SB Nation Chicago Editor's Pick
Are $10 Bleacher Tickets Coming Back? Yup.
by bergs55 on Mar 15, 2011 3:38 PM CDT
Email
PrintI know many STH were upset last year when the Cubs discounted bleacher tickets...are they possibly doing the same thing again? Maybe this is only for people who entered the contest, it's not totally clear to me in the email. Decide for yourself...
Here's the email he received:
Thank you for your submission to become the next Public Address Announcer for the Chicago Cubs! We were thrilled to have so many phenomenal and passionate auditions. Your creativity and enthusiasm made our job incredibly rewarding. We are truly fortunate to have so many great fans (and great voices). As you might imagine, it has been extremely difficult to narrow down the field to 25 candidates. While you are not one of the finalists, we would still like to see you at the Friendly Confines. As a gesture of our appreciation, we would like to extend an offer to enjoy beautiful Wrigley Field. Please be on the lookout for an email in the coming days inviting you to a game on us as well as a great ticket offer to enjoy games in the Bud Light Bleachers for $10. Again, thank you for your submission. Your passion truly inspires us. The Chicago Cubs
This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.
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Could Be Offer to Only Those Who Applied
The $10 bleacher tickets might only be for those who applied for the PA job. If they offer $10 bleacher tickets for select games to the general public, that would be a sign that ticket sales aren’t going well. It could tick off season ticket holders. Oh, well!
2011 - The 103rd time is the charm.
Makes me wish I applied now
Don’t know what I would have done as I went through the process. For free/discounted tickets, I should have just done it.
"You just don't know understand how frustrating this is"- Kevin Borseth
It's a good thing they didn't mention this beforehand
I don’t really need anyone in Cubs management wading through more applications of people who just wanted cheap tickets. Nothing personal of course, but 3000 applicants was probably enough.
College discount day promos are already up too
I have no idea why people pay full price for Bleachers.
Here.
BLUE DEMONS is a code.
http://mlb.mlb.com/chc/ticketing/college_discount.jsp
"Pounding sand since 1982...."
Wow.
Discounts on ALL April and May games (except Opening Day). Including weekends, and games vs. the Cardinals. (The Sat. 5/14 game vs. the Giants is excluded, too — that was one of the few bleacher sellouts.)
Without ranting, it seems to me that they ought to do something for their best customers — the STH. Also, why ONLY bleacher tickets at the discount rate?
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Yeah, it was pretty snarky.
It’s real simple. STH are a team’s best customers. Almost all teams give STH a break. The Cubs don’t, and when they can’t sell tickets, they discount ONLY bleachers?
That seems blatantly unfair.
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I'll play devils advocate.
They also don’t ask you to pay more, when tickets are sky high.
No one forces you to purchase season tickets.
"Pounding sand since 1982...."
Look man...
Al and all the other ST holders a doing the Cubs a BIG FAVOR by buying those tickets. The least the team can do is not give big discounts to other regular tickets buyers for certain sections of the ballpark. It’s only fair.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Mar 16, 2011 1:20 PM CDT up reply actions
Maybe you're not clear on what it means to play devils advocate.
That point was already made and acknowledged, man.
"Pounding sand since 1982...."
Maybe you're not clear on how much of a stake ST holders should have in saying what the team should and shouldn't do with ticket pricing.
Also the NFL is “modern-day slavery” according to Adrian Peterson. Is that what we want to happen with MLB and ST holders? I don’t think so cubswynn.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Mar 16, 2011 1:50 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
I didn't have a problem with last year's promotion
But, this seems a bit excessive. The Cubs are definitely screwing their STH in the bleachers here.
I would probably say the same thing.
But I do think the points I made (the points the Cubs would probably argue) do have some validity.
"Pounding sand since 1982...."
Who's more likely...
to spend money on beer – someone in the bleachers or someone in the grandstand? Obviously it’s the former. And that’s the point – well, half the point – to get people into the park where they’ll spend more money.
