Ticket Exchange. Why the reason for the overabundance of seats?

[Crowpointer]

Every game(except Pittsburgh)has seats available for games in the best locations in the stadium. It is hard to determine if this is the case because of the tough economy or the overabundance of bandwagoners on the waiting list. If there is 50,000 rabid fans on the waiting list then these tickets should be gobbled up. We will never know how many more season ticket holders are putting their tickets on the ticket exchange (I'm guessing a lot) but regardless with 50,000 names these tickets should be gone. (would this availablity be there for instance with the Packers)The price increase (34 % for my seats)this year combined with the economy and TB out for the year has created a situation where some peoples appetite for tickets has shrunk a lot. My guess is that we are getting a glimpse into the future in a world of even higher ticket prices and Belichick and Brady gone. Kraft is a great owner but there are other great owners who go through down years of winning. With the bar set so high by BB and TB my guess is excess availability on the exchange is here to stay especially in the future after they are gone and some fans might actually decline season tickets and pick and choose the games they want on the ticket exchange instead.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Re: Ticket Exchange. Why the reason for the overabundance of seats ?

Anecdotal only but my season ticket owning friend is looking to unload 4 games. NEVER did that before. Especially unusual since his sons are in their early 20s and have 1st pick if he doesn't go. He insists on keeping the Buffalo game which I want.

 

[ScottieC]

Re: Ticket Exchange. Why the reason for the overabundance of seats ?

Every game(except Pittsburgh)has seats available for games in the best locations in the stadium. It is hard to determine if this is the case because of the tough economy or the overabundance of bandwagoners on the waiting list. If there is 50,000 rabid fans on the waiting list then these tickets should be gobbled up. We will never know how many more season ticket holders are putting their tickets on the ticket exchange (I'm guessing a lot) but regardless with 50,000 names these tickets should be gone. (would this availablity be there for instance with the Packers)The price increase (34 % for my seats)this year combined with the economy and TB out for the year has created a situation where some peoples appetite for tickets has shrunk a lot. My guess is that we are getting a glimpse into the future in a world of even higher ticket prices and Belichick and Brady gone. Kraft is a great owner but there are other great owners who go through down years of winning. With the bar set so high by BB and TB my guess is excess availability on the exchange is here to stay especially in the future after they are gone and some fans might actually decline season tickets and pick and choose the games they want on the ticket exchange instead.

You can call it what you want, But this is clearly the Tom Brady Effect.

Take advantage of going to games, if TB is healthy 2009 will be back to normal.

 

[PrairiePat]

Re: Ticket Exchange. Why the reason for the overabundance of seats ?

It's pathetic if that's truly the reason. Some kind of fans, eh? Maybe we're better off with whoever ends up replacing them at the game.

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

Re: Ticket Exchange. Why the reason for the overabundance of seats ?

Hard to say one factor.

The economy sucks. People are cutting back in every area.

The product is not as compelling. I don't consider myself a fair weather fan, but I would be lying if I said I would travel just as far and pay just as much to see Cassel take on the Rams as I would have to see Brady playing at the Meadowlands week 17 last year.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Re: Ticket Exchange. Why the reason for the overabundance of seats ?

It's pathetic if that's truly the reason. Some kind of fans, eh? Maybe we're better off with whoever ends up replacing them at the game.

This IS a great opportunity for regular person Pats fans to buy tix and see the team, stadium and environs. I just hope that we're not overwhelmed by fans of other teams.

 

[kmac14]

Re: Ticket Exchange. Why the reason for the overabundance of seats ?

Even more curious.....why are good seats available on Ticketmaster for purchase by the general public??? When I was trying to but tickets during the general public sale in May everything was "sold out".
I have been on the waiting list since 2000 and have missed only 6 or so home games due to schedule conflicts in that time due to buying tickets during the waiting list pre-sale or thru the Ticketexchange. This year I have purchased tickets to KC, Miami & Denver thru the regular ticketmaster website during the week before the game. I have tix already for the Rams from a friend who is a season ticket holder, but was able to buy 3 tickets to the Bills game yesterday on the regular Ticketmaster website and will be in row 2 of the endzone.

 

[signbabybrady]

Re: Ticket Exchange. Why the reason for the overabundance of seats ?

Hard to say one factor.

The economy sucks. People are cutting back in every area.

The product is not as compelling. I don't consider myself a fair weather fan, but I would be lying if I said I would travel just as far and pay just as much to see Cassel take on the Rams as I would have to see Brady playing at the Meadowlands week 17 last year.

I just traveled across the country to Watch Cassel take on both the 49ers adn the Chargers. The trip was planned before Tom went down but nothing excpet maybe the Tickets were purchased. No way was I canceling that trip becuase Tom was hurt. The Patriots are my team and I will follow them all over whether they are 16-0 or 1-15. At least one road trip every year and usually a few more than that because the Meadowlands is so close.

 

[Nunchucks]

Re: Ticket Exchange. Why the reason for the overabundance of seats ?

I've been on the season ticket waiting list since 1999, this is the first year that tickets for any home game has come available to me. Normally, I would jump all over the opportunity, but the cost of the tickets combined with the cost of parking along with the economy has gotten me to be a little conservative.


I would have went to the Denver game, but an ETA of 1am on a worknight ain't something I am too happy with....

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Re: Ticket Exchange. Why the reason for the overabundance of seats ?

