Season Ticket Renewals

[X. Benedict]

There is some truth that Buffalo is a Bills town until January. But c'mon, we have Eichel now. Where is the enthusiasm for him? Where's the buy-in like the Bills got with Rex and company?

 

So if understand your position correctly speculators are evil because they sell to opposing fans, preventing loyal fans from attending, but loyal fans can't be expected to care enough in October coming off the tank? Mmm-kay. :blink:

I don't think speculators are evil at all. But i guess that is what you are doing. You might lose money.

 

But, take it as a suggestion, why take a loss, when you can give tickets at full face value for the write-off?

It might make the passengers on Rocketship 7 happy, Promo. :)

 

(I am a little puzzled how you understood the above as my "position"...but I see you want to make a return on investment)

Edited October 26, 2015 by X. Benedict

[PromoTheRobot]

(I am a little puzzled how you understood the above as my "position"...but I see you want to make a return on investment)

This is not an investment. I just don't want to lose money. But you're right. It's my risk.  But I think this is a "canary in a coal mine" thing, indicating that fan interest in the Sabres isn't where we think it is.

Edited October 26, 2015 by PromoTheRobot

[Stoner]

This is not an investment. I just don't want to lose money. But you're right. It's my risk.  But I think this is a "canary in a coal mine" thing, indicating that fan interest in the Sabres isn't where we think it is.

The interest is probably never as high as the marketing people want us to think it is. I always laugh at the buildup for the season openers... it's gonna be craaaay craaaaaaay!!!!!! Then there's one Let's Go Buffalo chant and people go to sleep. When I come to games I can never reconcile what I hear in the media about "hockey mad Buffalo" and the atmosphere in that building. Winnipeg, it ain't.

[X. Benedict]

The interest is probably never as high as the marketing people want us to think it is. I always laugh at the buildup for the season openers... it's gonna be craaaay craaaaaaay!!!!!! Then there's one Let's Go Buffalo chant and people go to sleep. When I come to games I can never reconcile what I hear in the media about "hockey mad Buffalo" and the atmosphere in that building. Winnipeg, it ain't.

Hockey in Buffalo has always been a night out, but between the years of losing and the matinee games on beautiful Oct days, I'm not surprised to see empty seats.

[nfreeman]

Well, there hasn't been anything to emotionally buy into since Black Sunday.

 

There might finally be now, but I think people need to see it before they do so.

[Drunkard]

Oh you think that will happen? Then let me ask you this: Where are those fans now? They are certainly not attending games.

 

Let's take the Canadiens game for example. Tickets were going for as little as $20 but the FNC was filled with Habs jerseys. Why? If anything the place should have been packed with rabid Sabres fans taking advantage of the huge savings off the regular box office prices, right? So what happened?

 

My theory is the tank blew off a sizable portion of the fan base. Chet and Muffy have moved on, apparently. Seems that Eichel, Kane and O'Reilly have yet to inspire the masses.

 

So your argument that speculators are preventing real fans from going to games is specious because those same fans have every opportunity to attend games now, at a discount no less, but choose not to. In fact speculators might actuality be propping up the Sabres ticket base.

 

Ok. So apparently there are more speculators than people interesting in attending games right now and if you give up your season tickets, another speculator will likely buy them under the hope that they'll be able to sell off the tickets for profit. They'll lose money like you are until the team turns the corner and enough people fill up the bandwagon and demand exceeds the supply and the aftermarket ticket prices go up. I just don't get why you seem to be upset by other people doing the same thing you're doing.

[X. Benedict]

This is not an investment. I just don't want to lose money. But you're right. It's my risk.  But I think this is a "canary in a coal mine" thing, indicating that fan interest in the Sabres isn't where we think it is.

Fan interest and willingness to attend aren't always the same. TV ratings are relatively high, even though they fell by about 40%.

 

So no, I don't think there is a fever right now. But I thought it was fairly obvious to most.

[nfreeman]

Ok. So apparently there are more speculators than people interesting in attending games right now and if you give up your season tickets, another speculator will likely buy them under the hope that they'll be able to sell off the tickets for profit. They'll lose money like you are until the team turns the corner and enough people fill up the bandwagon and demand exceeds the supply and the aftermarket ticket prices go up. I just don't get why you seem to be upset by other people doing the same thing you're doing.

 

Well, I agree with you that sympathy is unwarranted, but it seems more that he's just using his personal experience to draw a conclusion about fan interest at this point in time.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

I'm wondering what the season ticket price increase will be next year?

 

I know it is Pegula's duty to the future owner to raise ticket prices on mom and pop even though the product is historically awful.

 

I was in the penalty box when this golden nugget happened and couldn't comment.

 

 

http://bills.buffalonews.com/2015/10/21/vip-flight-propels-bills-faithful-to-london-in-style/

 

I mean chartered overseas flight, posh 5 star hotel, meals and transport, suite tickets...for 80+ people.