And, let’s be honest here, your beef isn’t that it’s ONLY bleachers – it’s that they are being so heavily discounted period. If they discounted the whole park by half off you’d still be pissed.
Actually, no, I wouldn't.
Because I have been in favor of the Cubs having a dynamic pricing system like the Giants use — for ALL tickets. That would be the most fair way of doing it.
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But then people...
would be paying less money than the Cubs “best customer”, right? You’d be okay with that?
So, let’s set the record straight here… your beef isn’t the heavy discounts? It’s that they’re only discounting them in the bleachers?
It's more than that.
If you have a dynamic pricing system, the STH pays a fixed, known preseason price. Then, yes, it is possible that tickets could be less during the season. But if the team does well — the single game price could be MORE than the STH price.
This is a fair system if announced in advance and understood by everyone, rather than the half-ass system of discount here, discount there, etc.
The STH gets price certainty under this system and playoff tickets if the team makes it. The way the Cubs are doing it, ONLY the bleacher STH gets screwed.
Can you see the difference?
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I see what you're saying...
and honestly I don’t know enough about a dynamic pricing system to be able to comment on it. But it seems to be a pretty logical way of doing things.
But, this isn’t a “half-assed” system. It’s what every intelligent and well run company does – they lower prices if their customers aren’t paying what the company is asking.
Nevertheless....
… there should be some sort of break for season ticket holders. “Intelligent and well-run companies” like most of the other MLB teams do this. Why not the Cubs?
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Most other MLB teams do lots of things the Cubs don't do...
step back and think about that for one second Al.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Mar 16, 2011 5:35 PM CDT up reply actions
So what do you want?
A refund? You can’t possibly think that’s realistic.
Look, I get it. Your position is very easy to understand. But when given the choice between selling a ticket for 10 bucks or for zero bucks, of course the Cubs are going to sell it for 10 bucks. You’re basically upset with the Cubs for getting something rather than nothing.
If the system were in place ahead of time...
… and understood, like a dynamic pricing system, I wouldn’t have a huge problem with it.
Keep in mind that at the same time they are doing this, they are also selling full price season tickets, or trying to.
Also, again, why are these discounts ONLY for bleachers? There are lots of other unsold tickets.
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Because, again...
they know that people who sit in the bleachers are more likely to spend 8 bucks on a beer than someone who sits in the grandstand. They’re trying to make money here, it’s pretty simple. Why not discount them all to get something rather than nothing? That I don’t know. Maybe they will as it gets closer.
In addition, bleachers are more noticeably empty on TV than the grandstands. They were surely embarrassed by the emptiness last year, and they don’t want that to happen again.
Your points are valid.
Still, it would be more fair to discount ALL tickets, wouldn’t it?
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I guess, yeah...
but the Cubs aren’t in business to be fair.
Their objective is to maximize revenue.
Sure.
However, most businesses don’t like pissing off their best customers.
And how would discounting unsold upper deck or terrace tickets not bring in revenue? Wouldn’t it be better to sell those tickets, too, instead of not selling them?
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But if the best customers...
continue to come back then, really, what’s the harm?
Maybe they will discount grandstand tickets, that remains to be seen. I agree that it doesn’t make sense not to as it gets closer to the day of if they remain unsold.
Why would they give STH's a break
if they’re gonna buy the tix anyway?
If there’s a 95% renewal rate [for example] and that is the threshold they desire for a given price tier, they’re gonna continue that if they get that renewal rate.
I would never have dropped prices at my stores over portions of the last 30 months or so if the economic conditions didn’t force it.
Sales figures began to drop, we had candid response from customers that said they can’t afford it as much as previously. We listened and offered promotions.
When the Cubs sales drop below whatever level they consider painful enough, they too will change.
Just win the next game...!
Why would they give STH a break?
Why do most other teams — even those with large STH bases — do it? Because it’s good business to reward your best customers.
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Cuz you guys still pay
well enough of you do. And I won’t even pretend to begin to know what that threshold is Al.
See you’re stuck between a rock and a hard place. There’s lots of fluctuation; the team, the economy, the ballpark, new owners, the state going broke, no public financing at least now…yadda, yadda, yadda.
