cesna Posted November 18, 2005 Report Posted November 18, 2005 It seems to be the League and the Sabres are still way off when it comes to making the "Fans" happy. Why do I want to pay $250 for 2 tickets in the preferred areas of the arena? That is still Ludicrous!!!! The Sabres will say that they have "rolled back prices". They haven't. I can go to a Bills' game and spend less then $150 for the BEST seats in the house!!! AND IT'S THE NFL!!!!!! If the Sabres rolled back there prices on all tickets 35-40% across the board they would be playing to near capacity every night. AND MAKING ALOT OF MONEY!!!!! This variable pricing "CRAP" gives me a headache and it is nothing more than a SCAM. LOWER PRICES and THEY WILL COME!!! IN DROVES! P.S. I am a season ticket holder in section 318.
Saber61 Posted November 18, 2005 Report Posted November 18, 2005 no they won't lol... you can only attract by price for so long like i said in another thread... some people won't even pay 2 dollars to see a losing team...like when you get beat at home 10-4 and similar losses no one wants to see that... you feel ripped off or cheap... no ones coming in droves... its not the price... we have the lowest ticket prices in the leauge... its the product on the ice not the prices... and variable is a good idea... id rather pay 30 to see washinton then 250 like the leafs charge to see that sh__ty a$$ team...
apuszczalowski Posted November 18, 2005 Report Posted November 18, 2005 That is the entire reason the sabres sell out against the leafs in Buffalo. You don't see the ACC packed with sabres fans when Buffalo travels to Toronto. Leafs fans jump at the chance to see their team play for half the cost of seeing them at home. The average fan could not afford tickets to see a leafs game with what they charge.
cesna Posted November 18, 2005 Author Report Posted November 18, 2005 no they won't lol... you can only attract by price for so long like i said in another thread... some people won't even pay 2 dollars to see a losing team...like when you get beat at home 10-4 and similar losses no one wants to see that... you feel ripped off or cheap... no ones coming in droves... its not the price... we have the lowest ticket prices in the leauge... its the product on the ice not the prices... and variable is a good idea... id rather pay 30 to see washinton then 250 like the leafs charge to see that sh__ty a$$ team... Then let me ask you this???? Why do people pay for the Bills' tickets? They have been a loosing team 5 out of the last 6 seasons and have not made they plaoffs since the 99 season? The team almost always has sellouts. They have been very bad and they sell out. Just becuase we charge less than other clubs does not mean the tickets are set properly. IT has everything to do with the "PRICE". They are simply over priced for a market that cannot support shelling out $100 bucks (at least) a game. Even when the team was winning consistently early in the season attendance was LOW! There are a lot of people who love HOCKEY in this town but cannot afford the prices. And yes, it does help if the team is winning... but only a little.
apuszczalowski Posted November 18, 2005 Report Posted November 18, 2005 People support the bills because football is a very popular sport at the moment. Hockey took a major hit with the lockout and lost the average fan because of it. Buffalo has also had problems in the past trying to sellout games during football season too. Also some fans may see the team as not being dedicated to winning cause we didn't go crazy signing high priced free agents in the offseason like everyone else did or because we did not go out and max out the salary cap like some teams. The team has been average on the ice at best this year. I would be worried if the team had attendance of 12,000 regularly if we were playing like Ottawa in February (after the bills season has been over for a while, although I wish the bills season would be just finishing up in February, lol)
Guest Guest_UnionAMG Posted November 18, 2005 Report Posted November 18, 2005 People go to Bills games even if they are in the midst of a losing season... because NFL games are more than the actual game on the field. Sure there are a number of people who go just to watch the game, but the majority of the 70,000 in attendance go for the whole-days experience. Tailgating, grilling, drinking, the whole package is worth the 25-50 dollar ticket even if its a losing cause. That's why despite the recent years lack of success... the team consistently sees 70,000 people at the stadium. Because, for $50 you can still get a whole days worth of entertainment if the team loses... as opposed to 2.5 hours worth of sitting inside watching a hockey game. That's what draws the casual football fans Hopefully, some continued success with this sabres team can bring back the casual fans that were lossed during the lockout!