 

Let's see, 16,000 season ticket holders,5% price increase at an average of $120 or so per ticket.....

 

Yeah....that should cover it.

 

 

Pot stirring? Sure....

 

Food for thought? Hope so.

[Stoner]

Talk about redistribution of wealth...

 

Interesting to see the publisher of The Buffalo News on the list. Hardly a sponsor.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

Talk about redistribution of wealth...

 

Interesting to see the publisher of The Buffalo News on the list. Hardly a sponsor.

I give them credit for at least publishing it.

 

Maybe Terry can charter a 747 to Europe for all the NFL refs.

[TheAud]

I'm wondering what the season ticket price increase will be next year?

 

I know it is Pegula's duty to the future owner to raise ticket prices on mom and pop even though the product is historically awful.

 

I was in the penalty box when this golden nugget happened and couldn't comment.

 

 

http://bills.buffalonews.com/2015/10/21/vip-flight-propels-bills-faithful-to-london-in-style/

 

I mean chartered overseas flight, posh 5 star hotel, meals and transport, suite tickets...for 80+ people.

 

Let's see, 16,000 season ticket holders,5% price increase at an average of $120 or so per ticket.....

 

Yeah....that should cover it.

 

 

Pot stirring? Sure....

 

Food for thought? Hope so.

 

A billionaire charters a flight for sponsors of his football team and that links directly to season ticket prices the following season for his hockey team?

OK, whatever. 

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

A billionaire charters a flight for sponsors of his football team and that links directly to season ticket prices the following season for his hockey team?

OK, whatever.

Hey....I LOVE that Pegula is the owner of the Bills from a season ticket holder standpoint. I sold 5 games and it more than paid for the season. Gave the rest away and am sitting on the Jets in case it means something.

 

I just feel bad for thr Sabres holders.

[beerme1]

I just feel bad for thr Sabres holders.

 

 

Thanks boss. Good to have you again. For now... No need to feel bad for us. Well maybe PTR but that's a different story. I'd be more worried as a Bills STH which I gave up a few years ago. They are the ones about to take it on the chin now. And again, and again in a buildup to an apocalyptic price change when a new stadium is built in Pegulaville.

I will say if the price keeps going like it has for Sabres they will hit a problem but it will adjust after the next lockout just as it did for the last one.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

Thanks boss. Good to have you again. For now... No need to feel bad for us. Well maybe PTR but that's a different story. I'd be more worried as a Bills STH which I gave up a few years ago. They are the ones about to take it on the chin now. And again, and again in a buildup to an apocalyptic price change when a new stadium is built in Pegulaville.

I will say if the price keeps going like it has for Sabres they will hit a problem but it will adjust after the next lockout just as it did for the last one.

I've had to eat late season Bills tickets for years.

I've made it for 2 decades but if they have to blow it up like the Sabres...that's maybe it. It's a lot easier paying up for 8 (10) games than 41 though at the same average price per game.

 

Does Russ Brandon do a call in show? I'd like to ask him a few things now that he runs the Sabres.

 

Maybe one day we'll all get rewarded.

[PromoTheRobot]

Weird that I'm now the poster child of a--hole season ticket holders. But Nfreeman was totally correct that I was only using my experience as a measure current fan interest. (Not for sympathy)

 

Here we are 1/3 into the season and the Sabres are running deals on unsold tickets. Occasionally the TV cameras catch a glimpse of empty seats in the corners off the 300's.

 

There is no question fan interest in the Sabres had waned. Eichel, O'Reilly, Kane, etc. have not energized the Chet & Muffy crowd. Will things pick up after football season?

[beerme1]

Weird that I'm now the poster child of a--hole season ticket holders. But Nfreeman was totally correct that I was only using my experience as a measure current fan interest. (Not for sympathy)

 

Here we are 1/3 into the season and the Sabres are running deals on unsold tickets. Occasionally the TV cameras catch a glimpse of empty seats in the corners off the 300's.

 

There is no question fan interest in the Sabres had waned. Eichel, O'Reilly, Kane, etc. have not energized the Chet & Muffy crowd. Will things pick up after football season?

 

You're more than just the poster child of a-hole season ticket holders!  You're the king of all a-holes lol :D  I kid. My Chet and Muffy crowd while not energized is doing much better at filling our seats. I know the aftermarket is totally dead. I was happy to have gotten rid of inventory to friends and family at cost for the games I needed to. I have seen the 300 corners filled a few times this year but you're right that interest has waned and the only way to energize tha base is win. Eichel, Kane, Sam, RoR are not enough. Need to win if you expect this base to change.

