Cubs Announce More Ticket Plans And Information
by Al Yellon on Feb 7, 2011 10:23 AM CST
in Chicago Cubs News
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In case you've been wondering about single-game ticket sales, the Cubs made several announcements this morning. (All times below are CST)
First, single game tickets go on sale Friday, Feb. 25. They're going to distribute wristbands again -- though in my opinion, based on last year's first day sales, they might not even need them. There are other subtle changes in the first-day procedure. Wristbands are being handed out on Monday, Feb. 21 and Tuesday, Feb. 22 from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. at Wrigley Field. The winning wristband number is going to be announced two days before the on-sale date, at 8 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 23 on WGN radio and at the Cubs website.
On the first day of sale, the box office will open at 8 a.m. and phone and internet sales start two hours later at 10 a.m. Unlike recent years, the only games you are limited to six per game are the marquee dates (and at the prices they're charging for those, six will cost you a small fortune). If you buy at the box office, you are limited to 42 total tickets on the first day -- but there are apparently no other ticket limits. After the jump, information on some other sales that are occurring before Feb. 25.
The Cubs are also introducing another 13-game plan, starting today; details here. And, there is going to be a six-game plan, called the Six-Pack Plan:
... a choice of 10 different pre-selected six-game plans. Each Six Pack Plan is headlined by one of the schedule’s most popular games, including Opening Day and match-ups with the New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox and St. Louis Cardinals. The Six Pack Plan starts at just $97 per plan (before 12 percent amusement tax and delivery fees), giving families a chance to enjoy baseball at Wrigley Field throughout the 2011 season.
Finally, the premium Mastercard presale will be on the Cubs website from Wednesday, Feb. 23 at noon through Thursday, Feb. 24 at 3 p.m. You can buy tickets to any game for 20% over face, or 15% over face if you are buying with a Mastercard.
Conclusion: the tickets the Cubs have put on sale so far probably aren't selling as well as they had hoped, which is why they've added these additional plans -- this is the first time I've seen a "plan" with as few as six games in it.
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I'm an out of town guy with funny days off
So no plan works for me like a single game sale. However, if it’s not a game that no one wants to see, by the time I can plan for getting a ticket, the good seats are either gone or in the hands of brokers who I refuse to reward for being vultures.
But then again, I’m probably not the target of anything. I seriously wonder how many people only attend one or two games a year.
[...]when Giants coach Steve Owen, a certified defensive genius, was asked how he planned to stop Nagurski, he said: "With a shotgun, as he’s leaving the dressing room."
Unless the only game you want to go to is against the Yankees
You won’t have any trouble getting tickets and if it is a regular weekday game, there is a good chance you can get it below cost.
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 7, 2011 10:31 AM CST up reply actions
I am actually going to miss making my friends go get wristbands
There is no point for me anyway. I don’t plan to buy any extras and whatever bleachers my friends can cover. I am going to make one friend who lives 3 blocks from the park do it for old times sake and if he gets a great number I will post here in case anybody wants to “borrow him” for buying tickets ( I just won’t tell him why he is buying them)
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
Typical woman
“Go do this chore and don’t ask why.”
"Easy on the words, brother,'' Quade said.
by RiskyBusiness on Feb 7, 2011 11:27 AM CST up reply actions
Not a woman thing, a DOGGIE STALKER thing
One of my friends wondered if he did out of friendship or because he was scared of me. Who knows?
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 7, 2011 11:49 AM CST up reply actions
The Friendship and the Fear
You can get him this worship album to explain it.
"Easy on the words, brother,'' Quade said.
by RiskyBusiness on Feb 7, 2011 11:57 AM CST up reply actions
Really?
I can’t see the list, but I am going to assume it is basically a half version of the 13 game plan in which you will probably get 3 crappy games in April, May & Sept, one halfway decent game
in May or Sept, one decent summer game and your Marquee game. Unless you plan to use at least 5 games, do NOT buy it, you will do better on your own.
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 7, 2011 10:36 AM CST up reply actions
I just got an email about this.
Season ticket holders get a two-hour presale for the six-game plans from 10 am to noon on Friday.
Here are all the six pack plans they are offering. Essentially, you are being asked to buy five lesser games to get one good one. Not such a great deal in my book.
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I actually think the 6-game plans look fair
Sat. Pirates, Fri. Dodgers, Fri. White Sox, Wed. day Phillies, Wed. night Nats, Wed. night Reds.
I wouldn’t really say any of those games are dogs.
Well, I dunno.
No, those games aren’t necessarily “dogs”… it’s more the dates in question. It may be that someone who really wants to go to that Friday Sox game might not be able to make the other dates.
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That's a different argument
You lose some flexibility when you purchase a “plan.” That’s true of even a plan that only had White Sox, Yankees and Cardinals tickets on it.
Unlike the 13-game plan, most of these games are ones that people would be interested in going to.
Most, but not all.
And you’re right, there are fewer games to buy. Still, I think it shows the 13-game plans aren’t selling.
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I agree with that
That was my initial reaction. I thought the 13 game plans were a pretty crappy deal.
These seem like about the best you could hope for in a 6-game plan. If I was going to be living in Chicago for the entire season, I would think about getting one.
by JSB on Feb 7, 2011 1:12 PM CST up reply actions
Yep
I am glad that they are taking action to try to shore up ticket sales though. I don’t want to see Wrigley empty all summer. I don’t think it would be good for the future of the team.
by JSB on Feb 7, 2011 1:27 PM CST up reply actions
It wouldn't.
However, I wonder about some of these ideas — example: tickets are expensive enough. Who’s going to pay 15-20% over face for Yankee tickets?
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well if you accept the premise that tickets are expensive enough...
…and the Cubs aren’t going to lower the prices anytime soon (if ever), then what’s the harm in floating these ideas/plans out there? The incremental cost for running a promotion can’t be that much, can it? And for anyone who does pay 15-20% over face for Yankee tickets, isn’t that just about pure gravy for the Cubs? I mean, that’s 15-20% margin that they otherwise wouldn’t have gotten.
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
True enough.
They can make as many of these offers as they want. The question is, how many people will take them up on those?
Many people DID take them up on the premium presale last year. I have a feeling the number of people who will do that will be quite a bit lower this year.
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I bet we see a number of Groupon deals for crappy games this year
Just my guess. I don’t see any reason to discontinue the pre-sale though. If people are going to pay that, why not let them pay.
by JSB on Feb 7, 2011 1:55 PM CST up reply actions
After the $10 bleacher ticket fiasco?
Doubt it.
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Was that really a fiasco?
What happened that made it a fiasco?
by JSB on Feb 7, 2011 2:06 PM CST up reply actions
Because there were many of us who paid $50 for the same tickets.
Trust me. There was a lot of discussion about this last summer on this site on this topic.
Check out Chicago sports coverage at SB Nation Chicago
I remember that very well
But I think that it was only a fiasco in the minds of season ticket holders.
by JSB on Feb 7, 2011 2:32 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
LOL, fiasco?
It wasn’t anything near a fiasco. It was a huge success. Just because you didn’t like it, don’t go calling it a fiasco.
by kanderber on Feb 7, 2011 2:47 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
You'd have felt the same way if you paid $50...
… only to find out that they were offering 80% discounts and screwing over their best customers.
Not a smart way to do business, and it won’t be done again.
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I'm done discussing this topic.
The team made a mistake. They admitted it. You don’t screw over your best customers — those who invest thousands in season tickets every year — by giving the casual buyer an 80% discount. It’s a bad business practice and they themselves acknowledged that.
You can think differently, but you’d be wrong.
Check out Chicago sports coverage at SB Nation Chicago
Did they?
When? Where? I don’t remember that. At all.
Either way, they didn’t make a mistake at all. It was a loss leader – they sold $10 bleachers and still got all the regular revenue from beer sales and everything else.
The promotion was, by and large, a huge success from a financial perspective. And unless a season ticket holder canceled his package because of this alone (in which case they’d be an idiot), then it wasn’t a bad business decision in that regard either.
And I love the last line. It’s stupid lines like that why you get the amount of flak you do around the web.
by kanderber on Feb 7, 2011 3:47 PM CST up reply actions 5 recs
You can call it stupid if you want, but it's the truth.
Regardless of the beer they sold, it’s still a major mistake to piss off your best customers. They did so. They have acknowledged to me personally that they made a mistake and it will not be repeated.
Look, I had figured they would have discounted some tickets late last season because they didn’t sell. But I didn’t think it would be 80% off — and ONLY bleacher tickets.
25% off all tickets in the park would have been fairer, would have generated no complaints and likely would have made them more money — since they had a large number of upper deck and terrace seats unsold at full price.
