Season Ticket Renewals

[chipwhich]

Season ticket owners bear a lot of cost and hold a lot of risk.  We pay months in advance without knowing the dates of the games and if the team / weather sucks (both for KC) we are left holding the bag.  The least the team can do is quit charging for the worthless PS games.  I have a feeling the teams ST numbers are going to take a hit this year.  I would love to know how many seats are held by brokers.

 

Risk?

 

You invest in what you want to do with your money.  You have made the decision that being part of the season ticket elite is more satisfying then spending less money on the open market for better seats, and not having to pay for preseason games.

[Howie411]

Season ticket owners bear a lot of cost and hold a lot of risk.  We pay months in advance without knowing the dates of the games and if the team / weather sucks (both for KC) we are left holding the bag.  The least the team can do is quit charging for the worthless PS games.  I have a feeling the teams ST numbers are going to take a hit this year.  I would love to know how many seats are held by brokers.

 

This is the thing that annoys me the most, putting up all this money many months in advance.  At least with the Caps they do no interest 12 month payment plans.  Also I wish they did upgrades before you pay.  I hate they use that as a "If you pay before X Y and Z) you will have the opportunity to move.

[RFKFedEx]

Yesterday was my last game as a STH. Haven't missed a game since I moved back to the are in 2002. life happens.

 

Thank you for the years of Orange parking (at cost). Bigger thanks for schooling me on the ease of the cash lot. I'm sorry I underestimated you when you said there weren't traffic jams to or from the cash lot. The fluctuating price is also nice. $25 for low profile games is sweet, while the $35-40 for bigger games is a bargain for the luxury of not having to deal w/ traffic.

Edited December 23, 2013 by RFKFedEx

[BraunMan92]

This is how you get Snyder to sell the team.  Do not renew season tickets.

[NewCliche21]

Risk?

 

You invest in what you want to do with your money.  You have made the decision that being part of the season ticket elite is more satisfying then spending less money on the open market for better seats, and not having to pay for preseason games.

 

Season ticket elite?  No risk?

 

Please.

 

Ever think that some STH have them for sentimental purposes, not to be "the elite" of anyone?

[HOF44]

Risk?

 

You invest in what you want to do with your money.  You have made the decision that being part of the season ticket elite is more satisfying then spending less money on the open market for better seats, and not having to pay for preseason games.

Or say you have a group of 5 that wants to sit together.  Good luck with getting aftermarket tix for a group like that.

[S.T.real,lights,out]

This is how you get Snyder to sell the team.  Do not renew season tickets.

 

Nah, someone will always buy. 

[RFKFedEx]

Or say you have a group of 5 that wants to sit together.  Good luck with getting aftermarket tix for a group like that.

 

With enough notice in advance, I'll bet the TO can make it happen for most games; if one is seriou$ enough. He'll pay a little more on the secondary market for the luxury of having 4+ seats together, but not more than he'll lo$e on the preseason games.

[HOF44]

With enough notice in advance, I'll bet the TO can make it happen for most games; if one is seriou$ enough. He'll pay a little more on the secondary market for the luxury of having 4+ seats together, but not more than he'll lo$e on the preseason games.

I'm picky though.  I want the group to be 200 level somewhere from endzone to endzone, home side. 

[Popeman38]

Thank you for the years of Orange parking (at cost). Bigger thanks for schooling me on the ease of the cash lot. I'm sorry I underestimated you when you said there weren't traffic jams to or from the cash lot. The fluctuating price is also nice. $25 for low profile games is sweet, while the $35-40 for bigger games is a bargain for the luxury of not having to deal w/ traffic.

No problem. I will be hitting the cash lot a few games each year still, just not every game. Historic man cave in the works though!  Talking main big screen, surrounded by 4 smaller screens. Gonna take a couple years to get it finished.

[Gump84]

Nah, someone will always buy. 

I'll tell you right now, they are going to have trouble filling that stadium next year.  I'm not sure it will get to blackout level, but the fact they jacked prices up significantly last year based on a single NFC east championship is going to be a problem I think.  It would be one thing if they built on that success, but no - instead we got the worst product I've seen in my 11 years of being a season ticket holder.  That is saying a lot.  It will be very difficult to give up my tickets in on the lower level 10 yard line, but I'm just not sure it is worth it anymore.  It is sad to think that over the past 11 years, had I not bought a single ticket through the ticket office and had instead bought every game I attended on the secondary market, I'd be thousands upon thousands of dollars ahead.  Its pretty tough when you start $600 in the hole before a single regular season game is played. 

 

If anyone is interested in purchasing 2 tickets in section 125, row 17 and a full green pass for face value (and I'll include playoff rights too), let me know.   That is slightly over $3K if you're wondering. 

[Mark The Homer]

Unfortunately, there's no right or wrong answer to this dilemma.

 

Think about the fans in the 1960s who stuck it out through those horrible years.  And yeah, we're talking a couple decades.  Sure, tix were cheaper back then, but everything is relative.  Those that stuck it out were rewarded in the 1970s.  How would you like to have been between the 30s at RFK when we beat Dallas, Monday Night, 1972, in the final seconds, watching Ken Houston defend 4th and four on the four?  Are you kidding me?  I'd have given a year of my life to have been there that night. 