I just traveled across the country to Watch Cassel take on both the 49ers adn the Chargers. The trip was planned before Tom went down but nothing excpet maybe the Tickets were purchased. No way was I canceling that trip becuase Tom was hurt. The Patriots are my team and I will follow them all over whether they are 16-0 or 1-15. At least one road trip every year and usually a few more than that because the Meadowlands is so close.

Kudos to those great Pats fans who do take their time to travel to watch the Pats in hostile environs. Be thankfull for Trust Funds!

 

[Crowpointer]

Re: Ticket Exchange. Why the reason for the overabundance of seats ?

You can call it what you want, But this is clearly the Tom Brady Effect.

Take advantage of going to games, if TB is healthy 2009 will be back to normal.

I agree Scottie. But what happens after TB is gone in the future ?

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Re: Ticket Exchange. Why the reason for the overabundance of seats ?

I agree Scottie. But what happens after TB is gone in the future ?

To that issue, the stadium has been SOLD OUT since Kraft bought the team, pre Brady. Maybe the fanbase is now SO spoiled that there will be a massive dropoff. I doubt it, if the Pats continue to entertain by winning.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Re: Ticket Exchange. Why the reason for the overabundance of seats ?

Its the fact there is no Tom Brady - -sad but true that many fans come to the games to see Brady in action win or lose

Otherwise its a hell of a coincidence this year that seats are available so much with a team that is a respectable 4-2 right now.

 

[AStack75]

Re: Ticket Exchange. Why the reason for the overabundance of seats ?

Tom Brady is the reason. Not only did the ticketexchange supply free up, the regular ticketmaster supply was suddenly plentiful also. Things will be back to normal when he comes back, although I suspect the $169 tickets will be a hard sell even with Brady.

 

[Jimke]

Re: Ticket Exchange. Why the reason for the overabundance of seats ?

You can call it what you want, But this is clearly the Tom Brady Effect.

Take advantage of going to games, if TB is healthy 2009 will be back to normal.

When Tom Brady got injured, the season ticket holders began

to leave the sinking ship. They put the highest priced tickets

in the NFL up for sale. Why pay top dollar to see Matt Cassel

play instead of Tom Brady. Fair weather season ticket holders.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Re: Ticket Exchange. Why the reason for the overabundance of seats ?

I do not care for Cassel all that much but I am not a Tom Brady fan per say,I am a New England Patriots fan and if I had a chance to go to a game,Brady or no Brady - I would without question,although Brady would definately increase a fans confidence in winning that particular game that he/she goes to.

 

[robd54]

Re: Ticket Exchange. Why the reason for the overabundance of seats ?

From another waiting list member's perspective, it has been really easy to get tickets this year. Like someone else said I got my Rams and Bills seats on regular Ticketmaster (2nd row, mid field 300's). In the past few years I'd always look and try to buy the lower level seats for my wife and I, $140 (with fees) wasn't too bad, but now that they're just a tad under $200, I look for the lower rows of the upper levels as they are a better value for the dollar. I think that's why there are so many lower seats available and the good upper ones are going quick. Just for a 2 people you're looking at $400 for tickets, $40 to park, food, gas, etc. that's an expesive day with these times, let alone a family of 4. I'm curious to see if some of you guys that have been on the waiting list since the late 90's get yours seats soon, as I've only been on for a few years.

 

[hwc]

Re: Ticket Exchange. Why the reason for the overabundance of seats ?

Fair weather season ticket holders.

I don't think it's "fair-weather". It's been a very difficult stretch to be a football fan.

I don't know about you, but the SuperBowl was not easy to deal with. I did not watch one minute of football news until the draft.

Pre-season didn't help. The Patriots basically stunk every minute of every game.

Then, finally, the regular season rolls around, the chance to finally put the SuperBowl behind us, and Tom Brady blows out a knee before the end of the first quarter. I mean, I had barely even gotten comfortable on the couch for the season.

Good fans can understand the drill. We know what we have to do to put dynasty mindset on the shelf and return to 2001, just trying to win a game, mindset. But, it isn't easy. I'm not there yet.

 

[signbabybrady]

Re: Ticket Exchange. Why the reason for the overabundance of seats ?

Kudos to those great Pats fans who do take their time to travel to watch the Pats in hostile environs. Be thankfull for Trust Funds!

Not a trust fund but you can afford to take these trips more if you live in your parents basement.

But thats an easy choice for a true patsfan. Live in Mom's basement and travel the country to watch the Pats or get your own place and barely afford the cable to watch the games on. Ohh Yeah the parents basement comes equipped with a sick football den including mutiple HD TVs (none would go with me to a new place).

 

[Rob0729]

Re: Ticket Exchange. Why the reason for the overabundance of seats ?

I have season tickets, but I typically only go to about half the games. Sometimes more, sometimes less. This is before the price increase or Tom Brady going out. It is just too hard, expensive, and time consuming to go to every game of the year these days.

I guess when I was younger and me and all my friends who have tickets had less commitments and the tickets were a 1/3 of what we are paying now, we enjoyed making a day of it and spending 6-8 hours in Foxboro. But everything is priced too high for the typical fans these days. My friends with kids really can't leave their families 10-12 times a year for the entire day. Going to the game is really time consuming. You basically spend the entire day preparing to go to the game, driving, tailgating, watching the game, and then unpacking when you get home.

The loss of Brady and the increased ticket prices probably has made people who feel the same way decide to give up an extra game or two.