Check out Chicago sports coverage at SB Nation Chicago
THE SPOKESMAN FOR ALL SEASON TICKET HOLDERS HAS SPOKEN...
NO CHEAP TICKETS FOR THE REST OF YOU LOSERS.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Feb 7, 2011 4:50 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
You still renewed, yes?
"All right, you ragtag bunch of misfits! You hate me, and I hate you even more. But without my beloved ringers, you're all I've got. So I want you to remember some inspiring words that someone else might have told you over the course of your lives, and go out there and win!"
by Lord Palmerston on Feb 7, 2011 6:12 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Yes.
That doesn’t make what they did any less wrong.
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Oh I will take that one
“They? A wonderful word. And who are they? They’re the nameless ones who kill people for the great whatsit. Does it exist? Who cares?”
This is a favorite movie quote from my facebook page. Good luck getting it.
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 8, 2011 12:20 PM CST up reply actions
Funny, I never see you complaining when you get into postseason games for face value.
Those of us without season tickets have to sell a kidney to get into those games.
So one of your connections with the Cubs told you they were sorry. Awesome. Pretty sure they’re still counting their money from that day just the same. It was a smart business move that put butts in the seats and sold a bunch of beer and bison dogs.
The Cubs are a business. They don’t need to coddle longtime supporters like you because you’ll be back year after year. I can’t IMAGINE what they would have to do to make you not renew.
Either outlaw outside food and drinks (Big Gulps)...
or bring Mark Grace back as manager.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Feb 8, 2011 2:16 PM CST up reply actions
Hire Woo-woo as the PA announcer
and blue jerseys – every game.
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
Celebrity TMOTTBG limited to only reality TV stars.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Feb 8, 2011 2:35 PM CST up reply actions
$5 bleacher tickets for all Wednesday games...
and $2 beers.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Feb 8, 2011 3:04 PM CST up reply actions
you win - I'm fresh out
I was going to say $100 scorecards but I know Al would just make/bring his own.
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
You could have gone with...
- peanut dust-confetti after every Cubs HR
- Nefi Perez Day (Bobble-heads and Nefi Throws out the first pitch)
- The Ron Santo Memorial Wave around Wrigley after TMOTTBG
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Feb 8, 2011 4:32 PM CST up reply actions
Arrrrgh - the Wave.
How could I forget the Wave?
Please forgive me, Al… ;-)
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
Right.
I get into postseason games at face value. That’s a reward for paying full price for every single game for 18 years, bad years or good years. I don’t get a discount for any one of them, nor do I get a discount on the playoff tickets.
Season ticket holders are any team’s best customers. I have even been in favor of a dynamic pricing system like the Giants have. In that case some people might pay less than I did. The difference is, that is known ahead of time, not sprung on people at the last minute, and not on only one class of ticket. That’s what I objected to… and I wasn’t the only one.
Check out Chicago sports coverage at SB Nation Chicago
...
The Cubs made a move that filled empty seats, sold concessions, and made for a better home field advantage. You were paying full price regardless of what they did with those seats. I can’t believe you’re this up in arms about it.
How much advanced notice could they have given? This wouldn’t have even happened if interest in the Cubs didn’t drop off the map as the season went on.
As I have repeatedly stated here...
… I expected the Cubs to discount some tickets late in the season because sales were down. I figured, maybe 25-30% or so.
What I did not expect was an 80% discount on only ONE type of ticket. That’s really completely unfair to people who paid full price. 25-30%? Sure, I get it. 80%? Not so much.
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Al you are season ticket holder
You expect to be screwed and lose money, that is the best way to market.
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 8, 2011 5:49 PM CST up reply actions
Loved it
Took advantage of it twice…
Just win the next game...!
by blackhawk24 on Feb 8, 2011 7:15 AM CST up reply actions 2 recs
You're just twising the knife in Al's back blackhawk....
you’re a monster.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Feb 8, 2011 11:16 AM CST up reply actions
I hope Al knows its not mean-spirited...
and I mentioned this before; as the late (oft-hated) Arthur Wirtz used to say, “an empty seat doesn’t buy any beer”.
Al has a point however, folks who are STH’s are less likely to walk away from the team in terms of tkt sales volume than someone who buys tix sporadically.
Those seats were likely not to sell at the original price. They got $10 apiece and concession sales too.
Just win the next game...!
Again, I'll repeat.
Discounted tickets, maybe 25-30%, applied to all unsold seats: cool.
Discounted tickets at 80%, ONLY for bleachers: not cool.
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Because if they REALLY wanted to make some money and sell some tickets...
… they could have done this for everyone, not just bleachers. It just felt blatantly unfair.
Check out Chicago sports coverage at SB Nation Chicago
So you're saying they DIDN'T want to make money and sell tickets?
Why’d they do it? To spite bleacher season ticket holders? What was their motivation? I’m sure you got an answer from your Cubs apologist.
Alright...
but when Best Buy puts it’s TV’s on sale, they don’t put everything in the store on sale, do they?
Sure it is.
If I buy a TV at Best Buy in January because I really want the TV, and then they put it on sale 6 months later, it’d be absolutely ridiculous for me to be pissed off about other people getting to buy it for that price. Sure, I could be bitter that I spent money on something when I could have held out and got a much better deal. But it’d be logical for me to understand the concept of prices coming down when people aren’t buying. 80%, 25%, whatever. It happens. And it’ll happen again this year if the Cubs aren’t selling tickets again.
You're forgetting this little element called "time"
When did you buy (renew) your tix? End Jan?
When did this sale get announced? Mid-June?
What happened in between? No additional trades or FA signings and a very slow start coupled with teams like Cincy shooting out of the gate (comparatively).
The fact they “picked” on the bleachers? Don’t know. Maybe they wanted to help the TV shots “look more full” of fans.
Lastly, as percentage of total seats in the area, what is the percentage of ST’s in the 5,100 seat bleacher area? How’s that compare to the other 36k in the ballpark?
Come on Al, they gambled and lost. They tried to make up for it. You’re starting to sound like Jessica.
Just win the next game...!
It ludicrous that you think they should have to.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Feb 9, 2011 6:00 PM CST up reply actions
The gamble I cite
is the pricing for the tickets given many factors. One factor is the team was not playing well. The pricing was too high. The “make up” I cite is trying to get some revenue for what would be otherwise unsold tickets.
So what is the pct of seats in the bleachers that are ST’s? 5%, 10%? Let’s say 10%, that’s 510 tickets. Rest of the ballpark seating? 36k Pct ST’s? 40%-45%? That’s 15k tickets.
Soooo would you want to piss off holders of 15,000 seats or 500 seats?
Just win the next game...!
I wouldn't put tickets on sale at 80% off.
25% off? Sure. I wouldn’t have had a problem with that, especially if it had been the entire ballpark. They would have sold more tickets that way, too.
The Cubs have acknowledged this was a mistake and they won’t do it again.
Check out Chicago sports coverage at SB Nation Chicago
Yankee tickets -
I sold some Yankees tickets on the Hub for over 3 times face value – so I’d buy a truckload at 20% over face and still make a killing. Then again, I will be eating most of April and half of May, so I am about even.
by paul_reuschel on Feb 7, 2011 2:52 PM CST up reply actions
I doubt that will happen this year...
Yankees tickets won’t go for 3 times face. Nobody is going to pay $250 to sit in the bleachers to see a regular season game against anybody. The last time the Yankees visited Wrigley, it was their first time there in decades (if ever) and Clemens was going for his 300th win, so it made sense. It was a great atmosphere. Plus the Cubs were decent.
Don’t think this series will be even half as exciting…they just better hope the weather cooperates…
You can doubt it if you want -
- but I have, really and truly, sold my Yankees tickets for this upcoming season for over 3 times face on the Hub. Really. I’m in UD Res IF – 30 buck face tix sold for 100 bucks. After their cut, it’s still a nice profit. I can’t speak for others, but this is what I got for them.
Now, I doubt the bleacher tix will go for 2 or 3 X face – but again, mine did. And I agree, unless something great happens, it may be a dud of a series – or it may be great. No way of knowing.
by paul_reuschel on Feb 8, 2011 8:48 AM CST up reply actions
Yes but bleacher tickets don't even go for twice face or close
For the Friday game you can get them for $117 which means after fees the seller makes $19. For Saturday the price is about $140 which means after fees the seller makes a little less than $40, both figures are less than half of the ticket price. I don’t think there is anything terrible about not being able to make a huge profit on a game, but for bleacher season ticket holders who will take a bath on the dozens of games you can buy NOW for well under face value, they won’t be able to make it up by selling the hottest games and in general bleacher sales are just way, way off in terms of price.
