WP: Redskins say they were unable to sell season tickets for seats removed from FedEx Field

[MattFancy]

They do stuff like "What year did this happen????" but compared to the ads, its very small. Plus, the intro videos were a joke. That stupid fighter jet thing? Really? Go hire the WWE to produce your opening montage.

They could have fans competing on the screens for something.

Don't get me started on the opening crap. Ok I understand the fighter jets, but shooting an alien space ship with lasers? Did a 5y/o come up with that?

[SwampEm]

I disagree with that. I go to tons of Orioles games and I can't say I remember seeing a commercial on the screen there. In between innings that have the condiment races, the crab shuffle, this or that, guess the year, bloopers, old O's highlights, etc. Why can't they do something similar at FedEx? There's tons of ads already in that place, the last thing I need is to watch more ads on the jumbo tron.

MattFancy. there is constant advertising at Camden Yards as well. The condiment races are sponsored by Esskay, the Crab Shuffle is sponsored by McCormick (the makers of old bay), and so on and so forth. I went to a Nats game at Turner Field a few years ago and they do the same condiment race except with power tools. Its sponsored by The Home Depot.

[B55Green]

Hold on a sec. Couldn't sell them?!? I've been on the season ticket waiting list for about 6 years now and have never gotten a call.

I'm not complaing, however. I share season tix in section 135 row 6 and there's no way I'd sit that high anyway. Just curious.

Well that's probably the reason why they haven't been sold. If everyone has the same mindset of "I'm not going to sit that high," naturally they wont be sold.

[MattFancy]

MattFancy. there is constant advertising at Camden Yards as well. The condiment races are sponsored by Esskay, the Crab Shuffle is sponsored by McCormick (the makers of old bay), and so on and so forth. I went to a Nats game at Turner Field a few years ago and they do the same condiment race except with power tools. Its sponsored by The Home Depot.

Right they're sponsored by those things, its not a full out commercial like at the Skins game. If I saw that stupid Ford Edge commercial with Sellers and Rabach one more time, I was going to break the damn jumbo tron.

[@DCGoldPants]

MattFancy. there is constant advertising at Camden Yards as well. The condiment races are sponsored by Esskay, the Crab Shuffle is sponsored by McCormick (the makers of old bay), and so on and so forth. I went to a Nats game at Turner Field a few years ago and they do the same condiment race except with power tools. Its sponsored by The Home Depot.

and that's fine. Because they are SPONSORING something. Its not a "Hey, its a break in the game.....let me tell you about the find folks at Popeye's Chicken" If Popeye's sponsored a "Chicken Dance-off" where fan reaction got the winner a free blah blah blah. Then its the same.

---------- Post added July-15th-2011 at 12:50 PM ----------

Right they're sponsored by those things, its not a full out commercial like at the Skins game. If I saw that stupid Ford Edge commercial with Sellers and Rabach one more time, I was going to break the damn jumbo tron.

exactly. bad enough they are just ads. Then you throw in how poorly they're done and its worse. They have the resources to put out something that looks professional.

[SwampEm]

Right they're sponsored by those things, its not a full out commercial like at the Skins game. If I saw that stupid Ford Edge commercial with Sellers and Rabach one more time, I was going to break the damn jumbo tron.

Lets say they had a game where you had three purple bags floating around on the screen and you had to guess which one contained a bottle of Canadian whiskey. Would you consider that advertising?

[MattFancy]

Lets say they had a game where you had three purple bags floating around on the screen and you had to guess which one contained a bottle of Canadian whiskey. Would you consider that advertising?

Advertising? Yes. Loud annoying commercial? No.

[chipwhich]

then you truly aren't as committed a fan as those that actually do attend to help their team in person.

I have been to my fair share of games both at RFK and FedEx.

Attending games live = commitment to your team over the TV audience is bull****. I see what people are doing at football games and why they are there. A high percentage of them aren't in their seats cheering and watching.

