SonnyandSam

hah, you obviously have not read very many of my posts in the STH threads.

i would love for there to be consistency, but i haven't seen it in all the years i've been a season ticket holder. it has gotten worse as the # of people willing to be STH's has gotten smaller. why would I expect this year to be any different, when even less people are renewing?

i wont complain. it'd be nice for there to be rules that are actually enforced. but i know damn well they already have enough trouble filling the stadium. they can't afford to not try to deal with people. i have to imagine this was the lowest # of renewals in recent history due to the lock out.

and if they drop my tickets, who cares? they are readily available on the after-market, often times better seats for cheaper than face value of my seats. hell, you can buy tickets at the gate on game day now... i can sign up on the waitinglist today and get back into the stadium probably this year, if not then in the next 2. i have two coworkers who get offers every single year, despite one of them saying no every time, and the other having already given up his season tickets.

the state of season tickets for the redskins isn't what it was 15-30 years ago. plain as simple. the only reason they still have sell outs is because they give thousands of seats to ticket vendors every year.

by the way... i'm in the upper 3rd of the top level. i could move to the lower level at any time if i was wililng to pay the price to do so. you should have no problem getting into the lower level if you're willing to do it, regardless of how many people renew. they have a hard time filling those seats.

---------- Post added April-21st-2011 at 10:01 AM ----------

FYI i still haven't paid, but my invoice still has my seat row and number from last year when i log into the online account system.

HAH! Apparently YOU have not been reading the STH threads from last year. Things changed last year and the few reports we have so far this year is that the TO IS applying a consistent policy on GA tickets this year. You are relying on two year old and older information.

As many on this board found out last year, I was part of the large group of STHs who were upgraded from the upper deck to the lower level for the first time in memory without being forced to buy premium tickets, or the Touchdown Club or the Tailgate tickets. It happened to a lot of us last year; so yes, the TO did change last year. Lots of people got upgraded and it was done in a reasonable and rational manner.

You are living in the past. If you want to stay at the top of the stadium, fine. And you are right; You can buy tickets at or below face on the aftermarket. If you are happy with that, great. IF the Skins ever return to the playoffs consistently (and maybe they won't), those aftermarket tickets will become more scarce and be more costly. As the cost of attending NFL or any other professional sport game rises, buying aftermarket tickets, even if more costly for that particular game, is more cost effective than buying season tickets. Just look at what is happening to MLB the past two seasons. But as a fan, if you want season tickets, and the ability to get better seats each year, you have to play by the rules. I am just happy the Skins TO is finally playing by a consistent set of rules again.

Will people (including former STHs) be able to buy tickets again in the future months? Probably; between the lockout and the economy, a lot of people are not willing to risk their $. And I don't care as long as they are put to the back of the line and have to settle for the least attractive seats in FedEx because they refused to pay on time. That is simply the way it should be.

If the Skins start down the slippery slope of making deals with those of you who do not follow the rules, then those of us who followed the rules will become disenchanted again and stop buying tickets. It puts the Skins in the vicious circle they created 5-8 years ago and stopped last year..

Actually, that was the response I got back from them after I sent an e-mail asking about the upgrade process this year..... Wasn't just a random e-mail they sent out to STH's....

Oh well....I guess I gave the TO too much credit. But they have improved immensely from two years ago. I hope they keep improving.

---------- Post added April-20th-2011 at 11:26 PM ----------

Actually, that was the response I got back from them after I sent an e-mail asking about the upgrade process this year..... Wasn't just a random e-mail they sent out to STH's....

Oh well....I guess I gave the TO too much credit. But they have improved immensely from two years ago. I hope they keep improving.

I don't have that email yet. But another step in the right direction for the TO send out an email update just to keep folks informed of the progress. Good for them. I figured they were not going to start any upgrades until after the final third payment was due on May 1.

And howdy neighbor! I was right next door to you in section 114 last season. I also hope to be on the sidelines this season. But I guess we'll see....

Just wanted to relay my experience here.

I renewed last Friday 4/15. The ticket office rep was pretty inflexible overall. I asked about getting the two free tickets to FedEx field event of my choice, but they wouldn't budge on that as that was only given to people who renewed pretty early (late February I think). I also asked about the automatic upgrade program. They said that I pretty much needed to renew by this week in order to hold my seats for next season, that I would at least be at risk of losing them if I waited much longer. In terms of improving my seats, it sounded pretty unlikely as I will basically be at the back of the line since I renewed late.

All in all, pretty disappointing personally that I couldn't get more out of the deal somehow. But trying to be objective, ticket office came off as pretty credible.

I have a partner in these tickets who was definitely on board to renew, or else I probably would have waited quite a bit longer just to see what the "best offer" was from the ticket office. Maybe I would have lost my seats, maybe I would have been given the opportunity to come back with better seats. I'd be interested to hear from anyone who waited a long time, but ultimately renewed last year.

Why are you disappointed? Most of us have been begging for a credible and consistent ticket office for a decade. Before, any Tom, Dick or Harry could call in and get a deal IF they talked to the right agent. No consistency. And folks who followed the rules or had seniority got screwed in the process. The only way for the TO to regain the respect of the STHs is if they treat ALL FANS the same and according to the rules.