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 8, 2011 8:56 AM CST up reply actions
So in other words....
season tickets are a not for profit investment…go figure. Please stop whining about this.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Feb 8, 2011 11:18 AM CST up reply actions 2 recs
No they are a HUGE loss
which many people can no longer afford. If you could just resell tickets for what you paid , there would be NO problem, but the vast majority of season ticket holders will lose money this year, how much depends on location and how many games they go to. People with Bleacher seats who go to say 20 games and like to go to big ones will be losing a huge amount of money.
If you were losing that much money you might be pissed too.
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 8, 2011 12:23 PM CST up reply actions
Maybe if I had invested in something like stocks or funds to make $ yeah...
but these are BASEBALL TICKETS…which do not exist to “turn a profit” for the purchaser. They exist so that the owner of the ticket can enter a baseball park to watch a baseball game…nothing more.
Again, get over it. The amount of fist shaking over this is absurd.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Feb 8, 2011 12:33 PM CST up reply actions
It is not about PROFIT
It is about people being able to afford to buy or keep season tickets. Needless to say this is an issue rather close to my heart.
I am lucky because my seats are good and the price fairly low but already a number of BCB people have given up their tickets and more than a few who got ones this year may well have to give them up. It is hard to justify losing up to thousands of dollars just to keep your tickets, so despite your and Ballhawk’s wishes I intend to keep on this issue. Don’t let the fact that I have been right so far in the decline in sales last year and the already flooded market of of below face value tickets bother you.
Sorry if I am sensitive having invested 22 years in season tickets and never having a high income and now having a low one.
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 8, 2011 12:44 PM CST up reply actions
If it's not about PROFIT...
why are you going on and on about LOSING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS?
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Feb 8, 2011 12:45 PM CST up reply actions
You don't know the difference
between NOT making a profit and LOSING a lot of money? I need NOT to lose money, I don’t need a profit.
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 8, 2011 12:48 PM CST up reply actions
I think you need to go to all the games
If you don’t/can’t/won’t, then why buy season tickets? Just buy tickets to the games you will/can/want to make. I hear there’s lots of tickets available on StubHub for below face.
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
Because she's EARNED THE RIGHT.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Feb 8, 2011 12:51 PM CST up reply actions
Curses on you, SWL (and Dan too)
Because of your recent tomfoolery, every time I see the word “RIGHT” and/or “NOW”, some infernal blasted cacophony of jumbled noise tears through my brain and sears my inner ears to a burnt crisp.
May you both run with the devil and jump to hell. Oh yes, and poundcake!
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
OHHHHH....ohhhh ohhh ohhhh...
Doggie’s crying!
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Feb 8, 2011 1:02 PM CST up reply actions
There's a very simple...
solution to this: Don’t buy season tickets.
by kanderber on Feb 8, 2011 12:43 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Gee thanks for your advice
Forget that I kept them even though I moved away 20 years ago and used every vacation day to go back for games, that took care of dozens of people each year when it WAS hard to get tickets at face (many on this site).
I have earned my right to bitch and point out how badly the Cubs are A. treating season ticket holders, B and very much related, screwing the entire ticket selling market.
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 8, 2011 12:47 PM CST up reply actions
When you're done up there on your cross...
the rest of the casual ticket buys would like a turn.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Feb 8, 2011 12:49 PM CST up reply actions
You're pissed off...
becuase you’re not able to profit on your season tix. Or at least break even. It’s pretty fundamental here, just as SWL was saying… you don’t buy season tickets to make money, or not lose money… you buy them to go to baseball games.
I bought my tickes when the Cubs
sucked and have loyally kept them for 23 years so yes I feel entitled not to lose a lot of money for doing that, but the bigger issue that is lost in your desire to paint me as some selfish bitch is that the Cubs are screwing THEMSELVES, when the market is filled with BELOW face value tickets BEFORE the season starts how is that and indication of good marketing or even knowing your market. They still have about
a million tickets to sell.
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 8, 2011 1:18 PM CST up reply actions
You sure seem to be trumpeting how you're getting screwed...
exponentially more than you are about how the Cubs are going to get screwed.
And as for having season tickets way back when the Cubs sucked…so what. You are talking out of both sides of your mouth here.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Feb 8, 2011 1:32 PM CST up reply actions
????
I have been ranting about the pre sale etc since last year and that had nothing at all to do with my tickets, in fact as I have said I am relatively “safe” and I confess some of the money I lost over the years was because I was a combination of disorganized and soft, not selling off my tickets for the most money at the start of season and waiting for friends to get back to me.
You can’t seriously accuse me of not ranting enough about Cubs ticket marketing that has nothing directly to do with my season tickets, but a lot to do with the Cubs financially and how they treat other fans.
this particular thread degenerated into an attack on me but the vast majority of what I have posted for the last year has to do with bad Cubs ticket marketing and not my tickets
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 8, 2011 2:17 PM CST up reply actions
Yes DS...to be fair to you...
you have called out the Cubs ticket policy in the past…however…you never miss an opportunity to casually mention how you and all the other season ticket holders are getting the shaft. Al seems to enjoy jumping into that vein too when he gets going about the $10 bleacher tickets from last year.
The only people that have any sympathy at all for you poor season ticket holders, are the other season ticket holders. The rest of us, including all the people who’ve been on the waiting list for season tickets, don’t.
From my point of view, It just smacks of a bit of arrogance to see some of the complaints about things like this when the “I’ve been a season ticket holder for XX years, and was one even when the team was bad.” argument comes out.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Feb 8, 2011 2:34 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
How do feel about people
Who gave up their season tickets after one year because they had no idea how much money they would lose despite having waited for years. I know at least 3 people that happened to and several others who gave up tickets they had for a bit longer. I suspect a lot people who buy bleacher season tickets this year will not be able to keep them unless they can afford to lose well over a thousand dollars.
The irony is that IF I stop screwing around and forget old friends and just maximize the games I am not using there is very good chance I will not lose a penny because again
I have good seats at a fair price, sadly that is the exception not the norm. The fact is that the only way someone who has bleacher tickets can avoid taking a bath is to sell off the top 10 games and spend their time at a bunch April , May & Sept games. Seems kind of twisted system
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 8, 2011 3:24 PM CST up reply actions
Why is it a twisted system?
If they go to every game, how is the system broken/twisted/messed up?
If you can’t afford the tickets, don’t buy them.
If you’re planning on selling the majority of the tickets in hopes of just breaking even, why are you buying season tickets?
Your whining is out of control and illogical.
by Schwa on Feb 8, 2011 3:35 PM CST up reply actions 6 recs
I moved from Chicago 20 years ago
Going to every game is hardly an option. Like SWL you are saying if you can’t go to every game or can’t sell any tickets you should not bother to buy them? How long would the waiting last? How many people besides Al who have season tickets go to more than say 30 games? Anyone want to chime in on that.
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 8, 2011 4:34 PM CST up reply actions
the guy who sits in front of where I sit does
and his friend goes to most of them too – more than 30
How many do you use?
or are you in a group?
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 8, 2011 4:44 PM CST up reply actions
me? I only have the double play plan
usually go to all but 1 or 2 games (out of the 24 total)
Dang. Didn't they stop those like
10 years ago? What do you get if they make the post season?
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 8, 2011 5:50 PM CST up reply actions
one game per series - out in the bleachers last time
gotta check the fine print for this year but I imagine it is the same
I'm still trying to figure out your point.
You owned season tickets when you lived in Chicago and the team was bad. AWESOME.
Then you moved to New York.
Now you can’t go to as many games as you’d like to, so you have to sell the ones you can’t make.
But you can’t get enough money for the tickets because the Cubs are terrible.
You think that’s unfair.
Your plan is to bitch about it until… the Cubs stop sucking? You move back to Chicago? Your keyboard breaks?
I just don’t get it.
This degenerated to much to me
and as I have said since my tickets are good and do to a fluke of a kind
(Cubs would have a hard time seperating good from bad terrace reserve) not that expensive. My point was that many OTHER season ticket holders especially those in the bleachers and upper deck boxes are losing money and likely to lose a LOT of money this year. The broader point which I have been making since last year is that the Cubs have pretty much destroyed the bleachers as a hot spot and also destroyed the entire concept of Cub tickets as either hard to get or fan friendly. As a result demand has plummeted and it is not just because the team has been poor. In other recent dry spells ticket sales remained far stronger and you can only bitch about the economy if you don’t admit the Cubs are pricing themselves out the market. In the “old” days people wanted to be at Wrigley win or lose, it was fun, but there are not 5.000 people who think spending $60 to see a midweek game in the bleachers is worth it let alone $81 for a weekend. I have spent well over a year making similar points and it was NEVER about me or my tickets. Perhaps you think the fact that there are ALREADY nearly 200 bleacher tickets available on BELOW face value for the Sat Marins game on stubhub is a sign of of smart marketing? After all some idiot already bought them. Screw them. How likely will the Cubs be sell their large supply at face?