 

**** Dallas. 

 

Either you were a season ticket holder or you weren't there.  That pretty much sums it up.

 

So an argument can be made that those days will return.  That argument:  Instead of finding a way to lose, we will eventually be a good team and we will consistently find a way to win.  And if that's true, and those days return soon, you will want to keep your tickets.

 

OTOH, you can go with the averages of what we've seen since the stadium was built.  Following that approach, you're better off on the aftermarket.

 

But then again, look at prices last year.  And even the year before.  We did not see prices as low for those years as we saw this year.  Those prices were HIGH, BOTH years.  Sitting in good seats, you were better off buying from the team.  2011 was not a particularly good year, and yet, prices were high on the aftermarket. 

 

OTOH, we've seen aftermarket prices average pretty much under cost for every year prior to 2011.  That's 14 years straight:  1997-2010. 

 

OTOH, who gets the best upgrades?  Who will be sitting in the really really good unobtainable sky-high aftermarket-priced seats when we return to shang-ri-la?  The hardcore fans who stick it out through thick and thin, year after year, regardless.  That's who. 

 

So what's the best strategy? 

 

The truth is, nobody knows for sure.  Tough call.  It's really not much different than investing.  Where should you put your money?  Bonds?  Stocks?  CDs?  Or maybe it's best just blow it on booze and hot women?   You might be dead tomorrow. 

 

The decision to buy season tickets depends on your opinion of where the team is going, and also on your personality and willingness to accept the risk of another 2013 season vs the odds of coming out ahead long term. 

[chipwhich]

Ever think that some STH have them for sentimental purposes, not to be "the elite" of anyone?

 

What does his post or my response have to do with your sentimental values.

 

I said you invest money in what you want to invest it into, if it's sentimental to you, that's great but don't whine about risk.  You wan't to pick which games you want to attend based on weather, or how the teams doing then don't buy season tickets.

Edited December 23, 2013 by chipwhich

[chipwhich]

Either you were a season ticket holder or you weren't there.  That pretty much sums it up.

 

Mark, no offense but that was a different era.

 

I haven't had trouble getting tickets to any game at FedEx for a reasonable price.  In comparison, I can do the same for any Ravens game.  I can get in the game on average a lot cheaper than buying season tickets.  At Ravens stadium, the same seats I sit in some schmuck had to buy a seat license.

 

I will add in one other thing, Redskins tickets are the only venue that I know of where I probably have been offered free tickets more often than being asked to pay over face.

Edited December 24, 2013 by chipwhich

[RFKFedEx]

IMO the Packers are the last NFL ST base fully reaping the benefits. Every GA STHer in Lambeau can resell their regular season games for a profit; sufficient to cover the cost of their preseason game. Most of the Packers GA STHs only pay for one mandatory, preseason game. This is due to their STHer base being split into two groups. Each group is assigned one preseason game.

 

To top it off, Packers tix usually rank among the highest secondary market prices in the league. The worst seats are still coveted, like they were here in the RFK days.

Edited December 24, 2013 by RFKFedEx

[RedskinsFan44]

What does his post or my response have to do with your sentimental values.

 

I said you invest money in what you want to invest it into, if it's sentimental to you, that's great but don't whine about risk.  You wan't to pick which games you want to attend based on weather, or how the teams doing then don't buy season tickets.

I have no problem with going to a game when the weather is bad or the team is doing poorly.  I have attended every game this year.  My point is you may have to get rid of tickets based on family obligations, travel, etc, and if the weather is bad or the team is out of playoff contention you will likely have to take a loss.  You have basically stated that you take advantage of being able to buy tickets off of season ticket holders for a loss.  I did the same to upgrade to club level at the KC game.  I could not give my ULs to that game away.  There were probably over a million dollars worth of tickets that went unused for that game.

 

BTW my post was meant to be read in a James Earl Jones voice, not whiny.

[hail2skins]

Look at the non-divisional home slate for next season: Seattle, Atlanta, St Louis, Jacksonville, Tennessee. 

 

Seattle of course will be a big draw, and Atlanta perhaps will return to good form. St Louis looks to be improved (especially once they get our top five pick!!) but is just a blah team overall.  And Jacksonville and Tennessee.......ugh!!

 

Seems like a promising scene on the aftermarket for a team that will be coming off a 3-13 or 4-12 season.

[chipwhich]

I have no problem with going to a game when the weather is bad or the team is doing poorly.  I have attended every game this year.  My point is you may have to get rid of tickets based on family obligations, travel, etc, and if the weather is bad or the team is out of playoff contention you will likely have to take a loss.  You have basically stated that you take advantage of being able to buy tickets off of season ticket holders for a loss.  I did the same to upgrade to club level at the KC game.  I could not give my ULs to that game away.  There were probably over a million dollars worth of tickets that went unused for that game.

 

BTW my post was meant to be read in a James Earl Jones voice, not whiny.