The key to me is renewal rate. Could other teams still have a large " STH base" but have greater churn Season-Over-Season than the Cubs until 2011? Perhaps, more likely at least to me.
You’re in such a totally unique situation. Your team plays at at tourist attraction. Your seating area is exclusive. Your team has new owners. Your team owners are trying to generate revenue streams to make up for ones they can’t rely on like other owners. Your team has a fan base that is eternally optimistic.
When all that is added up, it makes for higher prices.
If the Cubs tank and I mean >90 in the “L” column and the ballpark is empty, it will force a turn.
But I have a sneaky feeling that if there’s enough STH’ers that are willing to fork over some serious coin, this will continue.
Just win the next game...!
Wanna send a return message?
Cancel your tickets, Al.
Being PO’d then turning around and dropping $4k per bleacher ST is like going to Allen Brothers & complaining about $30 / pound steak then saying afterwards, “OK I guess it’s fine”.
The guy that I bought ST’s from the last few seasons CANCELED; and that was 4 IF Club Box tix. Outside dugout boxes (or mezz) those are the most expensive seats in the house. Now will that in of itself send a message? Probably not, but he’s already told me some other folks he knows did the same exact thing.
Until the Cubs ticket base falls below a given level – whatever that is – they will continue their practice. We can all thank (not being sarcastic here one bit) the image that is Wrigley Field and the hype surrounding the ballpark for this. When one has Chicago’s THIRD MOST POPULAR tourist attraction, one takes advantage of it.
Think about that….. a place that’s only open 6 months a year – wish it were 7 – is the THIRD MOST POPULAR tourist attraction in a city of 3 million and metro area of over 9 million !!
You think the team playing 9 miles south of Clark & Addison in that shit-hole of an area has a remote chance – like that of a snowball in hell – of ever capturing revenue like the Cubs have for so many years?
The more people who STAY AWAY the more correction we will see in Cubs ticketing policy; period. One only has to look at 1901 W. Madison St where the true winter sport is played for an example. Four years ago it was the mausoleum on Madison. Not so any more. Dollar-Bill Wirtz dying was the straw that finally broke that camel’s back.
Just win the next game...!
The more people who STAY AWAY the more correction we will see in Cubs ticketing policy; period.
100% truth.
People avoided the White Sox like the plague and they finally won a World Series.
People avoided the Blackhawks like the plague and they finally won a Stanley Cup.
This isn’t coincidence.
Am I temporarily part of the problem since I bought Season Tickets this year? Yes, but at least this is my first year. I had to try it out just to see how it goes. You never know, maybe it’ll be a great year. If it’s a bust, I will have no problem not renewing. This is the attitude veteran STHs need to adopt, and quick.
People avoided the White Sox like the plague and they finally won a World Series.
People avoided the Blackhawks like the plague and they finally won a Stanley Cup.
This isn’t coincidence.
Huh? You can’t draw the conclusion that just because people stayed away, the teams won championships. It just doesn’t work that way.
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Well, it's not coincidence.
I didn’t say crappy attendance = winning. Lack of attendance usually leads to significant changes within the organization, which usually lead to a better product on the field.
When you know you’re selling over 2 million tickets right off the bat, every single year, before tickets even go on sale to the general public… that’s not a very strong motivator to improve things. If anything, that’s strong motivation to maintain the status quo.
I've heard this argument before.
I don’t buy it.
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But you do buy ST regardless of how the team performs.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Mar 22, 2011 12:20 PM CDT up reply actions
Just don't connect the winning with the change in ticketing
or change in attendance.
There’s teams that win a lot and draw like shit comparatively; see the 14-year consecutive division title Atlanta Braves for an example. What a horseshit excuse of a sports town.
Those wins you cite were from SOLID organizational moves. Yes, the ticket sales fluctuated, however at least in the ’Hawks situation, they were already at a 70/80-game or so consecutive sellout streak before we knew they were going to be GOOD.
Just win the next game...!