The Cubs have screwed both season ticket holders and the wider fan base and it is biting them in the ass.
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 8, 2011 5:45 PM CST up reply actions
Let it bite them.
They do dumb shit all the time, this time they’re doing it with tickets instead of players.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Feb 8, 2011 5:48 PM CST up reply actions
Um OK
but you keep saying they are doing SMART things with ticket sales.
Don’t worry off now. Going on vacation
Thursday and have stuff to do.
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 8, 2011 5:51 PM CST up reply actions
Show me where I said they were doing SMART things with ticket sales?
Please….I’m begging you.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Feb 8, 2011 5:52 PM CST up reply actions
That is the gamble of being an STH
Not being able to go to all the games and not knowing what to do with the tickets at times.
I get it…. SWL gets it, everybody gets it.
If the stands are empty (and there’s obviously a lot of factors involved), one thing they will have to evaluate is their pricing policy.
So either continue to hold the tickets and get yourself some reliable buyers to share in the cost or get rid of them.
When the ‘Hawks recently SUCKED, far worse than 99+% here have witnessed with the CUBS the last 25 years, we stayed AWAY from United Centre in droves. That all turned between ’06-’08 and well the rest is history.
If the Cubs really suck and the prices are too high so too will Wrigley start to empty out. It’s not the same ’ol, same ’ol lovable losers. Oct 2003 changed that culture at Clark & Addison forever.
Just win the next game...!
People who buy a luxury item like season tickets to a ML baseball team...
should probably not make the decision to buy said tickets if they need to be able to sell off enough of them to be able to afford to buy them. Schwa is correct about this line of reasoning being illogical.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Feb 8, 2011 3:55 PM CST up reply actions
So anyone who buys season tickets
has to have $ 6 to $20 thousand dollars of disposable income. Wow try that and see how long there is any waiting list left.
Anyone on the waiting list bothering to read this thread, would you buy tickets
if you could not sell any off?
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 8, 2011 4:32 PM CST up reply actions
You should make a FanPost with a Poll Question.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Feb 8, 2011 4:33 PM CST up reply actions
I would if I knew how.
Given that several people on BCB have given up seats this year and some who just got season tickets are already questioning if they should keep them, I have little doubt of the answer of actual season ticket holders.
I am guessing SWL & Shwa don’t have season tickets and I know Ballhawk doesn’t. Apparently you are not good enough fans to lose a lot of money.
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 8, 2011 4:37 PM CST up reply actions
...
I am guessing SWL & Shwa don’t have season tickets and I know Ballhawk doesn’t. Apparently you are not good enough fans to lose a lot of money.
This is the dumbest thing I’ve read on BCB in a long time. Now you’ve gone from whining to arrogant posturing. Quit while you’re behind sweetheart.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Feb 8, 2011 4:43 PM CST up reply actions 3 recs
Really the dumbest thing?
You spend the day making fun of me and others for not be wanting to lose a lot of money( well ok as we have established my tickets are not so hard to sell) and then take offense when I suggest you are not a good fan because you too apparently don’t want to lose money. What don’t you have a few thousand to lose show your loyalty?
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 8, 2011 4:46 PM CST up reply actions
This just took a turn for the worse.
We’re going to have a “biggest fan” contest based on how much of our $ we give the team?
You’re just flailing wildly now.
If you’ve paid ANY attention to what I’ve said about this franchise for the past several months, you would know that I’ve SWORN OFF giving them a single red cent until they stop doing dumb things and start trying to be a ML baseball team. This must mean I’m not a fan in your world.
Of course, in your world, season ticket holders are the best true fans.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Feb 8, 2011 4:51 PM CST up reply actions
My bad
I should have understood why you hated season ticket holders so much since we enable them. In your world the Cubs are brilliant at selling tickets even if the sales are dropping but idiots with on field moves. Odd indeed.
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 8, 2011 5:48 PM CST up reply actions
I don't care one way or the other if someone wants to buy season tickets...
but crying about it after the fact is annoying.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Feb 8, 2011 5:50 PM CST up reply actions
Yup, you're right
No money = no fandom
Please turn in your Cubs fan card to Al immediately, sir !! :^)
Just win the next game...!
No one wants to lose money.
But if you’re buying season tickets, isn’t that an obvious risk you’re taking? Again, it’s not about turning a profit, or even staying out of the red. It’s about watching baseball.
GM's are in charge of Managers, not the other way around.
Wait a sec...
Did she just paint me as an ungrateful bastard?
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
Welcome to Doggie's Chatroom.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Feb 8, 2011 7:03 PM CST up reply actions
Pretty much
I’m just now catching up on this thread and I don’t know if its appropriate yet to ROFLMAO.
Just win the next game...!
I am with you on that
The only reason i kept tickets this year was because i have a partner who is getting 1/3 of tickets. Otherwise no chance!
WTF are you talking about?
Painting you as a selfish bitch? LOL, okay.
I’m not trying to paint you as anything. I’m just saying that it’s laughable that you tickets to 81 games, knowing full well what the demand is, and then complain that you lose money.
If you know you’re going to lose money, DON’T BUY THE TICKETS!
There's the key word
Entitled. You’re not entitled to anything. Get that out of your head and you won’t be in such a psycho mode about this.
I had Blackhawks STH from ‘79-’99 and not once did I feel they owed me anything. Once I felt they were spiraling out of control, I left.
Once they started drafting better, culminating with Kaner in ’07 I got back in.
STH is a gamble. If one does not have the coin to gamble at least a quarter of the money, perhaps more for some team, then being a STH is really not for them.
Just win the next game...!
OK, then
have earned my right to bitch and point out how badly the Cubs are A. treating season ticket holders,
Then get rid of them.
B and very much related, screwing the entire ticket selling market.
Screwing up for who? You? They are eliminating or at least taking a HUGE chunk out of the secondary market. What don’t you get about that? What ?!?
Just win the next game...!
Wanna see the Cubs really fix this?
Hope the STH waiting list plummet to ZERO.
Just win the next game...!
yeah dissappointing
I miss understood and thought you either picked the games or it was two sets of 3 game series.
COLTS FOOTBALL
The MC & wristband set up is really clever for once
Basically you can make an educated guess if you have a good number and if you don’t think you will get what you want there is enough time to use MC sale to get it at a premium. However I still think that for all but Yankee, White Sox and Opening Day there will be tons of tickets available.
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
Watch for earthquakes again.
Jessica & I are in agreement.
Also, this means I don’t have to get up at 6 am on Friday to post the number here.
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C'mon Al you are going to miss getting up at 6AM
and I am going to miss getting people I have never actually met to get wristbands.
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 7, 2011 10:45 AM CST up reply actions
Just did a "mock purchase"
for two.
IMO, this is a terrific value as of this moment – as I am a Season Ticket Holder, and will probably have to eat some tickets once again for crummy games.
What they manage to do, using finely-honed stats right now to be sure – is offer a couple teaser games and then build around early season, day, night, and end of season games when the team will be way out of contention.
It is smart for the Cubs, and, compared to spending the equivilent of a car, you can see a couple decent games and toss out all of the rest. Or go and freeze your ass of with the rest of us! lol
However, for the Yankees and Cards in my mock purchase, there were nice seats between the bases, not more than 16 rows up.
That does increase your net cost for the games you actually want to see, though.
Check out Chicago sports coverage at SB Nation Chicago
Its sorta like Vegas
right, Al?
The House Always Wins! haha!
Looks like I'm going to have to wait until 10am on the 25th for VWR hell and just...
There are 108 beads in a Catholic rosary and there are 108 stitches in a baseball. Who says baseball isn't a religion?
My guess is that you will get through almost right away.
By 11 am on the first day last year, they ditched the wristband system completely.
Check out Chicago sports coverage at SB Nation Chicago
Hope so. The multiple open windows forever refreshing for hours on end gets old fast...
There are 108 beads in a Catholic rosary and there are 108 stitches in a baseball. Who says baseball isn't a religion?
In my time zone,
Is this 10 AM or 11 AM?
I didn't believe it last August, but it turns out that love survives.
State high point count: 3/50
GREEN BAY PACKERS, SUPER BOWL XLV CHAMPIONS!
by Vermont Cubs Fan on Feb 7, 2011 6:54 PM CST up reply actions
11 AM
Jeez did you not have enough coffee today or were you celebrating the Packers win till the wee hours?
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 7, 2011 7:01 PM CST up reply actions
I saw 10 AM and my mind just didn't work.
Also, I don’t drink coffee.
I didn't believe it last August, but it turns out that love survives.
