Patriots introduce variable pricing for 2014 season tickets

[Brady_to_Moss]

Patriots introduce variable pricing for 2014 season tickets

In the NFL, the Patriots are among the first to announce their intentions to implement the new pricing strategy. This year's season tickets will list different prices for games in the three categories of Preseason (2 games), Premier (4 games) and Marquee (4 games). While the season tickets will show three different prices for the 10 home games, the overall price of the season tickets will not change due to variable pricing. Rather, the pricing is intended to better reflect the value and expected demand of each game. Individual game tickets will continue to be sold at a higher price, giving season ticket holders the greatest value for their Patriots game tickets.

With variable pricing, demand can vary based on multiple factors, including the opponent, day of the week, time of the game and placement of the game on the schedule. Preseason games will now be priced at approximately 50 percent of the Premier games, while the most anticipated Marquee games, such as the 2014 rematch of the 2013 AFC Championship Game between the Patriots and Broncos, will be assigned a value approximately 25 percent higher than Premier games. The prices in the Premier category reflect the standard ticket pricing from last year, of which five of the seven categories have not changed.

 

[signbabybrady]

One of the fans biggest complaints through the years has been about how they can charge the same for pre-season as the regular season and Kraft is one of the first to implement a way to fix the problem.

The total does not change so those that go to all ten games will still pay the same but if you break up your season tix with friends and family you can now properly disperse the price amongst those who you split with and someone wont be stuck with the full priced pre season ticket.

 

[bresna]

Are they going to identify the "Marquee" games before the season starts? How is that going to work? What happens when they identify next year's Cincinnati game as a "Marquee game" and the Bungles revert to form? The later in the season the game, the more chance for this to get messed up.

 

[dales804]

Are they going to identify the "Marquee" games before the season starts? How is that going to work? What happens when they identify next year's Cincinnati game as a "Marquee game" and the Bungles revert to form? The later in the season the game, the more chance for this to get messed up.

Yes, I'm sure they will pick the Marquee games before the season starts. Tickets sell out before the season begins. People buy them, usually, according to what game they most want to see. Just like on the secondary market, if the Patriots are playing a playoff contender, the price is higher per ticket than it is against, say, the Bills.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

Are they going to identify the "Marquee" games before the season starts? How is that going to work? What happens when they identify next year's Cincinnati game as a "Marquee game" and the Bungles revert to form? The later in the season the game, the more chance for this to get messed up.

yes it will be before the season...we all know 1 is the broncos

 

[Tunescribe]

yes it will be before the season...we all know 1 is the broncos

And what if Forehead retires or is knocked out for the year during preseason?

I've been a season ticket holder for 20 years. This idea is just window dressing, it means nothing. No way can you determine at the time of printing tickets what games ultimately will be "marquee" or "premier" and adjust prices accordingly. If the Krafts really wanted to impress me, they'd cut the cost of preseason game tix and leave it at that.

 

[king_ejd]

This is the best news I've heard in a long time. My preseason seats
are only 49$ now! I'm a first year season ticket holder so it hasn't been an ongoing struggled - but having to eat 89$ preseason tickets was something I'm glad to say I only had to do once. I can go to my 3-4 games, plus @Miami, and playoffs, and not care about the preseason. My buddies and I just cherry-pick the games we want, and dump the rest on the ticket exchange.

 

[bresna]

This is the best news I've heard in a long time. My preseason seats are only 49$ now! I'm a first year season ticket holder so it hasn't been an ongoing struggled - but having to eat 89$ preseason tickets was something I'm glad to say I only had to do once. I can go to my 3-4 games, plus @Miami, and playoffs, and not care about the preseason. My buddies and I just cherry-pick the games we want, and dump the rest on the ticket exchange.

Yeah, but if you decide to dump a "Marquee game" and the opponent just happens to suck by then, have fun trying to sell those tickets on the Ticket Exchange, especially if it's cold.

 

[Tunescribe]

Yeah, but if you decide to dump a "Marquee game" and the opponent just happens to suck by then, have fun trying to sell those tickets on the Ticket Exchange, especially if it's cold.

Also, they don't let you resell preseason tickets on Ticket Exchange.

 

[Deus Irae]

This is the best news I've heard in a long time. My preseason seats
are only 49$ now! I'm a first year season ticket holder so it hasn't been an ongoing struggled - but having to eat 89$ preseason tickets was something I'm glad to say I only had to do once. I can go to my 3-4 games, plus @Miami, and playoffs, and not care about the preseason. My buddies and I just cherry-pick the games we want, and dump the rest on the ticket exchange.

And the fish are already nibbling on the bait...

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

This is the best news I've heard in a long time. My preseason seats

are only 49$ now! I'm a first year season ticket holder so it hasn't been an ongoing struggled - but having to eat 89$ preseason tickets was something I'm glad to say I only had to do once. I can go to my 3-4 games, plus @Miami, and playoffs, and not care about the preseason. My buddies and I just cherry-pick the games we want, and dump the rest on the ticket exchange.

Did you get your tix last year? When did you join list

 

[PatsDeb]

And what if Forehead retires or is knocked out for the year during preseason?

I've been a season ticket holder for 20 years. This idea is just window dressing, it means nothing. No way can you determine at the time of printing tickets what games ultimately will be "marquee" or "premier" and adjust prices accordingly. If the Krafts really wanted to impress me, they'd cut the cost of preseason game tix and leave it at that.

Agreed. Actually, it does mean something - they can now charge single game ticket buyers more for 4 games during a season, thus increasing their bottom line. They would really impress me if they did not force season ticket holders to buy preseason games. But since that means they would have to charge a very small ticket price to get anybody to go, that will not be happening soon.

 

[Blaizer]

My tickets are in the end zone. So I am seeing an $18 increase per seat per game. Or $180 per season ticket. I have 2 seats so now it will be an extra $360. Not sure how good this variable pricing is going to work. How much will the playoff tickets now cost??

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

Playoff tickets are always more so who knows. I am hoping to get my tickets this year but they probably would have already contacted me?

 

[Mike in 333]

Playoff tickets are always more so who knows. I am hoping to get my tickets this year but they probably would have already contacted me?

You probably won't hear until after existing season ticket holder renewal is complete which typically is March 31, then there is a short period for seat upgrade decisions and then wait list people will be notified. A friend of mine told me he was offered seats prior to the end of the renewal period; he believed it was because he was very close to the top of the list.

 

[mgteich]

Is the reason for this to have a better resale market? All the games will always be sold out.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

You probably won't hear until after existing season ticket holder renewal is complete which typically is March 31, then there is a short period for seat upgrade decisions and then wait list people will be notified. A friend of mine told me he was offered seats prior to the end of the renewal period; he believed it was because he was very close to the top of the list.

Thanks. Will be looking for something end of march beginning of april. If not this year then it will be next

 

[Deus Irae]

Is the reason for this to have a better resale market? All the games will always be sold out.

They want to get you used to paying more to see the Jets than the Jaguars. Of course, they're not going to give you a refund if the Jets are 0-11 at the time of the game, but that's life, right?

 

[Blaizer]

Received the season ticket invoice a few weeks ago. My tickets went up $360.

 

[Tunescribe]

Is the reason for this to have a better resale market? All the games will always be sold out.

It really makes no sense. Season tix prices are the same overall except for certain sections that got an increase this year. My mezzanine seats in sec. 227 are the same (thankfully) despite individual tickets having different amounts printed on them due to this silly predetermined "value" formula. The Patriots forbid resale on the secondary market except for their in-house ticket exchange site so I don't see how this benefits anyone financially -- especially since only a tiny number are single-game sales.