I prefer home because I actually like to watch the game and not sit amongst a bunch of idiots either whining about someone standing, or someone cheering and acting so obnoxious that you can't enjoy the game, constantly in and out of their seats so you have to let them pass in front of you to go for another concession item or to pee, "fans" who are to stupid to realize you wait until the play completes before walking in front of you, the idiot with the 8.5 x 11 sign that has hand written we want dallas on it and they keep waving it in front of you so you can't see the field. Not to mention the oddball things that occur. I was at the pepper spray game at FedEx. The game a couple years ago where the stadium was a sheet of ice. The game where it was so hot, and the ran out of freaking water, and people are dropping from heat stroke. Sometimes the weather is so crappy, watching and enjoying the game sucks. Not to mention the horrible product on the field. The only thing I miss is the tailgating.

At home I see every single play, I pause if I have to go to the bathroom. I have a finished basement/mancave. Flat panels on three different walls all viewable from my built in wet bar. Surround sound. It's beautiful.

---------- Post added July-15th-2011 at 01:27 PM ----------

Well, your seats in front of your HDTV does not trump my row 14 seats in the lower level. There is no comparison to any seat in the lower or club level, period. Even the lower part of the Upper Deck still trumps watching at home on HDTV. Sure, if you are still in nosebleeds after several years...I'd agree with you. But most, if not virtually all fans move down out of the nosebleeds after a few years if they want to.

See my post above.

I don't HATE going to games. I have had season tickets, I got to a few choice games per year, went to the super bowl the last two years. I am not ANTI game attendance, I just will never be a season ticket holder again.

My seats trump yours because I buy better seats to select games than what you sit in every week.

As I posted in another thread. I admire your optimism. It's funny you went from telling me the had no problems selling tickets to now touting the its easy to get tickets and move to the lower bowl

[Boston Skins]

Well that's probably the reason why they haven't been sold. If everyone has the same mindset of "I'm not going to sit that high," naturally they wont be sold.

Yeah but my point was I wasn't even offered the chance to buy them. It's surprising that the Redskins would give up so quickly without scouring through the "massive season ticket waiting list" to sell these seats. It just doesn't make sense.

[SonnyandSam]

http://www.redskins.com/news-and-events/article-1/Redskins-Roundtable-Party-Deck-Thoughts/7dda8f61-2de8-4021-a3b7-6906e1bd60e0

ugh, so sad that they handled everything like this.

---------- Post added July-15th-2011 at 11:17 AM ----------

They do stuff like "What year did this happen????" but compared to the ads, its very small. Plus, the intro videos were a joke. That stupid fighter jet thing? Really? Go hire the WWE to produce your opening montage.

They could have fans competing on the screens for something.

So you think the Redskins "Tradition and History" video is a joke. I thought it was very well done on short notice. OK....we have different opinions clearly. And I am no fan of the fighter jets and UFO video.....but is that any more "professional" than condiment races and crab shuffle? Really?

The fighter jets/UFO was a canned and modified video which was probably used because they had a short time frame to develop something. Hopefully, it is gone and they have developed something better. I know I sent an email telling the Redskins about how corny the jet/UFO video was.

Probably won't see an Indian raid on cowboys being scalped. The Redskins theme is going to be difficult to duplicate like they did in Tamp Bay with buccaneers and pirate ships blowing up the visiting teams ships.

[@DCGoldPants]

the tradition video is fine. Nobody is ripping that. The tradition video also isn't an ad. We clearly said that who fighter jet thing, and you agree. The limited time thing is lame since every sports network every week has new ones ready and up to date with what's going on. Even the Nationals have a "Last night......." montage that's very well done. They turn that around sometimes in what? a day?

All those games and races things aren't what we're talking about in video quality either. That's getting fans involved in something. Three different things they need to improve on.

#1. Get rid of the Jet Fighter nonsense and get something less chessy

#2. Let up on the ads, if they don't bother you..fine. You won't be bothered by fewer of them either.

#3. Fan involvement during breaks of the game. People LOVE when they show clips of Military folks overseas saying where they are, hi to their families, and Hail to the Redskins. You can do that live too.

[B55Green]

Yeah but my point was I wasn't even offered the chance to buy them. It's surprising that the Redskins would give up so quickly without scouring through the "massive season ticket waiting list" to sell these seats. It just doesn't make sense.