The concert/ game tickets were intended as an inducement for STHs to sign up early. Why should they give them to you now, over a month later? I understand your being disappointed you could not work out a deal but I am ecstatic to hear another late payer find out there are consequences to not following the rules set up by the TO.

And tshile.....you just may find your seats gone and you may find yourself higher and farther from the field. But then you'll probably complain the TO treated you unfairly.....

But I hope you are right that a lot did not renew on time....because I'll be sitting on the 50 yard line lower level if that is the case.....because I paid on time.

The whole process changed last year with the auto upgrade and a reasonably logical ticket office. Yes, some people got seats last year after the deadline AND after those of us who paid on time got upgraded first. Paying late does not necessarily mean you cannot be upgraded; it just puts you at the end of the upgrade line. And if your seats were already assigned to someone else via an upgrade, you are just **** out of luck. You may get offered comparable or even better seats depending on the situation. And this is just for general admission seating and does not apply to premium seats like the club seats. Works the same way upper or lower level. Reports back from season ticket holders in last year's message thread were pretty consistent.

I have an email from a couple weeks ago from a very high level source in the Redskins organization telling me they are committed to the auto upgrade process. Season ticket holders who pay on time are going to get preferential treatment. He was quite adamant about it. He misunderstood something I suggested and made it quite clear that the Redskins intended to move forward with the auto upgrade process. He said it would be grossly unfair to STHs who pay on time to be shortchanged by those who did not pay on time.

It's a bit early to hear about any upgrades. I did check my account and no change yet. Last year, I got a call on April 29 asking if I wanted to move from the upper level to the lower level; the TO wanted to know if I would pay the higher ticket price. I didn't know my actual section and seat until late May I believe.

The TO has to move the lower level seats first; but they probably do not make any significant announcements because every seat costs the same. I seem to recall last year a few people sitting in the lower level called the TO and found out they were moved but then the TO stopped saying anything because they got inundated with phone calls.

All the upper level upgrades were not shown on people's accounts until mid to late June.

Mike Jones did a pretty fair job in that article. I was expecting the Post to completely ignore that those teams offering delayed payment also require PSLs and are requireing payments on those PSLs. The fan reaction comments are totally fair. The Skins as well as all other NFL teams have always required payment about 6 months before the season begins. And in fact, the Redskins softened the deadline last year with their three months to pay option. Some teams require payments before the Redskins do and have no payment plan. The only real complaint any of us should have is the uncertainty of the NFL season. The NFL assumes it will go on as planned and some fans have their doubts. But refunds will be made. Snyder and all other NFL owners have gotten the free use of our season ticket dollars interest free for six months for decades. Same as any other subscription service that a person my purchase.....symphony, ballet, Capitals, Wizards, etc. So IMHO, this whole complaining about paying season tickets is a non issue until games are missed.

I just logged into my account with no problem. clearly shows my payment on the front page of my account.

I do not think they have started the upgrade process, In an email exchange I had on Monday, I was advised the TO is reaching out to STHs who have not yet paid for their season tickets or signed up for the payment plan first before they start doing the auto upgrade plan. As last year, late payers were upgraded but were upgraded AFTER those who paid on time. I was advised the upgrade process would commence in April. Based on last year, they started with the lower level first and moved to the upper level a few weeks later.

EDIT -- I poked around some more but cannot find my invoice history which used to be available. The current invoice is a different format that in the past. probably have been doing some software changes.But my current invoice is there with my first payment recorded.

Whenever and however they feel like it. There's no rhyme, reason, process or order to how the ticket office does anything, that's the bottom line.

That is the way it used to be. It changed last year. The TO was actually pretty on top of everything last year. We heard relatively few complaints. Read back on some of mine and other posts on how things went last year.

Seaon tickets were in my family for 45 years and then they came to me in 2006. I declined because I live in York, PA. I keep getting offers to get them, but 1:45 minutes to go to 10 games is riddiculous. When I attend a 1 pm game I don't get home till 7pm. If it's a 4pm start I get home at 10 pm. I go to 1 to 2 games a year. Last year I went to the Texans and Giants games. I can;t stand Fed EX field. Too big, not noisy enough. RKF was 100% better.

York, PA? Heck I travel from Harrisburg and know people who drive 5-6 hours or more to games. IF you had been to the Dallas game this year, you would have had no complaints about loudness. When the team plays well, the fans can get loud. Trouble is we have been mediocre for far too long.

I was at many RFK games and FedEx can be as loud or louder when the team is being competive. Winning brings out the loudness in all fans. And as for RFK being better, we have had that debate in other threads. But folks quickly forget what a pit RFK was and still is....but it was our lovable pit when the team was winning year after year.

Too late now. When you signed up you authorized the Redskins to charge your credit/debit card on the first of March, April and May. And STH have been giving Dan Snyder and the other football teams 6 months of interest free loans forever. Only good thing for you/us is that the Redskins have agreed to refund $ for any games missed.No word on when that money comes back to us, however. If you were going to hold out, you should have held out before you agreed to the 3 month payment plan.