I'd guess
that demand is way down on bleacher tickets, and bleachers were one of the Cubs cash cows. Nobody else can charge what the Cubs do to sit in the outfield bleachers.
I think they are trying to fill up the bleachers to make them seem more in demand, and to get a new generation of fans (the college kids) to fall in love with the experience. If people see half-empty bleachers, it’s not going to be “The” place to be anymore, and the Cubs won’t be able to charge primo prices to sit there.
DEJESUS!!!
They're already maxed out on prices, so you have a point.
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Maybe
Because they are some of the most viewable seats on TV and if it appears the park is full I am guessing that helps.
Also – since the bleachers are usually the seats that get filled up fasted being GA and the seats that presumable drink the most beer – could they figure those seats are more important to fill??
"Hey.....Cubs win!!!" ---Harry
"Swung on belted!!!"---Chip
Why would they do anything?
They know guys like you will keep coming back every year, no matter what they pull & no matter the price.
Look at the target market here, Al
If the Cubs are going after the college kid demographic, do you really think the Delta House is going to get a bunch of reserved seats where they’d have to sit in the same seat and watch the game amongst a bunch of Cub fans and under the watchful eye of crochety ushers? or go party hearty in the bleachers?
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
Seems like the $10 offer is in addition to the freebie for auditioning
While it may not seem likely now that such a $10 bleacher offer will be made public, I wouldn’t discount the notion something similar being done if there is a serious attendance issue.
With all due respect to Al and others in their, “I’m a STH, how dare they do that” rants, if the Cubs need to generate more revenue by dropping ticket prices later this year, they ARE going to do it. Maybe not $10 bleacher tickets but there WILL be deep discounts.
Just win the next game...!
It does show how ticket sales are down.
I’ve written before that I figured they would do some discounting. It does seem unfair to the STH — most teams give the STH the price break, not the single game buyer. The college discounts have been done in the past. Frankly, they are asking for trouble by doing this — one of those dates last year was the day they had all the trouble in the bleachers that I wrote about.
It also seems unfair that they would ONLY discount bleachers, and not other unsold tickets.
They really do need to go to a dynamic pricing system like the one the Giants use and announce it ahead of time. That way, there aren’t any surprises.
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Cubs Better Win
That’s the only cure for declining ticket sales.
2011 - The 103rd time is the charm.
I only came here to ask....
if you are going to have words with the Cubs employee who spoke to you about this issue the last time you threw a fit over it.
" They have acknowledged to me personally that they made a mistake and it will not be repeated."
" The Cubs have acknowledged this was a mistake and they won’t do it again."
Also…Koyie Hill is now my favorite Cub of 2011.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Mar 16, 2011 12:13 PM CDT up reply actions 4 recs
I may very well do that.
Why is Koyie your favorite?
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It's mostly because of his pork stew recipe in that Cubs Cookbook...
but his invisible bat also helps…it’s like Wonderwoman’s plane.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Mar 16, 2011 1:15 PM CDT up reply actions
Which Wonder Woman?
or
Personally, I’m old school all the way.
Blue mountains high .. Blue valleys low
I don't know which way we shall go ..
One summer dream .. one summer dream ..
coda
ELO, 1975
by cubnational on Mar 19, 2011 11:27 PM CDT up reply actions
It seems unfair... but life's unfair.
One one hand, you’re upset because they are ONLY discounting bleacher tickets. On the other hand, the Cubs are ONLY discounting GENERAL ADMISSION tickets.
And… probably by calculated risk on annual numbers… those discounted tickets will lead to more concession sales than discounted tickets in other seating areas.
"You win because of the quarterback. We have to get that position stabilized. We're fixated on that." -- Jerry Angelo (12.30.2008)
Jerry Angelo trades for Jay Cutler! (4.2.2009)
So?
Do you think those other ticketholders don’t buy any food and drink?
If this is just to sell beer, it’s pretty cynical.
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I think it's a very calculated decision.
Based on ticket sales and concession sales from previous years.
