New Seat Upgrade Process

[Cutter7]

 

 

 

 

 

I'm in 236 and my hope is to one day make it to near the 10 yard line. I believe movement better than that is a loooooong time coming if ever.

The best (and cheapest) bet for both of you is to buy one of the single seats in 205, 104 or 139. You sell it for face value this year and either get your money back or make a small profit. Next year when it's time to assign new seats you just call them and tell them you want to add a second seat. The one that is available in section 205, row 2 actually belonged to my daughter last year. She was in 110 before that but picked up the single in section 205, which was a great move and a jump she would have never been able to make otherwise. When the process started she called and requested an additional seat and they moved her to two seats in section 238. This is BY FAR the best way for the average guy to upgrade with minimal to no cost, maybe even a profit.  As I've said in earlier posts, there are no guarantees but I've never know it to fail. HOF44, this will easily achieve your goal of being near the 10 yard line next year!

 

By the way, if you buy it online you have to pay it all upfront. If you call the TO, you can make 2 or 3 payments.

I've been kicking that very idea around.

What is the liklihood that you can get your money back on a single ticket.  There are some great single seats available.  

80 - 90% % I'd say. You can't necessarily look at it like that though. If you spend $1309 for a single seat, you will get back somewhere between $1200 and $1600. My friend bought one in 124 and has already sold the Bears for $180 and Lions for $160. Odd that it's those two games. In many areas this may not work, but in the DC area we are so transient there are fans of every NFL team who may be in town on business, etc. that may want to see their team play. You need to look at it like even if you lose $100 for the entire season, is it worth that price to get sideline seats from that point forward? The other choice is to buy Tailgate Club or Club seats and you know how outrageous they are. Hope this helps.

I'll eat it before I give it to a visiting team fan.

 

You may lose more than that. Keep in mind you pretty much give away the preseason.

Yes but you are saying that as someone who has never done this so you are not really sure how much money you will or will not make. You are just stating your opinion, which is cool but I think you are looking at the "glass is half empty" approach. I did it 3 years in a row and have known many others to do so. Not once have we lost money. Sure, you can give away the preseason but if you are selling a non-division game for $180 and another for $160, you've made up for it. So who cares about that? You will double your money on the Dallas game without question should you choose to do so. You can't look at is an individual game like that?? If you take the the face value cost per ticket of $119.90 and add 20% if you get $0.00 for a preseason game, that leaves your true cost of the 8 regular season games at $143.88. That's how you look at it and that is the number you are working with. You look at it like if you pay $1190 for the entire season, at the end of the entire season did you get your $1190 back  and possibly make a profit, which is a bonus. The answer will be yes. Who cares if you lose a few dollars on a preseason game if at the end of the year you've made a 20% profit. That's not the goal here though. So hypothetically what if you lose $200?? Keep in mind that probably won't happen. This is the exact same as if a buddy of yours said "Hey, I will transfer my LOWER LEVEL SIDELINE seats to you (that you would never even be able to get otherwise) but the Redskins are gonna charge us $100 each (which they would) to do so." You would do that in a heartbeat wouldn't you?? Sure you would because that's what the cost is to transfer a seat to a family member. You really can't have your cake and eat it too. Actually you can in this case, but if you want a guarantee, that's not gonna happen. I'm just giving people facts to help - nothing more, nothing less. I started out in 2009 in section 412 row 21 and now 4 years after coming off the wait list I have seats in section 103 by using this method and a guy I work with has 2 seats 4 rows behind me in 103 as well. Other than buying club or tailgate, I don't know too many people who can say that other than people who did this. There are people on here who have had tickets forever who haven't touched the sidelines and probably never will. You can't change the rules, so you need to accept them and play by them to get ahead. This is simply one way to do that. Guarantee - no. Success - most certainly.

 

EDIT: You can also wait until the regular season starts to do this as they normally still have singles then. It may be tougher now, but a few years ago they would occasionally still have them. This way, you avoid preseason all together.

I actually do have a bit of experience trying to sell seats from back in the day when I 6. I also have experience eating a lot of seats because Redskins fans didn't want them. Remember what I said about selling to opposing team fans?

I don't disagree though. I look at this $1309 as rolling the dice on an upgrade. I wouldn't hesitate to pay that to move to the sideline. Break even on the transaction? Bonus. Make money? DOUBLE BONUS.

My point was that our friend should be conservative in his approach and be ready to lose money - especially if he's interested in protecting home field advantage. Don't do this if you can't afford to lose the investment.

 

 

I've had a couple of singles on the home sideline for years. I've never had a problem selling them when necessary. I've also never been successful turning my singles into a pair in or near the same section.

 

I got my single on the visitor side and I fully expect to have the Jimmy_Smith experience this season.

