http://www.torontosun.com/sports/soc.../17705486.html
I don't need to say much more. I'm sure they know how Supply and Demand work, right?
http://www.torontosun.com/sports/soc.../17705486.html
I don't need to say much more. I'm sure they know how Supply and Demand work, right?
duplicate post? right thread? not sure but wow, this about sums it up...
http://www.torontosun.com/sports/soc.../17705486.html
what the "positive publicity" way of saying price freeze or decrease?
I would buy some for coworkers, but they are too fkn expensive! Maybe I will lie and take them to a CSL game, they will have a better time too when I give them flares.
I'm not surprised, but I have to say this makes me sad.
The prices are the biggest challenge the team faces going forward.
The common perception is that once (or if) they ever start winning, people will support a winner and return.
I think that there is another reality waiting to smack the MLSE folks right in the face. They have the most expensive tickets in the league at certain vantage points and are generally in the Top 3 everywhere else. People aren't willing to pay that kind of money on an ongoing basis, regardless of what the "product" on the field is.
People came to BMO, experienced the atmosphere... that was purposely diluted over time in order to sell a corporate ticket... and decided, yeah, that was nice but not for a $200-300 day out (factoring in tickets, parking, concessions).
Winning will put some people back on the bandwagon but pricing will keep the majority away from a regular ticket.
That's what MLSE envisioned. 3 years ago, I had a conversation with an exec who compared TFC tickets with Leaf tickets and he commented on how the non-corporate average Leaf season ticket holder gets to roughly 6 games per year. They sell the rest of their games off or split the season ticket with friends.
That was the vision for TFC. It was why, in my opinion, the scalper market was allowed to operate and is why they are effectively killing a profitable, affordable venture in a cost contained environment.
The Honeymoon is over.
It was coming to an end last season, but now with ticket sales the way they are, it's clear that many fans have lost their faith in the club and there's no amount of cheering and singing that the supporters can do to bring many of them back.
Here's the thing - most people at BMO Field probably don't care that we're in a rebuilding year. They really don't give a shit because they don't follow the team and the league as much as many of us might. So when Tom Anselmi holds a presser and it's posted on the website or DeRo and Winter make some comments at the end of a game, it's only a few people who are paying attention and able to digest the info. The rest of the fanbase just wants to see results.
The last thing I want to see is this club paying in a half-empty stadium and running the risk of being moved or folded, but unless ownership does something about the quality of the product and does it soon, we could see exactly that happen in a few years time.
Last edited by Cashcleaner; 03-21-2011 at 07:31 PM.
Did the USA , of all countries, just fix soccer? - C. Ronaldo, May 27th commenting on the FBI-led investigations into fraud and corruption throughout FIFA.
who gives a shit we still have more season tickets then the argos and blue jays and raps.and we sucked the bag for 5 yrs,its time to start winning.
when did cathy kelly start writing for the sun...
Couldn't agree with you more. Winning cures all, but does MLSE really want a fanbase consisting of fairweather fans who only show up when we're winning (if they bother to show up at all)?
I'm not ready to say the sky is falling though. NYRB pulled through last season with new management (granted, with a couple international stars), and as long as we remain competitive, I'm convinced we'll be positioned well down the stretch.
no one wants to pay 51 bucks to watch a losing team in the rain. Build a roof... then 51 bucks wont seem quite so bad.
Towards the end of last season, I had a hard time giving away tickets for free... this year no one that I talk to is interested. There is a lot of positive energy surrounding the Blue Jays as well so the casual fan may choose to spend their entertainment dollars down at the Rogers Centre this summer.
roof is necessary for alot of reasons
The red and dark greys are going to get harder and harder to move if the team continues to blow. The diehards will always come, but they're going to want to sit in the supporters section or the light greys.
The high end tkts are too $$$.
Those were the first to get dropped.
The south end will see the increase next year to make up for the lost revenue in the red and dark greys.
not surprised at all. they're still having to advertise half season packs. usually they'd have forced people into buying marlies tickets months ago.
hopefully they'll see sense and reduce ticket prices, but i doubt it, what was it the bluejays said? don't want to devalue the product, something like that.
Reducing tkt prices is the last ditch effort. The Blue Jays went thru the same before Beeston took over again.
MLSE also appears to be restricting access to the new jersey to drive up the price. The die hards will buy the jersey because we love the team but I have not actually seen a new jersey in a regular sports store yet. On the other hand SVP sports in Alliston had 2 racks full of Whitecaps home and away jerseys at $59.99 on Saturday. MLSE are making the same mistakes that the Blackhawks made before Wirtz senior died in terms of milking your core fans. They need to flood the market and be the dominant team in town, not hurt your core group of fans.
This man speaks the truth. My seats for the LA Galaxy (one of the other more expensive markets) would cost $400 less per ticket! Between my friend and I we had 4 tickets. This season we have 2. (I'm lucky he had decided to give his up and I convinced him to split mine with me)
The problem with my situation - 4 tkts in 112 (me and 3 other guys) is that if we let them go, those are gone and I might never get back in.
I was with a group of 8 guys since year one .. we are down to two tickets total ..
and that's more then enough for those greedy bastards mlse
they have royally taken advantage of us all and i hope they pay for it in the books..
team sucks my ass too .. expansion year 5 and no good signs as of yet chi ching
It's not that simple though. I mean would you pay RED level prices for a perennial loser?
It's one thing if you're a heart and soul guy in the supporters section who will come out regadless of record, posts on message boards, knows the academy kids, etc ..... it's another if you're just looking it as "entertainment dollars".
They're going to fuck themselves with the pricing in the Reds / dark greys / dark blues.
True and true. The expensive seats were an easy sell when you had people beating down your door to take the tickets you couldn't use off your hands - especially considering a lot of folks wouldn't bat an eye at selling them above cost. Now that you can't give them away, the cost of carrying those seats becomes even higher.
This is why i never understood the expansion of the North end... we were having a tough time get the stadium 75 percent full... THAT SHOULD OF BEEN A SUPPORTER SECTION and it should of been priced the same as ares, and i guarantee that it would of sold out and make sure people come to the games.... and the roof as well needs to put in.
As much as this club has been a 'success' at the box office, I believe its been incredibly mismanaged. (well obviously on the football side, but I'm talking about the business side too)
Instead of having vision and looking to grow this club over 10, 15, 20 years they have gone with the shortsighted approach and attempted to maximize their profits in the short term. Fine if you are a bean counter, but not if you are looking at the sustainability of a club. (and support of its 1st team)
If you are not a season ticket holder affordable tickets are no longer available. A member of this board and group just paid $42/ticket for section 114 for the home opener. So $84/pair. That is fucking highway robbery! No other way to put it. Especially when you consider the level of MLS football.
The way they have come to these prices is incredibly flawed too. Remember that bullshit TA line: "We've priced it comparable to other entertainment in the City" ?
Fuck off with that shit. This is football, not the fucking ballet. The world over, the most passion, rabid, loyal Supporters are usually the ones with not very much money. Other than Roogsy, ( ) you aren't going to get many greasy white collar bankers singing and playing a drum for 90 minutes. They would rather attend a stuffy Leaf game where they can comfortably sit and close deals on their blackberry's. You guys have taken advantage of us for 4 years and now you are paying for it. And you only have yourselves (and your greed) to blame.
Last edited by AL-MO; 03-21-2011 at 10:31 PM.
The way the North End is built makes it quite dangerous as a supporters section. Somebody would fall to great injury in all the jumping mayhem.
Hey Al, i like ballet and can get tickets for under $25 for a good show. Next time in DC ultra trip to a ballet :-)