Yeah I knew what you meant, but you aren't the only person to say they didn't want tickets because of the UL. Gotta start out somewhere. Either way, when the team gets better, I think people will start returning. It is strange you haven't been offered.

[RAAZ227]

I think the party deck proposal was a cover up. It doesn't make much sense to have the party deck so high up in the end zones. To me it makes more sense in the lower bowl. Plus, I remember when the team announced the new HD screens they already had renderings of the proposed. If the decks were to be ready by the start of the 2012 season I think they would at least show the media some sort of rendering to gain interest and more ticket sales.

[E33Green]

I have been to my fair share of games both at RFK and FedEx.

Attending games live = commitment to your team over the TV audience is bull****. I see what people are doing at football games and why they are there. A high percentage of them aren't in their seats cheering and watching.

I prefer home because I actually like to watch the game and not sit amongst a bunch of idiots either whining about someone standing, or someone cheering and acting so obnoxious that you can't enjoy the game, constantly in and out of their seats so you have to let them pass in front of you to go for another concession item or to pee, "fans" who are to stupid to realize you wait until the play completes before walking in front of you, the idiot with the 8.5 x 11 sign that has hand written we want dallas on it and they keep waving it in front of you so you can't see the field. Not to mention the oddball things that occur. I was at the pepper spray game at FedEx. The game a couple years ago where the stadium was a sheet of ice. The game where it was so hot, and the ran out of freaking water, and people are dropping from heat stroke. Sometimes the weather is so crappy, watching and enjoying the game sucks. Not to mention the horrible product on the field. The only thing I miss is the tailgating.

At home I see every single play, I pause if I have to go to the bathroom. I have a finished basement/mancave. Flat panels on three different walls all viewable from my built in wet bar. Surround sound. It's beautiful.

Chip, no one is doubting your commitment to the Skins but I think the diehards that are there for every home game (even in crappy weather) and scream their guts out deserve some respect. I believe fans in attendance CAN have an effect on the outcome of a game by raising the decibel level when we're on defense, which is something that a fan watching in the most luxurious and high tech man cave cannot say. I respect your decision not to attend all games for the reasons you stated, but please give a little props for those who do!

BTW, you may be able to pause and see every play, but good luck trying to watch the team interactions on the sideline that occur during commercial breaks. I find this one of the most interesting aspects of being a an NFL game and is something that cannot be replicated watching on TV. Also, I love having the ability to zero in on a specific player play after play to asses them fully, which is also something that cannot be done watching on TV. Certain players will always disappear from the limited sideline camera angle, and I love being able to watch the receivers do their routes downfield while I observe the entire play develop.

I have no doubt your mancave is extremely nice, but I think most fans will agree that nothing can ever top the feeling of being at FedEx for those magical games: Lions in Jan. 2000 (playoffs), Cowboys and Giants in Dec. 2005, Cowboys in Dec. 2006 (Hand of God), and Cowboys in Dec. 2007. Despite every bad experience at FedEx I have sat through, the memories of being at those games is something I wouldn't trade for all the money in the world.

HAIL.

[SwampEm]

I wish they took down those goofy FedEx Colors. FedExForum in Memphis (Home of the Grizzlies) doesn't have to deal with it.

[MattFancy]

I agree. The Green, Purple, and Orange need to go. Our colors are Maroon and Black damnit!

[chipwhich]

I have no doubt your mancave is extremely nice, but I think most fans will agree that nothing can ever top the feeling of being at FedEx for those magical games: Lions in Jan. 2000 (playoffs), Cowboys and Giants in Dec. 2005, Cowboys in Dec. 2006 (Hand of God), and Cowboys in Dec. 2007. Despite every bad experience at FedEx I have sat through, the memories of being at those games is something I wouldn't trade for all the money in the world.

HAIL.

As I posted earlier. Not anti attendance.

I was at the only playoff game ever at FedEx. Lions. I sat in the lower level below Danny's box. It hands down was the loudest game ever at FedEx. I am known to have quite a loud mouth. I screamed to loud bugging for Danny's attention, i got Dan Snyder to stand up in his box and fist pump for me.