State high point count: 3/50
GREEN BAY PACKERS, SUPER BOWL XLV CHAMPIONS!
by Vermont Cubs Fan on Feb 7, 2011 7:02 PM CST up reply actions
Well just a reminder
You and I are one hour ahead of Chicago. Five hour energy drink?
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 7, 2011 7:05 PM CST up reply actions
Incidentally
… if you read the post, it specifically stated “all times listed are CST”.
Check out Chicago sports coverage at SB Nation Chicago
I read the post, I just missed it.
Didn’t know that was a capital offense.
I didn't believe it last August, but it turns out that love survives.
State high point count: 3/50
GREEN BAY PACKERS, SUPER BOWL XLV CHAMPIONS!
by Vermont Cubs Fan on Feb 8, 2011 6:27 PM CST up reply actions
Al, is that a typo on the wristband give away times for Monday and Tuesday?
Post says " from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. ". Only two hours each day? Hopefully it’s supposed to be until 10 p.m.
Then again, maybe they are already planning on wristband trafficbeing that light… ;-)
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
Are they making new plans because fans are less excited about the Cubs as they used to be?
Is the losing taking its toll?
Its the first time in my memory this type of stuff has happened....I could be wrong...I know prior to 1984 attendace was a major issue, but recently filling the ballpark was pretty easy.
This should be cause for concern for Ricketts and Hendry…..
There were years after 1984 when attendance was low, too.
By 1994, the “glow” of the 1989 title had faded, attendance was down — it dropped again in the aftermath of the strike/lockout of 1994/95, did not recover until the HR chase of 1998.
It is definitely a concern. They need to have an improved year this year, even if not contending, to get people back.
Check out Chicago sports coverage at SB Nation Chicago
Ricketts needs to pull Bud aside and get silent approval to install a "de-humidor" at Wrigley for the baseballs
Let’s recreate the 1998 HR chase again. Get Rudy to work with Soriano on doing the “hop” at the plate instead of the field. It’ll be Sammy all over again!
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
A "de-humidor".
How would that work, exactly?
And I’ll bet a certain ballhawk would just LOVE another HR chase.
Check out Chicago sports coverage at SB Nation Chicago
not quite sure but I got a guy working on it....
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
And I'd say ticket prices have topped out too.
People are taking a HARD look at what the Cubs want to charge for a day at the ballpark.
There are 108 beads in a Catholic rosary and there are 108 stitches in a baseball. Who says baseball isn't a religion?
Yep.
It’s charging Red Sox/Yankees prices without the sustained success of those two teams.
Check out Chicago sports coverage at SB Nation Chicago
This is an excellent point.....
The Cubs charge quite a bit to come see a team that may not contend….The fans may have had enough. Ricketts would have done quite the public relations move by cutting prices across the board. But that did not happen…..
The bleacher prices are especially insane
No other team is even close. I get that the Cubs nurtured the bleachers as a special and cool place but charging $81 bucks for the big games which is almost 50% higher than my very good terrace reserve seats is insane. Traditionally I have probably seen
60% of games I go to from the bleachers, this year it will probably be half that. I just can’t justify an $81 bleacher seat for the Cards game in August when I can sit in my seats for about $55.
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 7, 2011 1:15 PM CST up reply actions
Watch for galaxies exploding today.
Jessica & I agree, again.
Check out Chicago sports coverage at SB Nation Chicago
$81 for Yankees on a weekend isn't that outrageous
It’s the $50 night games against a random team that kill me.
by JSB on Feb 7, 2011 1:31 PM CST up reply actions
How bout $81
to see the Marlins on a Sat? That is one of the Marquee games and in my case it is the Cardinals series in August I will skip buying any bleachers when last year I would have.
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 7, 2011 2:07 PM CST up reply actions
Yep
That is outrageous. I actually have like 5 buddies coming in town for that game too. We can already get tickets on stubhub for below face value for that game.
by JSB on Feb 7, 2011 2:08 PM CST up reply actions
Which tells you that sales for that game will be VERY slow.
Check out Chicago sports coverage at SB Nation Chicago
kwitcherbitchin and enjoy what you have
Those “insane” bleacher ticket prices are most likely at least partially subsidizing your “very good” terrace reserve seats. If Ricketts were to bring the bleacher ticket prices more in line with reasonable levels of just slight madness, you better believe he’d make it up by jacking up prices in other locations.
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
I still believe it's all about supply-and-demand
Bleachers even with the outrageous prices are still the most in-demand tickets for some odd reason.
I wonder if this year the Cubs might finally have over-stepped with the bleacher prices.
by JSB on Feb 7, 2011 2:09 PM CST up reply actions
Actually they stopped being the most in demand tickets last year.
Terrace Infield for example brought a higher percentage of resale value than bleachers.
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 7, 2011 2:16 PM CST up reply actions
One advantage to bleachers for resale though
Is that they are a commodity. You can always dump at the last minute for lowest price. Re-selling Terrace Infield requires a little more planning and finesse.
I am curious where you are getting your statistics. I assume they are anecdotal?
by JSB on Feb 7, 2011 2:35 PM CST up reply actions
You can dump any tickets you want at the last minute
depending on the price,the main advantage in bleacher seats is you can sell singles or odd numbers with no issue. I am basing my stats on stubhub pricing last year as well as a number of craig’s list listings. It is kind of no brainer that tickets with a lower base price are easier to sell for better value. Bleachers have simply lost most of their aura as being such a cool place worth spending big bucks on, especially for games beyond the top 10.
For fun I just checked Opening Day the cheapest bleacher ticket is
$97 and at that price the seller is just about breaking even after the 15% mark up, the two seats closest to mine sell for $96 but since the face value is $26 dollars less, they are selling for much more value. It is virtually the same for the next day which is a game the Cubs are offering in a lot of packages. Tickets roughly the same as mine cost roughly $5.00 more per ticket than the bleachers despite having a face value of $10 less and anyone selling a bleacher ticket for the price listed is in fact LOSING money ( though not a lot) I am sure the rest of the season would look the same.
To be fair , I have very nice Terrace seats, but in the old days bleacher tickets would have sold for more than my seats, the shift started last year and if you add in the fact that bleachers cost significantly more than my seats, it is a bad deal and bad set up by the Cubs.
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 7, 2011 2:58 PM CST up reply actions
There is no doubt the bleacher tickets "subsidized" other tickets
for some years now. I have repeatedly pointed this out. The problem is the Cubs got way too greedy and are killing off the bleachers which was a golden goose .It was not enough for the Cubs to get 3 times or more what other teams get for bleachers they wanted more. Even if they succeed in getting $81 for a Yankee game the rest of the games will take a hit. Bottom line is that in the old days people gobbled up ticket to pretty much any summer bleacher game on the assumption they would sell out and if they could not use them, they could easily sell them, this was effectively killed last year. Brokers won’t be buying them at all. The Cubs tried to protect themselves by selling a LOT more bleacher season tickets, which helps in the short term but will end up dumping a ton of tickets in the secondary market. I am willing to bet all comers that tickets below face value will be available for 75% of games this year. Just between Al and me roughly $3000 to $4,000 fewer tickets will be bought this year and we are not that rare or strange. I know it is a waste of time and money to buy bleachers because I can easily get them at or below cost. For years the Cubs nurtured the bleachers into a cash cow, now they are killing the cow.
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 7, 2011 2:15 PM CST up reply actions
Of course they are here
but ticket sales have been down for two straight seasons and I expect they will down by a far higher percentage this year.
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 7, 2011 4:17 PM CST up reply actions
do you have ticket revenue numbers for the last three years?
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
Nope because of course the Cubs don't make it public
However with their statements like the Convention sales would be as good or better than last year ( 3 days before it started) and there endless assurances that everything is just great I would not believe them. The attendence numbers they are REQUIRED to report so you can trust them, I would not trust anything else they say about ticket sales, finances etc.
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 7, 2011 7:04 PM CST up reply actions
I'm calling my broker and tell him to put everything into Alcoa
I got a feeling aluminum sales are going way up this year
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
Lets see sales down for two years in a row
and you think I am crazy. Last Feb when I insisted ticket sales were off because numerous games which had sold out last year on the first day, did not sell out then, Al said I could not possibly know this. It is really is not brain surgery.The Cubs are selling fewer tickets for the last two years, they will almost surely sell fewer tickets this year. Feel free to go to Stubhub and Craigs list and see people DESPERATE for buyers and selling below face when two years ago you were lucky if the mark up was under 20%. Perhaps you can explain why already a large number of the bleacher tickets listed on Stubhub will net the seller less than they paid, but of course I am wearing a tinfoil hat.
If I were you I would invest in eBay as they own stubhub and a portion of Craigs list and while the average price will be down the amount of Cub tickets for sale will probably set a record and because their fee structure they will do big business even on less pricey tickets.