[RFKFedEx]

Cutter, please keep us posted on your resale efforts this year. I like to make notes of all ticket market data our fans can provide. Thx!

[Cutter7]

Cutter, please keep us posted on your resale efforts this year. I like to make notes of all ticket market data our fans can provide. Thx!

I'll keep you posted. I'm sure there are plenty of people lurking that wonder if any of this stuff works.

Are you keeping a database? I could see a lot of interesting patterns developing. Maybe year to year wouldn't be easy to predict, but I bet you could figure out game to game fairly well. There's probably a big difference based on location too.

[RFKFedEx]

Cutter, please keep us posted on your resale efforts this year. I like to make notes of all ticket market data our fans can provide. Thx!

I'll keep you posted. I'm sure there are plenty of people lurking that wonder if any of this stuff works.

Are you keeping a database? I could see a lot of interesting patterns developing. Maybe year to year wouldn't be easy to predict, but I bet you could figure out game to game fairly well. There's probably a big difference based on location too.

 

 

I have no database other than ES archives. We have nearly a decade of ticket data shared here on ES, thanks in large part to Mark the Homer. We've learned a lot over the years, and we've definitely seen 'patterns develop' as you say. 

[LCA77]

Cutter7, I am confident you made a good move and I don't know this for a fact, but I assume it would definitely be easier to add an extra seat on the visitors side. 

 

Also, in case anyone is curious, my nephew got a call from the TO today telling him he was eligible to purchase season tickets. He signed up in 2010 at the Giants game. They said they are calling people now who signed up in 2010, so that's pretty quick. He was told that they had upper level corners in rows 1-15 available but the higher rows were sold out. They said they sell out quicker because there are less of them and people in the upper level tend to want to pay less money and sit a few rows higher. Interesting information.

[Cutter7]

The jump in price from row 15 to row 16 is pretty ridiculous.

[Cutter7]

FYI - I took a bath. There were games I literally had trouble giving the ticket(s) away.  Remember, I have a pair in 207 and the single in 220. Sometimes I'd use the single and try to move the pair. The single was near impossible to move. No one wants to go to a game alone... except maybe me and a few of you guys. Granted, I could have marketed better, but I wasn't the only one having the problem. I had multiple people on multiple days in 220 happy to get face value for most games. No one ever tried to get more than face.

In 207 I witnessed 3rd hand tickets. The people behind me sold their 4 to someone who then in turn gave them to a business associate... Giants fans. So the first half of this experiment is in the books. I didn't come anywhere close to breaking even and wouldn't recommend this as a chance that'll pay for itself. We'll see what happens during the upgrade process.

 

I also wouldn't call it a total loss. Being in the new section gave me more intel on the stadium and a great start to a network in a pretty choice location.

 

Anyone else do a single for 2013?

[SonnyandSam]

FYI - I took a bath. There were games I literally had trouble giving the ticket(s) away.  Remember, I have a pair in 207 and the single in 220. Sometimes I'd use the single and try to move the pair. The single was near impossible to move. No one wants to go to a game alone... except maybe me and a few of you guys. Granted, I could have marketed better, but I wasn't the only one having the problem. I had multiple people on multiple days in 220 happy to get face value for most games. No one ever tried to get more than face.

In 207 I witnessed 3rd hand tickets. The people behind me sold their 4 to someone who then in turn gave them to a business associate... Giants fans. So the first half of this experiment is in the books. I didn't come anywhere close to breaking even and wouldn't recommend this as a chance that'll pay for itself. We'll see what happens during the upgrade process.

 

I also wouldn't call it a total loss. Being in the new section gave me more intel on the stadium and a great start to a network in a pretty choice location.

 

Anyone else do a single for 2013?

 

Howdy neighbor! I've lived in section 207 for the past two years in row 3, seats 15/16.

 

I always tell people, only buy Redskins ST if you want to attend the games. They are not money makers until you get to lower level sideline seats.

[Cutter7]

Hey there 207! You should come down and visit the other end of row 2 sometime. I'm the guy with the #7 Cutter jersey.

 

It really irritates me that the guys like ourselves that REALLY want to go to the games, don't have the seats that are "money makers". I can't count the number of times I've complained about seeing fans from the other team in the seats I want.

[Gump84]

Lower level sideline seats aren't even really money makers anymore. I couldn't even sell my lower level 10 YL seats for close to face for any game I couldnt attend last year. I'm about to have a baby and can't keep them this year so I was trying to find someone to buy the package for face and no one is even interested in that!