I typically catch a few NFC east games a year.

And I agree fans can alter the outcome of the game. They haven't done it much at FedEx. Our record there is putrid. So you guys need to do better.

Like I said, game day isn't what it used to be. Too much focus now on the drinking aspect and the party aspect and not the game. At home, the focus is there.

[Hubbs]

Man, I remember when I started a thread about how dumb the fighter/UFO animation was, and evvvvvvvveryone wanted to defend it....

---------- Post added July-15th-2011 at 03:09 PM ----------

I agree. The Green, Purple, and Orange need to go. Our colors are Maroon and Black damnit!

The FedEx colors look so terrible. It's an insult to fans, IMO, to sell out the colors that will be on any part of the stadium. I hate seeing them every time I go to the game.

[OldChelsea]

So much for the massive waiting list.

Hail.

I've had my doubts about that wait-list in recent years too. We've had lots of empty seats in recent seasons, but I always thought they were nonetheless subscribed - the ticketholder-of-record couldn't sell the tickets or something of that sort. I did also hear rather wildly varying stories about the turn-round time on the wait-list...a person at a sign-up table on the concourse back in 2006 told me it was about 5-6 years, yet I also heard of persons who ascended to the top in just two.

Well there's room for two in 440 now since I dropped my season tickets after last season, for logistical reasons - the trip on Metrobus/rail is long enough as it is (I don't drive, and that stupid law that forced cancellation of the Metro shuttle started me re-thinking whether to continue my tickets), but getting three home matches in prime time, two seasons in a row - the Skins' record notwithstanding - was just too much.

[Dan T.]

I agree. The Green, Purple, and Orange need to go. Our colors are Maroon and Black damnit!

There's been some improvement. Don't forget, once upon a time the padding on the walls around the playing field was green, as seen in this Gus Frerotte head-butting clip.

MdWK-aam0Jo

They finally changed it to Redskins burgundy a couple of years ago.

[Crazy Levi]

I don't think you area "bigger fan" if you go to games, and don't get hung up on that. It's not for everbody.

I prefer going to games. I think it's a blast, an event, like a rock concert. I love going and cooking food and drinking, the whole bit. If it's this much fun when the Skins stink - and they've lost almost every game I've been to - imagine how much fun I'll have when/if we actually DON'T blow.

[SonnyandSam]

yeah, I think it is a cheap shot to imply that you are any less of a fan if you choose to watch the Skins on TV rather than go to the game. There are a ton of reasons why going to the game is not possible or desirable. And as others have pointed out, new technology makes watching the game at home more desirable than it once was. I still say watching the game in person is more fun and exciting. ...but that is an individual decision.

---------- Post added July-15th-2011 at 03:52 PM ----------

I think the party deck proposal was a cover up. It doesn't make much sense to have the party deck so high up in the end zones. To me it makes more sense in the lower bowl. Plus, I remember when the team announced the new HD screens they already had renderings of the proposed. If the decks were to be ready by the start of the 2012 season I think they would at least show the media some sort of rendering to gain interest and more ticket sales.

So they applied for and received a construction permit last september from Prince Georges County to remove seating and build party decks so they could commit a coverup? Straining the conspiracy theory a little, aren't we. That takes serious planning....something we all know the skins management does not do well.

[SKOALSKIN]

My have the mighty fallen. It took 15 years of mismanged operations to drive the fans away from this tragedy of a stadium and the franchise in dissaray. Fortunatley we still have a couple of morons out there, that actually paid money to own a piece of fedex field.

3 ways to win back the fans (not in any specific order).

1. Snyder sells the team

2. Snyder gets a new stadium in DC

3. Snyder actually produces a competitive on field product

[Boss_Hogg]

the tickets were sold, just not the season ticket packages.

Dave McKenna and that fat chump at NFL.com JLC will run with this

[chipwhich]

Because the emperor wears no clothes

You never want to admit failure. You want to tout success. At some point everyone sees the truth. You are naked. And you can't hide it any longer.

Nice lead in WaPo Jason Reid and company plucked this right off of ES.

Emperor has no clothes, just tickets

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports

Of course the lead in will go away now