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 7, 2011 7:26 PM CST up reply actions
you keep focusing on the number of tickets sold instead of ticket revenue
tickets sold is an indicator, to be sure, but without knowing what the ticket revenues are, how can you seriously question the business acumen of the Cubs?
And what does Stubhub and Craigs list have to do with it? They represent a secondary market, just like the brokers in previous years. Okay, so the price is in the other direction, but for those tickets, it doesn’t impact the Cubs – they already got their money. And yes, the demand is impacted, but the higher ticket prices have an impact as well.
Fewer tickets sold at a higher price per ticket may or may not equate to more revenue, but until you can answer the revenue question with any certainty, you’re just huffing and puffing trying to blow the Cubbies’ brick house down.
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
Since the Cubs books are secret
how can anyone ever know, but since they routinely lie about how good sales are, why would one believe them? The “secondary” market is a clear indication of soft sales. Do you really think if there are ALREADY vast numbers of tickets available for game at or BELOW face value, the Cubs tickets will be selling well ? You can’t honestly not understand the relationship between a large number people desperate to sell tickets before the season starts and the Cubs own sales? When 2 years ago people were begging to BUY tickets and now people are begging to sell them, you seriously think the Cubs are doing great and these silly sales to “general public” don’t matter?
You ask for “evidence” the Cubs will never provide, but ignore the actual proveable facts of a vastly depressed market. Show me a sports team, entertainer, event of any kind where people are trying to sell tickets at or below face value while a HUGE number of tickets (probably around one million) remain to be sold on the open market that is going to do well financially?
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 7, 2011 10:32 PM CST up reply actions
I'm saying that if somehow we did get a peek at the Cubs books...
…their ticket revenue numbers would not be the “sky is falling” armageddon apocalypse that you continue to make it out to be. They probably are down, but what isn’t down in this economic period?
I tend to believe the Cubs have decided to “sow their seeds” as it were, and establish a bulkhead at a higher ticket price level. Evidently they look at the season ticket waiting list a little bit differently than you. Meanwhile, they collect the incremental revenue now and for however long it takes until people are “begging” for tickets again. And should the Cubs catch fire and play well sooner than expected, then walk-up sales will increase at – guess what – a higher ticket price level.
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
Ticket revenue is falling
but the real key to this disaster is the that
tickets in general but the bleachers in particular are no longer seen as hard to get. People are ALREADY dumping them in large quanities on stubhub below face value. Not exactly the best policy to raise prices in the bleachers sky high in a tough economy. This year I don’t believe the Cubs could increase sales even if they started fast out of the gate. They won’t be able to make up from slow early sales no matter how well they play, but the that really is not the point, the genius of the Cubs ( and especially the bleachers) was selling out REGARDLESS of the team’s performance. The brokers in particular helped this work and that is all gone now.
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 8, 2011 8:28 AM CST up reply actions
I have a hunch
something very exciting is going to happen in the pork belly market today.
Just win the next game...!
Just between Al and me roughly $3000 to $4,000 fewer tickets will be bought this year and we are not that rare or strange.
You really believe that?
Until I posted here, I never met anyone (aside from ticket brokers) that purchased that many tickets… on top of their season tickets, no less.
She's right.
It’s true. It won’t be true this year.
Check out Chicago sports coverage at SB Nation Chicago
Point taken.
But that also is exactly the point. There are many people who did that — not just brokers. The number of people doing that this year will be close to zero.
Check out Chicago sports coverage at SB Nation Chicago
I was mainly purchasing for friends
because I had a number of my friends do the wristband thing. This year no one I know wants any extra bleacher seats and I am not even buying the 8-10 games I need because it makes more sense to buy them from friends who otherwise won’t be able to sell them. I did this because so many people wanted tickets and because I knew that if something went wrong I could always sell them for what I paid.
I can’t emphasize enough ( which I have been doing for over a year now) the IMPORTANT role brokers played in selling Cub tickets. The dirty little secret has always been that they were the backbone of sales and would happily buy your extras. That is gone and it takes the whole market with it. The highest demand games should bring at least face, but no more super high prices and lots and lots of extra tickets. I again urge anyone thinking of buying a package to be sure they will be able to use the majority of tickets themselves. Do NOT count on being able to sell extras at face value.
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 7, 2011 4:24 PM CST up reply actions
She's right again.
I did the same, buying tickets to help friends out. But the demand for those tickets is either down or nonexistent.
Check out Chicago sports coverage at SB Nation Chicago
Monday and Tuesday change stinks
My friends and I drive down form Wisconsin to get wristbands each year, driving in on Thursday night and getting wristbands, this blows that plan, I guess we have to call now and get all the surcharges that go along with the phone/internet orders
Here's another reason ticket sales might be down.
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email me
You are free to use my friend for your tickets. I don’t need any myself. He is a good egg because he gets airline miles and I will buy him lunch.
maddux2014 at gmail dot com.
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 7, 2011 2:18 PM CST up reply actions
you can also contact me
I will have bleacher tickets available that you can have. Pretty much any game you need.
I'd contact you,
But your email address isn’t listed on your profile. Can you please send me an email? Address is listed on my profile. There’s two Yankees games in June I’d like to get tickets to.
I didn't believe it last August, but it turns out that love survives.
State high point count: 3/50
GREEN BAY PACKERS, SUPER BOWL XLV CHAMPIONS!
by Vermont Cubs Fan on Feb 7, 2011 6:57 PM CST up reply actions
Got your message, sent reply back.
I didn't believe it last August, but it turns out that love survives.
State high point count: 3/50
GREEN BAY PACKERS, SUPER BOWL XLV CHAMPIONS!
by Vermont Cubs Fan on Feb 7, 2011 7:10 PM CST up reply actions
OT: Looks like Dave Otto is running out of friends and family... ;-)
His lead over Moreland in the announcer poll is down to 2%. It now stands at 45% to 43%, with 11% going for someone else.
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
with great reluctance, I renewed my share of season tickets: 2 tickets to 9 games
and should the miracle occur, I’m in line for 1 postseason game. For all other games, I will just buy on the street, mostly below face.
ask not what the Cubs can do for you - ask what you can do for the Cubs.
by holy mackeral on Feb 7, 2011 3:26 PM CST up reply actions
If you plan on using them every game, you didn't.
But if you plan on selling many of them for face value or trying to make a profit, then yes, you did. I wavered about renewing my seats last year and I did. I tried giving games away for free to no avail. I lost a good amount of money due to unused tickets. It’s like a punch in the stomach every time you know that you paid for seats that aren’t being used. After last season, I decided to bail. If the Cubs ever make the World Series, I’ll use the money I saved on my season tix to buy WS tickets.
I fear that this season will be even worse because there is no buzz about the Cubs at all. Add that to a ticket price that people have to take out a second mortgage to pay for and you have trouble brewing…
I don't care about profits.
I only anticipated using 1/4 of the season at most.
If I can’t find just 1 ticket partner within a year, I’ll definitely be one and done. For what they charge for tickets, they should be in the thick of things every year like the Red Sox and Yankees.
Exactly correct.
They are trying to market themselves like the Red Sox and Yankees, but without a decade or more of sustained success. It won’t work until after the Cubs win the WS, or make the playoffs several years in a row.
Check out Chicago sports coverage at SB Nation Chicago
by Al Yellon on Feb 7, 2011 4:09 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Yep
And by then, seasons will be impossible to get.
I’ll just have to see how things go this year. I went into it with the goal of keeping them for decades… but if I end up losing my ass, I probably won’t be able to justify it again.
I don't think you're alone in that sentiment, either.
Check out Chicago sports coverage at SB Nation Chicago
Rec'd
After a year on the job the Ricketts’ have made a serious move in ridding themselves of the manager (he quit, I guess, but same result), but the same F.O. that this underachieving club has had for the past decade or so will now begin their march to many a pennant.
The Cubs are moving up. I’m excited.
GM's are in charge of Managers, not the other way around.
Is there any news on the lottery for the series at Fenway?
Every player should be accorded the privilege of at least one season with the Chicago Cubs. That's baseball as it should be played - in God's own sunshine. And that's really living."
Yes, as a matter of fact
you will have two morechances: slim, and none.
None will be more likely.
Keep checking the Red Sox website.
It should be announced soon.
Check out Chicago sports coverage at SB Nation Chicago
I think I'm gonna just take my chances on Feb 25
I’m only looking for tickets to four games this year, and I feel that only one of them will be very tough to get.
Trying to get 5/15 vs. SF, 6/19 vs. NYY (tough, obviously), 8/10 vs. Wash (Ron Santo Day) and 8/24 vs. ATL.
Although, how difficult do you (anyone) think it will be to snag a couple of decent lower level seats for that SF game on Sunday May 15?
Keep that Q Train rollin' in '11. Let's win it for Ronnie.