[PromoTheRobot]

You're more than just the poster child of a-hole season ticket holders! You're the king of all a-holes lol :D I kid. My Chet and Muffy crowd while not energized is doing much better at filling our seats. I know the aftermarket is totally dead. I was happy to have gotten rid of inventory to friends and family at cost for the games I needed to. I have seen the 300 corners filled a few times this year but you're right that interest has waned and the only way to energize tha base is win. Eichel, Kane, Sam, RoR are not enough. Need to win if you expect this base to change.

What shocks me most is this team has more going for it than the middling Lindy & Darcy teams of the late 2000's, yet people came out for those teams. I really thought the Sabres were bulletproof, much like the Leafs, in fan support. Edited December 9, 2015 by PromoTheRobot

[woods-racer]

You're more than just the poster child of a-hole season ticket holders!  You're the king of all a-holes lol :D  I kid. My Chet and Muffy crowd while not energized is doing much better at filling our seats. I know the aftermarket is totally dead. I was happy to have gotten rid of inventory to friends and family at cost for the games I needed to. I have seen the 300 corners filled a few times this year but you're right that interest has waned and the only way to energize tha base is win. Eichel, Kane, Sam, RoR are not enough. Need to win if you expect this base to change.

 

It's not just Buffalo. When Buffalo plays a road game there are empty seats, and it's not just  because they are playing the Sabres. Arena's all over may very well be sold out, but the secondary market is not there. There are a lot of empty seats. Any one catch the Washington-Detroit game on NBCSN last night? That place should have been packed and rocking but there where a lot of empty seats and it was sedate. 

 

The game has lot something. Scoring is down, the hate/rivalry between players and teams has been lost. 

 

I just thought it was me or Sabres fans in general because of the tank. But I keep seeing the lack of fan enthusiasm as I watch other games and don't think it's just a Buffalo problem.

Edited December 9, 2015 by Woods-Racer

[Eleven]

It's not just Buffalo. When Buffalo plays a road game there are empty seats, and it's not just  because they are playing the Sabres. Arena's all over may very well be sold out, but the secondary market is not there. There are a lot of empty seats. Any one catch the Washington-Detroit game on NBCSN last night? That place should have been packed and rocking but there where a lot of empty seats and it was sedate. 

 

The game has lot something. Scoring is down, the hate/rivalry between players and teams has been lost. 

 

I just thought it was me or Sabres fans in general because of the tank. But I keep seeing the lack of fan enthusiasm as I watch other games and don't think it's just a Buffalo problem.

 

I've watched a lot of other games this season and I'm seeing the same thing.  Even in Canada.

[Claude_Verret]

It's worse here in Carolina than it's ever been.  Announced crowds of 10k are at most 5-6k.

[woods-racer]

I've watched a lot of other games this season and I'm seeing the same thing.  Even in Canada.

 

Well that's to bad. I don't get hockey night in Canada so I see very little non Buffalo games where Canadian clubs are playing and assumed the Canadian teams where the exception.

[Stoner]

If the secondary market is collapsing, is that a good thing? How do we end up with 19,070 people who want to be in the building, every game, never sell to the enemy, and cheer their off? There's a huge regional population in the Sabres market, how many hundreds of thousands of people? Is it too much to ask? Sports tickets shouldn't be an economic opportunity.

[woods-racer]

If the secondary market is collapsing, is that a good thing? How do we end up with 19,070 people who want to be in the building, every game, never sell to the enemy, and cheer their ###### off? There's a huge regional population in the Sabres market, how many hundreds of thousands of people? Is it too much to ask? Sports tickets shouldn't be an economic opportunity.

 

Too many they where not an economic opportunity as much as a way to see their favorite team for very little. Buy seasons, sell seasons till break even(best case), see remaining games. 

 

That's not the privileged class seeing events. That's the lunch bucket crowd working the system to see a few games a year. Not sure how these people not buying seasons will bring more people to the games?

 

On a personal note, I like to attended 1-2 games a year. Stub Hub. Buy tickets somewhere between STH prices and retail. The supply and demand system was working nicely for a long time in Buffalo.

Edited December 9, 2015 by Woods-Racer

[Drunkard]

If the secondary market is collapsing, is that a good thing? How do we end up with 19,070 people who want to be in the building, every game, never sell to the enemy, and cheer their ###### off? There's a huge regional population in the Sabres market, how many hundreds of thousands of people? Is it too much to ask? Sports tickets shouldn't be an economic opportunity.

 

I'd be ok with the secondary market collapsing because it would hopefully lead to lower prices set by the team. Right now the amateur scalpers are taking a loss which would hopefully lead to a decrease in season tickets sales to the people buying entire rows or sections of seats. Waiting lists for season tickets will erode and teams will have to lower prices to avoid empty arenas. Right now they are losing some money on empty arenas due to getting less revenue from parking and concessions but the majority of the tickets have already been sold. Once the scalpers stop giving them guaranteed sales they feel the pinch more and either have to drop prices or improve the game to increase demand.