Do I think it is a positive for STH? No. Not at all. But in the big scheme of things, the Cubs are forecasting ticket sales, and making adjustments in order to fulfill the bottom line. It’s a business.
"You win because of the quarterback. We have to get that position stabilized. We're fixated on that." -- Jerry Angelo (12.30.2008)
Jerry Angelo trades for Jay Cutler! (4.2.2009)
On top of that...
If you’re going to start discounting tickets… it’s a pretty logical place to begin by discounting general admission seats, as opposed to assigned seats.
"You win because of the quarterback. We have to get that position stabilized. We're fixated on that." -- Jerry Angelo (12.30.2008)
Jerry Angelo trades for Jay Cutler! (4.2.2009)
Perhaps.
Again, a dynamic pricing system, laid out ahead of time, would be fairest to all concerned.
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I'm curious...
How come the Cubs don’t just sell more Season Ticket packages instead of selling games at $10 each?
If you have a waiting list of well over 100,000 people, in theory you should be able to sell every seat to every game via season tickets. Many teams do this in the NFL – when is the last time you were able to get a Bears ticket that wasn’t a season ticket? Almost non-existent.
People argue that you need to make game tickets available to the general public. Why? Wouldn’t it make a lot more sense to sell all of tickets to STH’s? The Cubs would make their money (full price) and the loss from selling a $10 bleacher seat is placed on the season ticket holder rather than the team. With Stubhub, many tickets are cheaper than buying them from the box office, so that’s a great way for the general public to buy their seats (and another way that the Cubs lose revenue). I just don’t get it…
Answer to your question
… because season tickets are very, very expensive, and most people can’t go to 81 games. An NFL team is not a fair comparison — there are only 10 NFL home games (including the two preseason games they make you buy).
There’s no way baseball teams could sell all their tickets to STH. Even the Red Sox, who routinely sell out every game, don’t do that.
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I know most teams MLB teams can't...
…but the Cubs could. Here’s my thought/question…
If the Cubs already have 27,000 seats filled by current STH, they have 15,000 seats available to the general public per game.
The Cubs have a STH wait list with well over 100,000 people. Let’s just assume that each person on the STH waiting list buys 2 seats if given the opportunity. You would only need 7,500 new STH to fill these seats. Every game would be a “sell out”.
Sure they’re expensive, but don’t people on the wait list know this?
since you don't
have to pay to be on the list, i’d imagine well over half the people on the list won’t buy when their name comes up.
but your point is valid, imo. if i were the cubs, i’d want to hold back 10-20% of the seats for the general public, because you want to have a wide fan base. if the casual fan can’t get into a game because they don’t have season tickets, you are going to lose potential future customers, and you’ll lose people who might buy merchandise, etc.
But with the Cubs struggling to sell tickets, I’m surprised they didn’t sell more season tickets.
DEJESUS!!!
But with the Cubs struggling to sell tickets, I’m surprised they didn’t sell more season tickets.
I’m not. Clearly, they are TRYING to sell more season tickets, with these multiple offers, even offering some this week. Season tickets are expensive. Many on the list may not be able to afford them. Those at the top of the list may have been there since 2004. My season ticket has almost doubled in price since then.
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Yet, the majority of the people on the waiting list have not been contacted about buying tickets yet
If they were worried about not filling the stadium this season you’d think that every person on the list would have been contacted by now to see if they would buy season tickets. Even if 90+% of the people on the waiting list said “no, not this year” they’d sell thousands of more season tickets and reduce the amount of individual tickets needed to sell by that much more.
The only reason I can think of them not selling more season tickets is the thought that individual game ticket purchasers spend more on concessions and souvenirs and the Cubs would like to keep a large enough amount of their seats available for these customers to reap the rewards when the team is doing well. It would create a lot of bad will with fans if they tried to take the seats back from STHs once the team starts doing well again.
It's A Little Bit of A Drive, Too
You’ve got to go some distance from Normal to Chicago.
2011 - The 103rd time is the charm.
The code
in that paper is coming up as invalid for me.