BuffalOhio Posted November 18, 2005 Report Posted November 18, 2005 I've said this before, and I'll say it again. TV CONTRACT. NFL - Each team makes a profit before any games are played, because TV pays for the entire league. It's so popular, that advertising covers the costs completely. When you pay for the ticket, you're putting money directly into the owner's pocket (profit). NHL - TV contract is a non-issue. The Sabres get what, 2 million annually from the national contract? Big deal. Tickets pay for the organization; that's player salaries, workers, equipment - everything. When you pay for a ticket, you're actually paying to have the team. There's not much profit in owning the Buffalo Sabres. Next time you bump into Mr. Golisano, thank him dearly for stepping in, otherwise we wouldn't be on this board discussing the team we all root for. He lost like $10M the last season in the NHL. Yes, he's a Billionaire, but he didn't get that way by throwing money (a lot of money) down the toilet annually. I think the Sabres are projected to make a small profit this year. Good for them.
Saber61 Posted November 18, 2005 Report Posted November 18, 2005 I think the Sabres are projected to make a small profit this year. Good for them. well if thats the case... then thats good news... if your team can play average and have less than medicore attendance and still make a profit... then there doing ok... business wise anyway... but unfortuantly the average fan doesn't look at that... all they want to see is wins and high priced players...
BuffalOhio Posted November 18, 2005 Report Posted November 18, 2005 the average fan doesn't look at that... all they want to see is wins and high priced players... I'm not the average fan. I don't care about high-priced players. I want to see wins. Afterall, that's all that really matters.
Guest Guest_ddaryl Posted November 18, 2005 Report Posted November 18, 2005 People go to Bills games even if they are in the midst of a losing season... because NFL games are more than the actual game on the field. Sure there are a number of people who go just to watch the game, but the majority of the 70,000 in attendance go for the whole-days experience. Tailgating, grilling, drinking, the whole package is worth the 25-50 dollar ticket even if its a losing cause. That's why despite the recent years lack of success... the team consistently sees 70,000 people at the stadium. Because, for $50 you can still get a whole days worth of entertainment if the team loses... as opposed to 2.5 hours worth of sitting inside watching a hockey game. That's what draws the casual football fans Hopefully, some continued success with this sabres team can bring back the casual fans that were lossed during the lockout! Good analogy. On top of all this, Football is just a more popular sport then Hockey, AND Buffalo does not have a very large wealthy population like many other cities. BUT, you can thank Bettman for the 10 years of Neutral Zone Trap Hockey and for not taking care of the finances sooner. It is IMO the entire reason Hockey has lost fans interest. I lost interest over the last few seasons because the problems with Hockey were so obvious and no one was doing anything at all to fix it. The game is about speed, elegance and brawn, unfortunately the game had become slow with a big lack of exciting scoring, and fans got bored. Now Hockey really appears to be heading in a better direction, and I am enjoying the more open NHL.
deluca67 Posted November 19, 2005 Report Posted November 19, 2005 People go to Bills games even if they are in the midst of a losing season... Not true. I've sat at many games at Rich when there seemed to be more players then fans. The difference is that the Bills know how to sell in this market. The Buffalo/WNY fan loves a big name. Spikes, Adams, Vincent or Bledsoe? Give the fans what they want and they will buy tickets. The Sabres refuse to pay attention. Why would the casual fan buy tickets for a team that has missed the playoffs for three years? Let there two biggest names walk away and do nothing in the free agent market that was over loaded with big names. Are the Bills closer to the playoffs then the Sabres? No. But perception is reality to the casual WNY sports fan. And signing big names means you're trying to win. Sitting on your hands means you're not.
