Dear Stu: Change Back Ticketing

by VoiceOfBC on Oct 14, 2010 7:44 AM EDT

I have been going to Rays games for years. But this year, some idiot in the Rays front office decided to come up with a five-tier pricing scheme, resulting in a massive net increase in ticket prices.

I only ended up going to two games. I went to five games in 2009, and 13 games in 2008.

I think that's part of the reason why attendance was so disappointing.

Personally, I am really, REALLY annoyed at the national pundits who look at our attendance numbers and say baseball doesn't work in Tampa Bay. Historically, our numbers really aren't that bad. The only reason they look bad is because it takes selling out every single game to pay the salaries of a "good" team.

But it doesn't help when the front office whips up weird and confusing pricing schemes.

We need to go back to the three-tier pricing scheme that was used in 2008 and 2009. A discounted price for games that are traditionally low-count (like Royals, Orioles); a prime price for the Yankees, Red Sox, and Summer Concert Series; and then a middle tier for everything else.

This post was written by a member of the DRaysBay community and does not necessarily express the views or opinions of DRaysBay staff.

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Tier pricing is a dangerous precedent

Yes i know other teams have used it to greater or lesser degrees, it msends the wrong statement to fans about the parity that is suposed to exist in MLB

I personally advocate a system where the Rays basically give away for the ,most part weekday games especially those early and late in the season. They should do as many co-op marketing ideas available to fill the stands on those nights, hoping that some of them will return for later games

follow me on twitter @sternfan10\

by sternfan1 on Oct 14, 2010 8:14 AM EDT reply actions

On a side note about Rays attendance, we would have to sell out every game to draw 2.8 million

which is basically what the Rays say is acceptable

That’s never happening at the Trop.

In those big games v NYY and BOS where a sell out is certain, how would a 45K capacity look?

Drawing 45K for 12-15 games a year v 35K might be the difference in Rays attendance and other teams

follow me on twitter @sternfan10\

by sternfan1 on Oct 14, 2010 8:18 AM EDT reply actions

I thought they said league average attendance is what they want.

It wouldn't even be fair, I literally play for keeps
by Andy Hellicksonstine on Oct 11, 2010 11:34 AM PDT up reply actions

by PlayOnWords on Oct 14, 2010 9:14 AM EDT up reply actions

Stu wants 30K/gm average

I don’t think that’s possible at a 35K capacity stadium

follow me on twitter @sternfan10\

by sternfan1 on Oct 14, 2010 9:32 AM EDT up reply actions

Our average is seriously hurt by an undersized park.

Another fact people seem to conveniently forget.

by kurby on Oct 14, 2010 9:35 AM EDT up reply actions

Only undersized because they choose not to open 10 - 15 k seats

Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."

by Brickhaus on Oct 14, 2010 9:41 AM EDT up reply actions

If you are talking about the ones where you can't see part of the field.

Yeah there is a reason.

love it love it love it
i hate one person more than Pap smear—his name is bin laden
by sternfan1 on Aug 12, 2010 3:33 PM EDT

by SRQman on Oct 14, 2010 9:45 AM EDT up reply actions

For 8 or 9 years those seats were open

So it’s not like they COULDN’T sell them. And still, the first 15 or so rows of that level have unobstructed views, and they keep those closed as well.

Frankly, I think they closed them down to make our attend% look higher as much as anything.

Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."

by Brickhaus on Oct 14, 2010 9:47 AM EDT up reply actions

Blow it up

Who was the asshole that decided that there should be any seats with an obstructed view?

by Travis Lee on Oct 14, 2010 10:03 AM EDT up reply actions

I don't think the capacity has anything to do with why we can't get 30K in there.

It wouldn't even be fair, I literally play for keeps
by Andy Hellicksonstine on Oct 11, 2010 11:34 AM PDT up reply actions

by PlayOnWords on Oct 14, 2010 9:56 AM EDT up reply actions

The capacity has a lot to do with it.

Stadiums that can hold 50-60k inflate your average on “premium” type games when they sell out. The rest of the weekday games they get 15-20 and then those few 60k give you a nice 30k average. The Trop limits the sell outs to 35k which leaves no buffing of the average.

I know hes sternfan, but hes right on this one.

by kurby on Oct 14, 2010 10:28 AM EDT up reply actions

So you think if we had more seats, more people would come?

Most of the BOS and NYY games didn’t even sell out this year.

It wouldn't even be fair, I literally play for keeps
by Andy Hellicksonstine on Oct 11, 2010 11:34 AM PDT up reply actions

by PlayOnWords on Oct 14, 2010 10:32 AM EDT up reply actions

We had plenty of weekend sell outs.

If it was a sell out with 32k I bet it could be a sell out with 40k or maybe 50k. Either way, more capacity = higher average even if you have 1 sell out.

by kurby on Oct 14, 2010 10:36 AM EDT up reply actions

32k isn't a sellout. 36k is.

And the people aren’t coming to this location with a smaller number of seats. I fail to see how they would come if there were more seats. Demand is short.

It wouldn't even be fair, I literally play for keeps
by Andy Hellicksonstine on Oct 11, 2010 11:34 AM PDT up reply actions

by PlayOnWords on Oct 14, 2010 10:42 AM EDT up reply actions

Demand is met when the stadium is full.

The stadium was full more then a few times. It makes sense that if you add more seats on games that you sell out then you would sell more. It raises the overall average.

I’m not saying it automatically jumps our average to the 30k they want but its one of the many factors that contribute to misleading attendance figures.

by kurby on Oct 14, 2010 10:50 AM EDT up reply actions

I don't have a problem with the tiered ticket pricing

What does suck is that they apply this to parking as well. Its one thing to mark tickets up a few dollars, but I can imagine that when this gets combined with parking it creates a substantial difference in the amount of cash one must keep on hand.

by GomesSweetGomes on Oct 14, 2010 9:14 AM EDT reply actions

Calling his employee(s) an "idiot" in the first line is probably not a good way to get his attention.

by R.J. Anderson on Oct 14, 2010 10:46 AM EDT reply actions

Probably not, but the first choice that came to mind is more GDT fodder than anything

"Prepare yourself, you know it's a must, you've gotta have a friend in Jesus." -Norm Greenbaum

by VoiceOfBC on Oct 14, 2010 12:58 PM EDT up reply actions

No more apples in the vending machine, please.

Hell yeah it is.
Any amount of points can be scored week to week. well, besides 1 point. Any number is as likely to be reached as another, since there’s only one of each number, each has the same chance to be hit. IT’s how the syetemof averages works.
by waltermercier on Sep 21, 2010 1:11 PM EDT up reply actions

by Andy Hellicksonstine on Oct 14, 2010 11:09 AM EDT reply actions