I feel bad, you could have had my very nice tickets
but that is one of the games I am going in for. The trick with lower level is figuring out what is really good because of the posts.
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 7, 2011 7:28 PM CST up reply actions
Darn. I really like the view from your seats (down the third base line, right?)
I have pretty good knowledge of the seats in the terrace (mostly what I can afford right now) but sometimes I get unlucky. I generally look for seats in at least row 14 and down of the terrace and seats in the middle, am I correct?
Keep that Q Train rollin' in '11. Let's win it for Ronnie.
Pretty much
I can always ask the guy who sits next to me. I think he sells his through a friend. Poor guy is REALLY screwed. He used to have tickets 1 & 2 in section 211, but a few years ago they renumbered the seats and he has seat 12 in 209 and seat 1 in 211 so he can not sell them on stubhub. Despite being the officially sanctioned seller for MLB, the one that the ticket office makes special arrangements for you to sell with, they refuse to accept these are side by side seats.
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 7, 2011 7:41 PM CST up reply actions
That does stink. Wow that really is a bummer
And if he trys to sell on eBay he’ll probably have to go into a detailed description about how they actually are side by side seats. I really never have understood the seating at Wrigley. Why not just go section by section and number like 1-15 (or however many seats there are per section) like all the other ballparks do?
Keep that Q Train rollin' in '11. Let's win it for Ronnie.
The ticket office says they feel bad
but “there is nothing they can do” as it is stubhub policy. I think he gave them over to a broker, but I will have to ask how that is working this year.
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 7, 2011 10:33 PM CST up reply actions
Wow, that really stinks.
I didn't believe it last August, but it turns out that love survives.
State high point count: 3/50
GREEN BAY PACKERS, SUPER BOWL XLV CHAMPIONS!
by Vermont Cubs Fan on Feb 7, 2011 9:01 PM CST up reply actions
This is misinformation
as I have four consecutive seats running over two sections. Stub Hub has a place where this can be indicated.
This may be an older policy, but it is a clear option to check that was reinforced by my Cubs Rep.
I used it myself personally.
I don't think he tried last year because he gave up hope.
However stubhub in general is a huge problem fo season tickets in terrace infield. You are literally forbiddend from “describing” seats. I actually had tickets removed for stating that they were UNOBSTRUCED because that is a “judgement” so some poor schmuck buys tickets in section 220 row 22 and thinks he is getting an unobstructed view behind the plate only to find the overhang and posts blocking various angles of view. When stubhub was trying to cozy up to MLB they actually made it easy to ID season ticket holders Vs Joe Schmoe who grabbed some crappy seat at the box office to turna buck back when you could. I use them as a LAST resort because the system makes it so difficult to actually explain your tickets.
I will check with my friend, but I do think he just gave up. Do you have two in each section or 3 in one and one in another? Also just curious does the person have to click on the listing to understand they are side by side or is it just evident with the listing?
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 7, 2011 11:07 PM CST up reply actions
You have not used Stub Hub
in more than a year then.
The option to actually compose a description has been gone for a while.
The seller can only check off a series of boxes which fit (or do not fit) your situation.
I have two in each section. The last two in one, and the first two in the other – all in the line.
We are debating letting go two seats next year depending on how much of a hammering we take this year.
My friend can list his tickets
but if it says 209 seat 12 and 211 seat 1, I am not sure if anyone is going to fully understand they are together. Actually I sold a few last year and I hated it. Again for Terrace Reserve seats it is terrible because really bad seats will look good to the untrained buyer.
Do you remember the short lived system where the Cubs set up a system to resell season tickets on the website. What was really amazing about it is that
they KNEW which seats where good and they actually listed them that way so my seats for instance would appear before someone selling say 220 row 16.
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 8, 2011 8:32 AM CST up reply actions
I was VERY
disappointed that the Cubs discontinued that.
What people generally do not realize is that when comparing prices on Stub Hub, they are NOT paying the price shown.
Another 10% is added on for the buyer, and all they are given is a print-out.
And, of course the seller takes a 15% hit!
What a deal!
And, let’s say you happen to be at a perfect game, try handing down a “print-out” to your kids – framing it, or putting the print-out on ebay! haha
Last year I went over to very startled couple
who had bought my seats on stubhub as I wanted to sit in the bleachers.
I gave them the “real” tickets as a souvenir.
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 8, 2011 10:59 AM CST up reply actions
totally ot
Chronologically inept since 2060
Q: Why did Chuck Norris cross the road?
A: Ditka
Ditka's mustache can block a Chuck Norris round house
by Cubbie-Tim on Feb 7, 2011 8:31 PM CST via mobile reply actions
...?
Is there any more to this comment?
I didn't believe it last August, but it turns out that love survives.
State high point count: 3/50
GREEN BAY PACKERS, SUPER BOWL XLV CHAMPIONS!
by Vermont Cubs Fan on Feb 7, 2011 8:44 PM CST up reply actions
didnt mean to post it as i did
playing with my new cell phone, and posted before i meant to. wanted to say
totally OT
BCB is very user friendly on the HTC Evo
Chronologically inept since 2060
Q: Why did Chuck Norris cross the road?
A: Ditka
Ditka's mustache can block a Chuck Norris round house
good to know
I’m trying to decide between the Evo and the Evo Shift. I would assume that what works well on the Evo will also work on the Shift.
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
i just got it today, and it has some nice bells and whistles to it
Chronologically inept since 2060
Q: Why did Chuck Norris cross the road?
A: Ditka
Ditka's mustache can block a Chuck Norris round house
I got a Samsung Epic, which is equivalent to the Evo
I like it a lot… if you are considering the Evo, consider the Epic, too.
Check out Chicago sports coverage at SB Nation Chicago
I love my Evo, bought it in June, love that it's totally a touch screen, no keypad.
Decided to try Android after tiring of waiting for iPhone to be available to other carriers. Android won me over, no longer want an iPhone. Bet there’s millions others that have come to the same conclusion.
Hey, it's a new century!
by cowsarecool220 on Feb 8, 2011 11:48 AM CST up reply actions
Dunno about that
To each his own, or her own. I think my iPhone 4 is seriously awesome. the HD video I shoot on it is amazing. I could not be happier with my phone.
Good Guys Wear Blue
I have an Android phone.
It can do the same things your iPhone can do, and I’m not tethered to iTunes if I want to make updates, and I can actually remove my own battery, and put a larger SD card in if I want more storage. It’s much more flexible and does the same things an iPhone can do.
Oh, and I pay about $20 a month less for the data plan I’m on.
Check out Chicago sports coverage at SB Nation Chicago
DOES IT HAVE THE DE-REC FEATURE ON THE HTC EVO?
"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money." --Ernie Banks
Here's more marketing chaos - the three-headed Cubs Club membership tier monster is on its way back
http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/chc/fan_forum/cubs_club/index.jsp
Seems to be structured much like last year:
- A basic level (Cubs Club) for $19.95
- A mid level (Bleacher Bum) for $129.95
- A premium level (Marquee) for $249.95
Looks like advance ticket purchase options will be available to the upper two membership tiers, just like last year. Future details will be announced sometime later this month.
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
I dont think there is anything wrong with this
Its just more ways to increase revenue and marketing base. As long as they are not discounting tickets, its all good.
Nothing wrong but it is likely a bad deal
They are really are not providing enough specifics but unless they give you access 8-10 to the Yankees, White Sox and the Friday & Sat Cardinals series in August you would probably do better either on stubhub or the MC pre-sale unless you really care about a T shirt or VIP entrance. The premium one is particularly suspect because it says it will give you access to prime Saturday game in the summer, problem is most of those are overpriced ESPECIALLY the bleachers and with the exception of the above mentioned games you can buy them now on stubhub for BELOW face ( these are the overpriced Marlins, Astros & Reds games).
If you want Opening Day Yankee, White Sox or Fri /Sat Cardinals game than you are most likely much better off using the MC sale, if you want anything else you are much better off waiting for the many available tickets.
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 7, 2011 11:33 PM CST up reply actions
Generally...
… I think that top tier package has given you access to 12 tickets ahead of time.
Which means you are paying $20 per ticket extra, essentially.
Check out Chicago sports coverage at SB Nation Chicago
The wording about Saturday games was odd but perhaps they are just
highlighting that perk. If the top tier gives you access to 12 tickets to any game of your choice (with say 2 or 4 ticket per game limit) it would be worth it if you only want Yankee, White Sox, Cards & Opening day. If you want less than 12 you are probably better off with the MC pre sale.
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 8, 2011 12:27 PM CST up reply actions
Any info on the Kids Club?
Last I heard, it was still TBA. Can’t find anything on cubs.com.
Of course, I can’t find much info on cubs.com, totally disorganized. One of the worst website.