Al must have made some calls.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Mar 16, 2011 5:25 PM CDT up reply actions
The ad is wrong.
Try entering it as “redbirds” (one word, not case sensitive).
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Ironic For A Cubs Ad
to enter “redbirds” as a code. Illinois State and the Memphis AAA baseball team are the only teams I know of that go by “Redbirds”.
2011 - The 103rd time is the charm.
ah, the good ol' Vidette
got me though Bio 101 where the TA took attendance and I could have cotaught the class.
Fukudometer: Created 3/31/08 Wrigley Debut 4/5/08 WGN and Japan TV Debut 4/6/08 Sun Times Debut: 4/20/08 Coffee Table Debut: 7/17/08
by Fukudometer on Mar 16, 2011 11:53 PM CDT up reply actions
This is just good ol' smart marketing
Pander to the ones that will buy the most beer (aka, the ballpark product creating the most revenue). While I do feel for Al and the rest of the STH, I have no problem with the organization trying to get something out of nothing. They just need to maintain as close to the status quo as possible until the team is a legit contender again, and then attendance won’t be a problem.
Tried to warn people
The only decent options are the 200 & 500 level. Bleachers and 400s are so overpriced it’s not even funny.
The Field Box and Club Box
will resell too but they don’t offer them. Plus, who can even afford those anymore
Keep that Q Train rollin' in '11. Let's win it for Ronnie.
Very few.
I know a guy with 2 seasons in the Club Box IF (regular fan, not a broker). He lost his ass last year. No one wants to pay $100 face per ticket when the team is anything but awesome.
I think good Infield Terrace is probably the best for resell
but it is still not easy. However the problem is that a lot of people don’t know the difference between good ones and bad ones and they don’t always believe you because
they have been burned before.
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Mar 17, 2011 6:11 PM CDT up reply actions
Club IF Box
about $8k per ST.
Just win the next game...!
by blackhawk24 on Mar 22, 2011 10:12 AM CDT up reply actions
When will Juicy Juice name a section in the grandstands?
Then the Cubs could sell $1.00 seats to every kid in the Chicago public school system for those chilly April and May games in the shade. Sure the beer sales won’t be affected too much, but the mark-up on cracker jack is pretty good, too. And maybe if you get kids to watch baseball….nah, nevermind.
Offering $10.00 bleacher seats to the people who applied for a job seems kind of cool (although awfully desperate, too). And yet I recognize it can lead to a bad taste in the mouths of STHs. Maybe the STHs should be offered the same deal on top of their STs, ie thus have the option of buying cheap seats for their friends if they wish.
Offering $10.00 bleacher seats to college students seems more like the Cubs are trying to sell the “bleacher experience” by encouraging the drunken party aspect of it all. If I was a STH with seats in the bleachers, I’m guessing I’d rather sit next to a bunch of people who have a neat story to tell about applying for the PA job then a bunch of drunk fraternity brothers. The again, I don’t know where the Bud Light bleachers are. I would like to know how much, if anything, the Cubs make yearly from Bud Light to have a section in the stands with their name on it.
Another option for selling bleacher tickets might be to sell bleacher seats to pieces of corporate art, like the Kraft Noodle.
"I'd rather hit home runs you don't have to run as hard." -- Dave Kingman
by BucknerKongCardenal on Mar 16, 2011 10:51 PM CDT reply actions
The "Bud Light" bleachers are the bleachers.
The entire section has those naming rights.
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Wow.
So all the college students who go to games are drunken fans?
Not sure if that’s the case, I happen to know plenty who focus on their studies more and hardly ever drink.
I didn't believe it last August, but it turns out that love survives.
State high point count: 3/50
If you are grouchy, irritable, or just plain mean, there will be a $10 charge for putting up with you.
by Vermont Cubs Fan on Mar 17, 2011 5:47 PM CDT up reply actions
I'm generalizing of course.
But when is the last time you saw a group of 20-30 college kids in the bleachers studying?