[Cutter7]

I hear you! Those of us that actually want them are pretty small. It gets even trickier if you go week to week. Weather can be a total kick in the pants.  Who wants to pay $300 to go sit in freezing rain and watch the home team get beat? And the whole season? For $3000/year you can throw a party for your whole crew every game (not just one guest for home games), eat well and never deal with traffic unless there's a run on the bathroom.

 

The seats I want, I'm sure there will always be demand for them, even for the bad teams, because they don't come around that often. Some Raiders fan is having an anniversary or birthday and they only come once a decade, so that person is buying seats, good seats. If you ask me, real fans that go to every game should have those seats and the visiting team fans should have to move farther from the field and have less impact on the field. I'm convinced ticket brokers have them and serious fans will have to either pony up the funds for scalped seats, get comfortable in 2nd and 3rd tier seats, or enjoy the game at home.

[ggarriso]

Potential 2nd year season ticket holder here  - for those of you who went thru this process last year could anyone shed any light on the chances on getting downstairs (even in EZ or corner) during what I'm assuming will be the last round of upgrades?

 

HTTR

[LCA77]

Potential 2nd year season ticket holder here  - for those of you who went thru this process last year could anyone shed any light on the chances on getting downstairs (even in EZ or corner) during what I'm assuming will be the last round of upgrades?

 

HTTR

Extremely slim to none, with none being the most likely. Sorry.

[RememberOsaka]

I gave up 2 lower level seats this year because of the fact I have never been upgraded and was told by the ticket office that 4 are next to impossible to get upgraded. Tell me any other business that actually penalizes you for giving them more money lol

[SonnyandSam]

I gave up 2 lower level seats this year because of the fact I have never been upgraded and was told by the ticket office that 4 are next to impossible to get upgraded. Tell me any other business that actually penalizes you for giving them more money lol

 

I'm not picking a fight but why are you blaming the Redskins or the NFL? It is simply a fact that MOST NFL ticket buyers buy tickets in pairs. Very few buy multiple seats together. It is simple supply and demand not a business conspiracy that makes it difficult to upgrade 4 seats together, especially on the lower level where openings are few and far between. In the past, there may have been an opportunity when the TO had some control over the upgrade process.But now that the STHs get to choose their own seats when their selection time comes up with everyone looking for an upgrade, the odds are nearly impossible for 4 seats to get released at the same time you log on to select 4 seats AND they are where you want them to be.

 

Your problem occurs with almost every sporting team that sells out their seats, no matter what the sport. Don't blame the Redskins or the NFL because demand for seats outweighs the supply. If you were in the upper deck in the 27th row, you would have no problems upgrading.

 

By the way, the Redskins will have no problem selling those other two lower level seats you gave up. So no revenue is lost.

[E33Green]

Just curious, were any folks with LL tickets able to move from the visitor sideline to the home sideline last year?

 

Think I'm ready to make the switch. My upgrade date last year was May 10th and I think that was one of the first windows. Finger crossed!

[HOF44]

Just curious, were any folks with LL tickets able to move from the visitor sideline to the home sideline last year?

 

Think I'm ready to make the switch. My upgrade date last year was May 10th and I think that was one of the first windows. Finger crossed!

I didn't hear of anybody.  Tickets on the home sideline were a very rare commodity.  Corner endzone yes, but true sideline was rough.  Might be better this season after our 3-13 run. 

[E33Green]

I didn't hear of anybody.  Tickets on the home sideline were a very rare commodity.  Corner endzone yes, but true sideline was rough.  Might be better this season after our 3-13 run. 

Thanks for the info, HOF. I'm just trying to get over on the home side of the field, corner would be fine. Here is my reasoning:

 

Overcrowded concessions and bathrooms on the visitor's side. When Snyder added the thousands of obstructed view seats on the visitor's side, he did not increase the number of bathrooms or consessions on that side. If you do a loop around the stadium concourse during half time, the lines on the home side are substantially shorter.

 

Opposing fans. An opposing fan buying a ticket is probably more likely to buy one closer to his or her team. I also have a feeling that there are more long tenured Skins STHs on the home side who are less likely to sell their tickets on the secondary market.

 

Drunks. The aforementioned opposing fans are also the most likely to buy the obstructed view seats because they see the low prices and aren't familiar with the Stadium (e.g. "$20 lower level ticket to see my Eagles play? SIgn me up!") These folks also tend to be the lowest common denominator in our society and get extremely intoxicated. They do this because they know they will probably never sit amongst the same people again and because they don't have a substanial investment in the tickets like STHs do; simply viewing the game as a "let's be as drunk and obnoxious as possible" party instead of an actual sporting event.

 

I understand that there are plenty of drunks and opposing fans on the home side too. However, I just can't see how it can be as bad as when I walk to my seats in section 229 and find Giuseppe, a roided-out Giants fan from NJ, passed out drunk in my seat and clutching a ticket for an 80% obstructed view seat that he bought off Stubhub for $15.