Hey, it's a new century!
by cowsarecool220 on Feb 8, 2011 11:53 AM CST up reply actions
BTW - here's what you get from the Indians Fan Club
They appear to have only one level, priced at 19.95 but look at what you get:
Two (2) complimentary tickets to a select 2011 Indians home game*
Batting Practice Access for one (1) 2011 Indians home game*
Complimentary tour of Progressive Field*
Personalized “I Am IN The Tribe” Scoreboard Photo*
2011 MLB.com® Gameday Audio for your PC
10% discount on eligible purchases at the Indians Team Shop*
10% off a single eligible order at the indians.com® Online Shop*
Tribe Tailgate Parties for members throughout the season*
Opportunity to receive a 30-day trial to the MLB Insiders Club*
Access to members-only pages and fan club message boards on indians.com
Monthly E-Newsletter with Member Spotlight
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
You know what
I’m in Ohio for school right now and was going to get the GameDay Audio thing anyways. I might just get this fan club thing just so I can get the audio……might as well take the 2 complimentary tickets too. What the heck?
Keep that Q Train rollin' in '11. Let's win it for Ronnie.
Exactly
I don’t want to type this too loud, but I think GameDay Audio is a great bargain at only $15. It’s kind of tough for even Bud & MLB to screw up a radio feed, although they’ve tried. Believe me, they’ve tried.
So as you said, if you’re going to get the GameDay Audio thing anyway, you might as well throw down another $5 on the team of your choice and enjoy whatever perks that team happens to offer. For the Indians, it’s a couple of tickets, watching a batting practice up close, and a tour of the park. For the Cubs, the big thing (at least for me) is legitimate access to the CubsCam.
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
Yep. I've never been to Progressive Field anyways. I'm excited.
I went ahead and bought it last night. I figured what the heck? I’ll go enjoy a free neutral baseball game after listening to my favorite team on the radio, which is what I was going to do anyways.
Keep that Q Train rollin' in '11. Let's win it for Ronnie.
I'm contemplating a Wrigley trip
I was planning on going to Boston for the series, but couldn’t get up there in the end. Oh well, no harm in going to Chitown again.
Viva la Cubs Révolution!!!
OMG just want Opening Day Tickets
Well the six game plan isnt bad, considering i paid $80 a ticket for opening day last year.
by Mike Claudio Ramirez on Feb 8, 2011 9:43 AM CST reply actions
Wow.
What a disrespectful thread. Being a sports season ticket holder grants you the right to games, special events as determined by the owner, first dibs on playoff tickets, etc.
Buying season tickets does NOT grant you the permission to berate non-season ticket holders and think you’re some sort of better Cubs fan. You’re not, but if you think you are, you’re mostly an asshole. Mostly.
Being a season ticket holder is pretty cool, from what I understand. Not all of us can live in Chicago, have free weekdays, etc. Be mad at the system, or the ticket brokers, or the team owners, but don’t be mad at those that come in for one or three games a year. I haven’t read a more elitest thread on BCB in a long time.
Dan
"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money." --Ernie Banks
by dtpollitt on Feb 8, 2011 7:41 PM CST reply actions 2 recs
I am sorry the thread got so off track
My point was and has been since last year that the Cubs are doing a terrible job at marketing and pricing tickets. I was definately not berating non season ticket holders, only people who said that since I was basically dumb enough to buy them I should not complain, that I found insulting.
At no time have I ever berated non season ticket holders beyond those who were attacking me
personally.
I am most definatey NOT mad a anyone who comes in for a game or two and have NEVER said anything like that. I think you have been here long enough to know that I take special pleasure in being able to offer my tickets to out of towners. I consider it one of the best perks of all. I have met some amazing people over the years that was able to help get to games.
The reason I spent so much time on the season ticket pricing ,stubhub etc was that it was the only way to show how bad the ticket "market’ /demand is. When I attack the Cubs for pricing
bleacher tickets to a Marlins game at $81 and then show that these tickets are already being dumped at below face value, it is not to criticize non season ticket holders, it is show how out of whack the pricing/marketing have become.
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 8, 2011 10:55 PM CST up reply actions
Attacking your logic and your positions is not the same as attacking you
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
I took it pretty personally
when I am told that I have no right to complain or question Cubs ticket policies because I am dumb enough to buy season tickets. You certainly know how long I have been discussing the issue. I have every right to argue how badly the Cubs have been handling ticket sales and marketing and continuing decline sales. They took a team which had perfected the art of seling out a park with a team win or lose and destroyed the entire concept that since nearly every game would sell out, you better buy them while you could.
We can argue over my logic, but at what point in the decline of sales, the inability to sell out their most popular fan event that had sold out in MINUTES in previous years etc, will you ever admit there is any problem? Apparently unless they give you or me access to the ledgar you believe they are doing a bang up job and since I buy those season seats I should just shut up and take it.
Tomororow I will be on a sunny beach so feel free to rag on me all you want.
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 9, 2011 7:43 AM CST up reply actions
Have a nice trip.
Ah…a beach sounds good about now…it’s minus 2 here (and that is not including the windchill). Brrr.
It is about that here too with wind chill
Mom is joining me from Chicago and she can’t WAIT to get out of there.Has it been above freezing since the blizzard?
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Feb 9, 2011 8:17 AM CST up reply actions
you know, with that kind of attitude, you make it pretty easy. Enjoy your time away.
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
Making stuff up now?
I know I didn’t tell you that you have no right to complain or question the Cubs. You have every right to do that. Just like we have every right to tell you that you’re whining about the same thing over and over.
The only people that are ‘dumb’ for buying season tickets are the ones that:
- Can’t afford them
- Plan on selling the majority of them just to break even (or, foolishly, try and make a profit)
Since seemingly you can afford your tickets, you should have nothing to complain about.
Everyone here knows the Cubs are struggling to sell tickets. You didn’t break that news to anyone. But when you say stuff like this…
No they are a HUGE loss which many people can no longer afford. If you could just resell tickets for what you paid , there would be NO problem, but the vast majority of season ticket holders will lose money this year, how much depends on location and how many games they go to. People with Bleacher seats who go to say 20 games and like to go to big ones will be losing a huge amount of money.
If you were losing that much money you might be pissed too.
…you make most of us want to bang ourselves in the face with a hammer. If you’re investing in a loss, STOP investing. If you don’t go to many games, STOP buying season tickets. Why is this the Cubs’ problem? They’ve got a waiting list thousands of people long. True, not all would buy if their turn came up, but enough would that they won’t have readily available season tickets ANYTIME soon. No one feels bad for people that try to buy stuff they can’t afford.
Enjoy your vacation.
Been making up stuff for quite some time now
Were you on here last February and the “discussion” on the pre-sale, Cubs club and the like? It would have been funny if it were not so sad.
This almost reminds me of the housing crisis. What made people think that all of a sudden they would “qualify” for a $420k loan when just the year prior – at nearly the same income – they qualified for a $180k loan.
No they are a HUGE loss which many people can no longer afford.
That’s the line that irks me. She’s using the premise that STH’s should be able to re-sell at any time and recuperate their money. Ludicrous.
Just win the next game...!
Ah!!! The $10 Blch tix great debate
Bleacher Season Tix holders, the Cubs best customers, why would they screw their best customers?
Ah, The businessperson…The Airlines best customer, you know, the ones who fly 3-4 times each week. Why would the airlines screw them??
If you don’t know, just buy a airline tix 2 days before you go, like most business people and compare that to 2 weeks before you go, you know the airlines twice a year customer.
Baseball games aren't airline flights.
No one roots for United Airlines. People give their entire emotions to the Cubs.
Check out Chicago sports coverage at SB Nation Chicago
People should put some perspective on rooting for a baseball team compared to things that actually matter in real life.
Your defense of some of this is borderline psychotic. Yes, we understand the time and effort some people (like you and doggie) put into being a Cub Fan, but please don’t try and elevate buying tickets to watch baseball games to some special “this is different than anything else ever” status.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Feb 11, 2011 11:33 AM CST up reply actions
But they're both businesses
and like businesses they both can go belly-up if not managed right, And by the way, Southwest Airlines does have a “Fan Club”.
This should probably be the new masthead of this site.
Let people know what they’re getting themselves into.
"All right, you ragtag bunch of misfits! You hate me, and I hate you even more. But without my beloved ringers, you're all I've got. So I want you to remember some inspiring words that someone else might have told you over the course of your lives, and go out there and win!"
by Lord Palmerston on Feb 11, 2011 2:46 PM CST up reply actions
Even with $250 membership
Can not buy Yankees or white sox tickets. Practically noone will buy those memberships this year.
by bashuck on Feb 11, 2011 3:13 PM CST via mobile reply actions
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