"I'd rather hit home runs you don't have to run as hard." -- Dave Kingman
by BucknerKongCardenal on Mar 17, 2011 6:11 PM CDT up reply actions
Yea I'll be real
if I could go to a Cubs game in April for $10 I’ll prolly use the cash I didn’t spend on the ticket for beer in the bleachers. And yes I’m in college. And yes I like beer.
Having said that, I’ve never sat in the bleachers before. Go figure.
Keep that Q Train rollin' in '11. Let's win it for Ronnie.
I would like a "Dynamic Pricing" for Bleachers
$10 for girls – $30 for rest. $5 drink specials before 3rd innings and a DJ. Dress to impress!!!…
That will attract the “crowd” cubs are trying to market to.
by lakhania on Mar 17, 2011 1:35 PM CDT reply actions 3 recs
PAULIE!!!
"Easy on the words, brother,'' Quade said.
by RiskyBusiness on Mar 18, 2011 12:38 PM CDT up reply actions
Oh yes it's Ladies Night and I'm feeling right....
"Easy on the words, brother,'' Quade said.
by RiskyBusiness on Mar 18, 2011 12:37 PM CDT up reply actions
Niiiiiice
I didn't believe it last August, but it turns out that love survives.
State high point count: 3/50
If you are grouchy, irritable, or just plain mean, there will be a $10 charge for putting up with you.
by Vermont Cubs Fan on Mar 20, 2011 9:44 AM CDT up reply actions
I love how young people who like to drink...
…get such a bad rap now. I’ve heard plenty of stories about what the bleachers were like in the 70’s and 80’s and they don’t sound much different. Well I guess we don’t use as much coke, but that’s about it.
"Pounding sand since 1982...."
by cubswynn on Mar 18, 2011 12:59 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
There were drunks around then.
They just didn’t seem as nasty, and they were into the game, not just the drinking.
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Personally
I like to have a few now and then – I just cannot drink at the game. It has nothing to do with the $$ although that could be a factor. I just do not want to go to a game and spend a couple half innings waiting in the bathrooms.
Missing part of the game SUCKS. Being in the bathroom and hearing a cheer is bittersweet – I don’t want that.
Side note – do not even think about drinking at a Bears game. I left for the bathroom once at the beginning of the half. Got back with just under 13 minutes left in the third – AND when I finally got up to go (my turn) I was in a line to pee in a SINK!! Awful – I swore off beverages at games that day.
"Hey.....Cubs win!!!" ---Harry
"Swung on belted!!!"---Chip
I agree with all of that.
The $ is a factor, too. I cannot understand the people I see at Wrigley downing 8-10 beers. Not only are they getting stinking drunk and missing the game in the bathrooms - but that’s costing them $60$70 just in beer.
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I think Ricketts just hacked into BCB and raised the price of beer... ;-)
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
by ballhawk on Mar 18, 2011 9:20 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
the $60-70 spent in beer would mean the Cubs
make more $ off that person than the STH who doesn’t spend anything on concessions
by doofus cubs guy on Mar 19, 2011 1:34 PM CDT up reply actions
They don't pay $4k/ticket either
$70 in beer once in a while is nothing compared to the cost of season tickets.
That may be a bit high, however
For example: $10 tkt + $50 concessions ≈ $45 ticket + no concessions (concession margin is huge, over 70%). Of course there’s in-between’s and middle-grounds to this criteria.
Just win the next game...!
Amateur hour
I drink at Bears games and never miss more than a minute of the action. Gotta know how to time it.
That's why you never go to the bathroom at halftime or the end of quarters
That goes for Bulls and Hawks games and Cubs games as well (never go when at the end of innings, always go when the Cubs are in the field)
Keep that Q Train rollin' in '11. Let's win it for Ronnie.
Always tricks though
Baseball: Get up with two outs in the inning and head in the right direction. Watch the next AB’s, then at 3rd out? BOLT to the john.
Hockey: Same thing at the timeout in the last couple minutes. Depending on they play, the last “4-min span” TV timeout may or may not come around the 16:00 mark of the period. Stand in an area to see the rink, then at the horn? BOLT to the john.