Called back an hour later and a very nice guy answered. He explained that they "extended" this option and I would still be elig.ble for an upgrade.

They did that last year for a couple weeks after the "hard" deadline. The problem is that the ticket office agents often seem to have a different story. Having worked at a call in customer care center myself for several years in the past, some agents are just better than others. Some pay attention and retain all the information they have been provided by management; for some it depends when they show up on the job and when they get the information from their TO manager; and some say whatever they can to avoid a confrontation with the customer. It is that way with every call center. Some are certainly better and more reliable than others.

But based on last year, the TO did not seem to actually start upgrading the lower level until late March/early April.

I'm pretty sure I paid the same day I got the renewal stuff in the mail. Does anyone know if that gives me an upgrade advantage over those who renewed later, but before the deadline?

My sense is "no" based on last year. I paid in full quite early....weeks before the first deadline. But others last year reported getting upgraded to the lower level before me; but they had seats in the first three rows of the upper deck while I was in row 5. And it did not matter if you were on the 50 yard line or the goal line. Of course thinkgs could be different this year. They have a year of experience under their belt with the new system and software. I think as long as you paid on time, you are treated equally no matter whether you paid weeks in advance of the deadline or on the last day.

I got the same "pay now notice" in the mail. I guess since I didn't renew on time there is now way I will get offered better seats to renew.

Not necessarily true. Last year, some people reported getting upgraded but it was after the people who paid on time. I recall one person who called in and told the TO office that he changed his mind and wanted his seats after all. His seats were gone but the new seats he got were a modest improvement....not as big a jump as those of us who paid on time....but he was happy with his upgrade I guess. But a lot of people on the wait list got some great seats that were better than folks who did not pay on time, too.

I just put my spouse on the waiting list last season and he just got a call 2 days ago offering him tickets. So they are already starting to scramble.

But was the call for General Admission tickets or Premium tickets (e.g. club seats) As soon as your name goes on the GA ticket list everyone starts getting calls for Club seats. This thread is talking primarily about GA ticket renewals. There is no wait list for Club seats.

When does the ticket office do the upgrades? When do we find out if we received a upgrade and where our new seats are?

Last year, I got my call to upgrade from the upper level to the lower level on April 29.

As I recall, a few folks reported getting their lower level upgrades (e.g moving from end zone to end zone corner) in early April. Most of the messages posted last year in early to mid March were folks who did not renew by the deadline and started receiving phone calls encouraging them to pay up. And the upper level folks started hearing about their upgrades to lower in the upper deck in May and June. The TO has to start the upgrade process at the bottom (lower level) and work its way up to the top of the upper deck.

The TO cannot delay the upgrade process too long or they will not be able to process all the upgrades before the first pre-season game if a CBA is signed in a reasonable time. And if there is a high turnover in seats, that means they have to start the upgrade process sooner because they have more seats to re-assign and more phone calls to make. I'm hoping to hear about my upgrade in April after my last payment is due.

EDIT -- I should mention that I was not given seat assignments on 4/29/10; the TO called to confirm if I wanted to move down and pay the higher ticket price. I think my new seat assignments were posted to my online account in late May and then I got my "official" letter in the mail in June.

EDIT #2 -- I just looked back on last year's thread and the lower level upgrades were being reported in early May with actual new seat assignments. So the process works from there and up to the upper level seats.

I renewed my 3; my Dad did not renew his 2 (his are in the lower level, 8 rows up from the field on the goal line, so you may get lucky!). I have been a season ticket holder since 1979; and I guess many of you would call me a fool to renew with all of the doubts about a 2011 season. But I have hope. Shameless Redskin fan. I started as a fan when we drafted Norm Snead to be our QB of the future. (so now everyone knows that I am mentally deranged!)

HTTR

Why not have your father's two tickets transferred to your name and be instantly upgraded to the lower level? Once you have the transfer, or better, have your father ask for a third ticket if you have to have three; then have the tickets transferred from your father's name to yours. I believe there is a small transfer fee but keeping tickets in the family is allowed.

I guess I am bucking the trend. I renewed my two seats in the LL end zone. Starting to sound like the stadium will be half full for the opening game......

:dallasuck

Thank you Mark. Reading some of those quotes brought tears of joy to my eyes. I am so pumped for tomorrow's game I could not sleep last night and got up this morning 3 hours earlier than I normally would on a Saturday. I CANNOT WAIT TO GET IT ON TOMORROW NIGHT!:point2sky

:dallasuck

I have a hard time believing they are going to switch color at half time. That means the opponent would have to do the same. I highly doubt the NFL would allow that.

Or do you mean the first half of the season, they will wear white and they will wear burgundy during the last four home games?

We wear white because Coach Joe always preferred white. He thought the team looked sharper and looked faster in white....so we played in white jerseys at home and away unless the away team felt like messin' with Joe's mind.....often the cowgirls.

I can't believe none of the old timers on here posted this already.

Burgundy could make a comeback now that Joe is returning to NASCAR.