 

Like I said, that's your decision, and that's how you choose to spend your expendable income   You aren't taking a "risk" you choose to be a season ticket holder.  I was just stating there is a way out of your dilemma.  Better seats, cheaper tix, and you never have to worry about unloading a game or two or four.  You will probably have to spend a little extra on the Cowboys game but in the end you will be ahead.

[NewCliche21]

What does his post or my response have to do with your sentimental values.

 

I said you invest money in what you want to invest it into, if it's sentimental to you, that's great but don't whine about risk.  You wan't to pick which games you want to attend based on weather, or how the teams doing then don't buy season tickets.

 

I didn't like your use of "elite" as though STH think that we're better than other people.

[JOSH8572]

I used to have season tickets but I gave them up. there is no point in being a season ticket holder. I can buy tickets to each game sunday morning on stubhub for 40 percent of facevalue and still be at every game.  yes there is a chance that tickets could skyrise   but ive been a redskins fans for my whole life and I have never been asked to pay full price for a nfl ticket on stubhub.  being a season ticket holder is a cool thing to tell your friends, but I would rather have the extra money in my pocket. 

[RedskinsFan44]

Like I said, that's your decision, and that's how you choose to spend your expendable income   You aren't taking a "risk" you choose to be a season ticket holder.  I was just stating there is a way out of your dilemma.  Better seats, cheaper tix, and you never have to worry about unloading a game or two or four.  You will probably have to spend a little extra on the Cowboys game but in the end you will be ahead.

I get that this is probably the sensible thing to do.  But it is predicated on season ticket holders buying the tickets and then having to sell them at less than face.  If there were no season ticket holders perhaps the team would have to lower prices, or perhaps they would raise them to make their profit on the desirable games.  There is a risk, as in buying stocks, and yes it is a choice to accept that risk.  If it turns out 6 - 9 months after you pay for tickets to a game that you do not know the date of you cannot make it to and you can't sell it for what you paid for it you have taken a loss.  If the team is doing great and ticket prices are through the roof the non-season ticket holder is not obligated to pay the inflated price.

 

A large part of the problem for season ticket holders and the team eventually (due to loss of season ticket holders) is that I see a shift in our society to where many would rather enjoy the experience on a 60" LCD in the comfort of their own home. and the ease of picking up tickets through Stubhub at the last minute when the season ticket holders have to choose between taking a total loss and taking a partial loss.  I am sure the person I bought the 2 club level tickets from lost at least 400$, perhaps more.  Many people ate the entire cost of their tickets.  While that was a choice for most, many took a financial hit due to unforeseen circumstances.  I consider that "risk".

[RFKFedEx]

I am sure the person I bought the 2 club level tickets from lost at least 400$, perhaps more.

Possibly. 

 

However, If you bought the tix electronically I think it's unlikely those seats ever belonged to a STH. jmo

[chipwhich]

I didn't like your use of "elite" as though STH think that we're better than other people.

 

Sorry Season Ticket Elite is something I came up with a long time ago.  Back in the days when I used to go to RFK you couldn't become a member of the season ticket holder elite.  If someone had season tickets, they would pass them down if they died, you were among the elite.  Danny was able to keep this elite feeling even to this day for some, I am a Redskins Season Ticket holder. 

 

I don't think you think you are better than anyone else, you just think you are part of the lucky ones fortunate enough to get to buy the tickets, and you won't let them go.

 

You still hear comments like, my family has had these tickets since Griffith field.  Really means nothing but....it's a nice story.

 

Meanwhile there is a better means for getting season tickets at a better price, that is on the aftermarket.  You used to be able to do this on game day but fear of fake tickets has ruined that.

With the thousands upon thousands of dollars you will save not being a season ticket holder, who cares if there is a playoff game where you have to pay a premium.  You will always be ahead.

 

And as mentioned earlier, I can get Ravens tickets too, playoff tickets, and they have been good.  It's just the nature of the times, and it won't go back to that RFK era ever.

Edited December 24, 2013 by chipwhich

[Popeman38]

I am pretty sure the Skins are going with e-tickets next season.  I was called as a STH yesterday and asked my opinion on receiving both e-tickets and paper tickets next season. I think the NFL is taking note (finally) of both technology and demand issues. Outside of Seattle and Green Bay (and really, you can get tix in Seattle for around face) demand just isn't that high anymore. I think with the proposed lifting of the blackout, tiered ticket prices, and mobile ticketing, the landscape of the NFL ticket market is going to radically change over the next 5 years (again, exempting GB).

[RFKFedEx]

I am pretty sure the Skins are going with e-tickets next season.

 

I figured it was the FedEx partnership hindering our progress toward e-ticket distribution for all these years. I'm sure the TO will create new fees for electronic delivery of STs, thus the customer will not benefit from the reduced cost of labor. We're way past due to still have mandatory cardboard tix for STs. Most teams started to offer the e option 5+ years ago.

 

*My lifelong stub collection already misses cardboard tix. Does anybody bother to save e tix stubs?

Edited December 24, 2013 by RFKFedEx