I adapt the same hockey routine at the Rush games now. I hope arena football sticks this time. It is really cool. The Rush were at capacity in AllState in 2006-2008 then the league and several teams F’d-up, canceled 2009 and they haven’t returned to prominence yet. 2-0 this season and there was 10k+ at Friday’s home opener.
Just win the next game...!
Baseball: Get up with two outs in the inning and head in the right direction. Watch the next AB’s, then at 3rd out? BOLT to the john.
Yep.
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Pitching Changes in the top half of the inning are my friend.
Plus the right route to the trough.
"Easy on the words, brother,'' Quade said.
by RiskyBusiness on Mar 24, 2011 9:24 AM CDT up reply actions
Not even close
Then it wasn’t about being seen and who’s gonna get the most cell phone pics or facebook thumbs up, or whatever that crap is.
Now, it’s all about being seen now, like paying a $50 cover charge is cool. Because they don’t watch the games, and IMO some/many don’t know shit about the game. For some its like it’s a goal to get into a fight or at least just act like an asshole.
I’ve been there and seen that. While I never went to all 81 games for several years in a row like Al and a few others I did have several consecutive seasons of 30-40 games in the bleachers.
Baseball acumen has fallen off sharply in the last 10-20 years.
Just win the next game...!
I dunno
Even when I was a kid, I vividly remember hearing stories from adults saying how the Bleachers were just one giant party where you go to drink and hit on the girls. Seems like the only thing different now is the technology and the clothes.
There's always some who can spoil the party
it’s just so much more frequent.
Example: The fights in the bleachers (Al correct me here if I’m wrong) in 1996 & 1997 prompted the “no vendors coming to the seats” policy. It also prompted the “2 beers a person” policy.
Guys I know now, younger guys who were not even born in the 70’s, some who were even born after the Miracle on Ice (that’s my measurement stick for being old, like the previous generation used to say, “where were you when Kennedy was shot?”) seem to want to go to the games only for the party atmosphere. I don’t get it, but its there and it’s frequent.
Sarcastically at times, quite often too, I would call out, “hey look, there’s a baseball game going on down there!”
Just win the next game...!
blackhawk24 is correct.
Back in the 70s, sure, there were drinkers and partyers, but the main focus was watching the game. For one thing, there were far fewer women in the bleachers then. Not that there weren’t some, but it wasn’t the way it is now. That didn’t change until after 1984.
You are also correct about the vendors. It may have even been before 1996.
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You know what I miss the most, Al
The bets on innings, AB’s and even pitches. I was a bit too young to truly appreciate it and by the time I had the money to do that too, it had significantly faded.
Turned into an old-fart. Day games, scoreboard held all MLB scores and a couple Weber grills on the rooftops.
Just win the next game...!
I hear you, my friend.
I got to see the tail end of that era. It’s gone forever.
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Pass the Cup
Even in the mid-90’s you could buy a dozen bleacher tickets from Ticketmaster for a week night game and play Pass the Cup with some friends.
Too fun.
"Easy on the words, brother,'' Quade said.
by RiskyBusiness on Mar 24, 2011 9:20 AM CDT up reply actions
So has anyone heard from the Cubs yet about this offer?
I mean, from the people that applied. I applied and got the same email. Haven’t heard anything yet. I know they said “the coming days” so does that mean like 2 weeks? Or September?
Keep that Q Train rollin' in '11. Let's win it for Ronnie.
Yes, it is a different deal.
The college code is 50% off all games through May (except the two that are already sold out).
This $10 deal is different.
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That's what my guess is
but it also says “attend a game on us”
so I’m hoping for a freebie? I’ll believe it when I see it.
Keep that Q Train rollin' in '11. Let's win it for Ronnie.
Dunno
Maybe they’ll give you a ticket in 538, Row 9 for an April Weekday game. That’s about all I could see them giving out for free so early in the season.
Sounds like you're getting offered 2 free bleachers on 4/4, 4/5 or 4/6
According to someone else who applied.
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