that's not really my concern. My main issue is why is one section being singled out (light grey) for huge increases (42%) while other sections in similar scenarios with regards to loyalty pricing are facing much smaller increases. For example:

Supporters Section - $380/pair now $437/pair - increase of 15%
Light Greys - $456/pair now $646/pair - increase of 42%
Dark Greys - $1520/pair now $1710/pair - increase of 13%

All of those are based on the same loyalty pricing last year, and the renewal prices this year. My concern is it seems as if one area of the stadium is seeing it's prices jump much faster than the rest (both more and less expensive tickets). So just wondering if there was a reason we in Light Grey seats were being targeted for 3x times the increase of other areas? 111 is still a Supporter Section, but in one year we've gone from $38 more / ticket to $104.50 more / ticket from the other Supporter Sections (112-118).


And I know that you have no say in the pricing of things and can only pass on what comes from the organization but it sure feels like we're getting screwed this year in the Light Greys.

Thanks


I'll be interested to hear what the party line is on why Light Greys are being singled out. 10-20% increase I would have been fine with - 42% seems a little ridiculous for getting into the playoffs once (and still not even knowing if we'll have a home game).

[Detroit_TFC]

In last couple seasons, moving to Lt Grey was a quick way to spend less on tickets but keep a fairly similar view in the main stand, they seem to be trying to remove that price incentive. Like I've said before, they have too many price points and they are all tangled up in them now.

[TFC Cityboy]

In last couple seasons, moving to Lt Grey was a quick way to spend less on tickets but keep a fairly similar view in the main stand, they seem to be trying to remove that price incentive. Like I've said before, they have too many price points and they are all tangled up in them now.

MLSE dug a hole for themselves right at the start in 2006 by having a ST spread from $190 up to around $1400. Ridiculous spread and has caused problems ever since.
The cheap seats were priced too cheap from the off which they tried to remedy by getting up as high as around $370 ( if memory serves )then dug another hole for themselves when the team shit the bed so badly they risked losing much of the base. This was remedied by dropping day 1ers back to day 1 pricing.

Obviously they are making no money off us in the yellows/light greys and are trying to dig themselves out of their own piss poor management of pricing.

Clueless tossers right from the get go

[MightyDM]

I think the exact numbers were $475 for the last 3 seasons and $532 this sesason. MLSE uses 19 games in their calculation (the prices are always divisible by 19). So $25/game last season and $28 now. And this means that yellow, medium grey, and dark grey got a 12% to 15% increase, while light grey got 42%.

All reasonable compared to historic, other than light grey. I'm surprised the increase wasn't bigger really, given that medium grey pricing was $29 in year 3, peaking at $34 in year 5. (though new SSH paid as high as $40 last year in medium grey).

$570. Hmm, that's odd, that's higher than medium grey on the west side. I'm not understanding $458 though ... how long have you had seasons? Was it possibly $475 with a $17 credit?

I think you have the medium grey figures correct at the top. Based on 19 games, $25 to $28 now. Hard to complain.

[Pint]

They had SG'S occupying light grey sections in the past. They don't officially anymore, that in itself was an indication that they wanted to hike those areas.

The gap between light and med grey was far too large (I think med grey is over priced, not that light grey is under priced).

[nfitz]

I think you have the medium grey figures correct at the top. Based on 19 games, $25 to $28 now. Hard to complain.

Which section are you? I'm still scratching my head about the report of $30 in 120.

Hard to complain except those in light-grey. I'm surprised only those year 1 holders were hit with such a large increase. But quite happy.

[OgtheDim]

From a TFC email

To get priority access to purchase additional playoff tickets, call us at 416-360-GOAL (4625) starting at 10 AM on Tuesday, October 20th. To be eligible for additional tickets to Playoff matches at membership pricing, your seats must be renewed for the 2016 Season.

Ugh...