[HOF44]

All valid reasons and why I switched from 230 over to the the home corner a few years ago.  There were some seats available in my section 236 last year. 

[skinfan2k]

any idea if they are going to use mobile ticketing this year?  That would be icing on the cake for me

[chess]

Lower level sideline seats aren't even really money makers anymore. I couldn't even sell my lower level 10 YL seats for close to face for any game I couldnt attend last year. I'm about to have a baby and can't keep them this year so I was trying to find someone to buy the package for face and no one is even interested in that!

Rather odd..I'm in sec 125 row 3 seats 3456 and I had no issue selling for face and above with ease

any idea if they are going to use mobile ticketing this year?  That would be icing on the cake for me

That would be damn sweeeet

[CTennant]

Thanks for the info, HOF. I'm just trying to get over on the home side of the field, corner would be fine. Here is my reasoning:

 

Overcrowded concessions and bathrooms on the visitor's side. When Snyder added the thousands of obstructed view seats on the visitor's side, he did not increase the number of bathrooms or consessions on that side. If you do a loop around the stadium concourse during half time, the lines on the home side are substantially shorter.

 

Opposing fans. An opposing fan buying a ticket is probably more likely to buy one closer to his or her team. I also have a feeling that there are more long tenured Skins STHs on the home side who are less likely to sell their tickets on the secondary market.

 

Drunks. The aforementioned opposing fans are also the most likely to buy the obstructed view seats because they see the low prices and aren't familiar with the Stadium (e.g. "$20 lower level ticket to see my Eagles play? SIgn me up!") These folks also tend to be the lowest common denominator in our society and get extremely intoxicated. They do this because they know they will probably never sit amongst the same people again and because they don't have a substanial investment in the tickets like STHs do; simply viewing the game as a "let's be as drunk and obnoxious as possible" party instead of an actual sporting event.

 

I understand that there are plenty of drunks and opposing fans on the home side too. However, I just can't see how it can be as bad as when I walk to my seats in section 229 and find Giuseppe, a roided-out Giants fan from NJ, passed out drunk in my seat and clutching a ticket for an 80% obstructed view seat that he bought off Stubhub for $15.

 

I was able to move from visitor's corner endzone (115) to home corner endzone (108).  I do not attribute this move to be anything more than luck of being online at the right time.  I moved for one reason: to get out of the sun.  For that reason alone, it was worth it.  I can say that there were plenty of opposing fans around me and the worst drunk/puking episode I have ever seen at a Redskins game.  I generally do not get up during the game (good tailgate and a strong bladder), so I cannot comment on concessions and restrooms.  Even if you are able to move, I would not plan on any improvements with opposing fans or drunks.

[DC9]

Even if you are able to move, I would not plan on any improvements with opposing fans or drunks.

 

Nature of the beast in any and all sporting events these days, unfortunately.

[rskin72]

Well, I just re-uped again for ST's.  I am in 214 section, a couple of rows back under the second deck overhang near to where visitors entrance to the field is.

 

Last season I went online to try and improve my seats....specifically to try and get over on Redskin side.  I saw all of 1 pair of seats on Skin side, end zone kind of similiar to location where I am currently sitting, just on opposite side where Redskins entrance to field is.  I apparently took to long to decide as I went to this site to review info about the seats and when I came back to the selection site, seats were gone.  The rest of the available seats on LL were singletons.   I would like to get seats on Redskins side, but my seats are not bad, and the ST holders around me are pretty cool, so not overly concerned if I cannot move.

 

As for drunks and such.....I saw more incidents this past season in my area than I have seen in the past several seasons that I have owned ST's. 

 

There are a couple of things that bother me almost as much as an obnoxious, loud, profane drunk at FEDEX. 

 

1. Inconsiderate fans who stand all the time, forcing a chain reaction of standing in order to see the field.  I am not talking about standing during big plays, defensive stands, touchdowns..etc.....but just standing all the time until ultimately an attendant has to be called.  If you want to stand, get a ticket in the standing room area.

 

2.  Fans who sit in seats that they are not supposed to be in.  A hassle when the fans with the correct tickets show up to sit down, and those seats are occupied.....leading to a small scene which invariably happens during a play onfield.  FEDEX is not like an airplane where you can move about after the cabin door is closed.  And, many fans arrive at FEDEX well into the 1st quarter, so just because a seat is open at kickoff does not mean ticketholder is not showing up. 

[SwampEm]

I have 4 together in the 100 level. When I went online last year to try to upgrade there was literally nothing better with 4 together. I wonder if anybody with 4 or more tickets in the LL got to improve?