nfreeman Posted November 19, 2005 Report Posted November 19, 2005 I think if the Sabres play hard consistently and win enough to get them into the 4-5-6 level in the eastern conference (for which they will need Miller back and playing well), the fans will come. I don't think a .500 record is going to do it, and the reasons for that include everything that has been said above. I think things are going to fall the Sabres' way: Miller will come back and play very well, the team will play hard consistently, Vanek will start lighting the lamp, Briere and Connolly will have big seasons, and the Sabres will win a lot of games in a speedy, entertaining fashion. This will include at least one win over Ottawa (yeah baby) and hopefully Dominik will be in the net. The crowds will build until they are over 17,000 for big games with the occasional sellout. Then we will win at least one round in the playoffs. Go Sabres. I want a red Connolly jersey.
Shorty Posted November 19, 2005 Report Posted November 19, 2005 Why don't NHL teams sell tickets at a lower price for children and the 65+ ?
Knightrider Posted November 19, 2005 Report Posted November 19, 2005 Then let me ask you this???? Why do people pay for the Bills' tickets? They have been a loosing team 5 out of the last 6 seasons and have not made they plaoffs since the 99 season? The team almost always has sellouts. They have been very bad and they sell out. Plain and simple - Tom Donahoe is a master at marketing. He hasn't done much to create a Superbowl winner, (the stars really need to align themselves for anyway IMHO), but the fannys in the seats is impressive. That's why Mordak is still not a GM... He may be responsible for a lot of Philadelphia's success, but, he couldn't do much to get the fans excited. That's why Regier probably shouldn't be one... I think he evaluates talent pretty well. But he hasn't done anything to make fans want to see the Sabres...
deluca67 Posted November 19, 2005 Report Posted November 19, 2005 Plain and simple - Tom Donahoe is a master at marketing. He hasn't done much to create a Superbowl winner, (the stars really need to align themselves for anyway IMHO), but the fannys in the seats is impressive. That's why Mordak is still not a GM... He may be responsible for a lot of Philadelphia's success, but, he couldn't do much to get the fans excited. That's why Regier probably shouldn't be one... I think he evaluates talent pretty well. But he hasn't done anything to make fans want to see the Sabres... 100% Right. Regier supporters hate to admit that part of the job is selling the product to the fans. On that account Regier gets an F- grade.
Rabbit151 Posted November 20, 2005 Report Posted November 20, 2005 Lots of great theories. How 'bout this. 8 games through the summer and fall. 41 games through the winter.
Shorty Posted November 23, 2005 Report Posted November 23, 2005 Why don't NHL teams sell tickets at reduced rates for children and 65+?
deluca67 Posted November 24, 2005 Report Posted November 24, 2005 Why don't NHL teams sell tickets at reduced rates for children and 65+? How would you police that? You'd end up with a bunch of scalpers 10 and 70 years old ;)
Saber61 Posted November 24, 2005 Report Posted November 24, 2005 How would you police that? You'd end up with a bunch of scalpers 10 and 70 years old ;) well the government could start with legislation that would make it highly illegal with a better punishment then a monetary fine... that and the police could finally come by and round em up... or just have a better presence at least to discourage.
deluca67 Posted November 24, 2005 Report Posted November 24, 2005 well the government could start with legislation that would make it highly illegal with a better punishment then a monetary fine... that and the police could finally come by and round em up... or just have a better presence at least to discourage. Not our government. God NO. Both our City and County have control Boards. Which are baby sitters provided by the State.
Shorty Posted November 25, 2005 Report Posted November 25, 2005 Do people not check tickets as you go in? In the UK if you turn up to a hockey match with a kids ticket or a 65 + ticket you're not getting in, at least not without topping up to cover the price. Or sell kids tickets with two adult tickets in a family pack. Surely there are ways around it ... if you want more people to come, allow people to bring their kids without having to give up food for a week.
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