Patriots "variable ticket pricing" silliness

jmt57 · Jun 29, 2017

JJR4884 said:
As far as the pre-season tickets being expensive. Does it not cost the patriots almost as much to host a game regardless of this being pre-season or not?

The one cost that would be lower is the salaries paid to the players.

http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2012/...do-nfl-players-get-paid-during-training-camp/

A first year player will receive “per diem” payments, starting with the first day of preseason training camp and ending one week prior to the clubs first regular season game at a weekly rate of 850 dollars.

A veteran player, one or more credited season, will receive “per diem” payment starting on the first day of preseason training camp and also ending one week prior to the clubs first regular season game at a weekly rate of 1,600.

JetFan79 · Jun 29, 2017

jmt57 said:
I've done pretty much just that several times here in Florida. Wait until the final hour before kickoff (or even after kickoff), and get a ticket at face value or less. I go prepared with a price in mind and if I don't get it, I walk away.

Obviously the chances of that strategy working are going to vary wildly from the stadiums like those here that don't sell out, to others like Foxboro, Washington, Green Bay, etc.

Problem for me this year is that my kids - who have never seen the Pats live - want very much to go, with the knowledge that this will be the last time they can see Tom Brady live (unless they plan a trek to Miami, several hours away). They wanted to get tickets for all of us (as a birthday/father's day gift for me) but I don't want to see them spend that kind of money on crappy seats, or exorbitantly more on decent seats.

Sounds like a great family there. (Minus the whole Pat fan thing.) Cheers!

But yeah, that is probably much tougher to do with kids in tow. I didn't consider that.

MitchKumstein · Jun 29, 2017

JetFan79 said:
Jets do the same thing.

What I find obnoxiously annoying are
the classifications of the regular season games. "Premier", "Marquee", and "Elite"? Give it a rest with the BS marketing.

Fine, I know they won't say "crap", "average" and "great". But what about just "Standard", "Highlighted" and "Premiere"?

It's that type of gimmicky salesmanship that has me questioning whether or not to buy tickets again. It's like they're marketing to idiots.

It reminds me of the deli in my building. The drink sizes are Large, Extra-large, and Grande. Because obviously no one would ever buy a 'small' drink

Tunescribe · Jun 29, 2017

XLIX said:
There are seats held back from sales to STHers. So it isn't true to say the entire stadium is soldout to STHers.

This never has been clear to me. Are they "held back" or released back to the box office from team employees/visiting teams who don't use them? I've never seen the team state that as a matter of policy it reserves a certain number of single-game tickets for general public sale, ESPECIALLY with season ticket waiting-list people getting first crack at leftovers.

Here's what it says on the website:

Single Game Tickets

2017 Single Game Tickets Info

Patriots single game tickets for the 2017 season are currently not on sale. Individual game tickets have historically gone on sale in July through Ticketmaster. Please check back for more information.

jmt57 · Jun 29, 2017

JetFan79 said:
Sounds like a great family there. (Minus the whole Pat fan thing.) Cheers!

But yeah, that is probably much tougher to do with kids in tow. I didn't consider that.

They're young adults now (twenties). They really want to do this 'go watch the Patriots with dad' thing. If we do it the way I usually get tickets, we run a very real risk of being shut out. Do I want to chance that? On the other hand, I don't want to see them spending a ridiculous amount of money.

I suppose I could go ahead and bite the bullet, buy the tickets myself, then tell them I got them at a much cheaper price when they insist on paying me back because it was supposed to be their gift to me?

I'm thinking I'll wait until single game tickets go on sale, on the off chance that one of us might somehow get tickets before they are sold out.

Unfortunately the Bucs will probably make me buy tickets to another game(s) in order to buy tickets to the Pats game.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Ticket Information Request

Tickets for certain games are expected to be sold out. Others may only be available through the purchase of a multi-game ticket package.

JetFan79 · Jun 29, 2017

jmt57 said:
They're young adults now (twenties). They really want to do this 'go watch the Patriots with dad' thing. If we do it the way I usually get tickets, we run a very real risk of being shut out. Do I want to chance that? On the other hand, I don't want to see them spending a ridiculous amount of money.

I suppose I could go ahead and bite the bullet, buy the tickets myself, then tell them I got them at a much cheaper price when they insist on paying me back because it was supposed to be their gift to me?

I'm thinking I'll wait until single game tickets go on sale, on the off chance that one of us might somehow get tickets before they are sold out.

Of course the Bucs will probably do something like make you buy tickets to another game in order to but tickets to the Pats game.

Sounds weird buying single game tickets. Even with the Jets being a joke for the past few years, there are sparingly few seats left unsold as season tickets.

I'm not sure it makes sense for your situation, but since I dropped season tickets, I now use the method I described (StubHub an hour before kickoff). But as a backup, I bring a TV and HD antenna.

Thankfully it hasn't come to it, because I've always been able to get tickets, but if I ever wasn't able to, could always just watch the game in the parking lot while continuing to tailgate.

jmt57 · Jun 29, 2017

Regarding single game tickets at Gillette: last year they went on sale July 14. I recall from threads in recent years that very few people are successful in obtaining single game tickets. Apparently ticket brokers have programmed 'bots to hit ticketmaster far faster than humans can type, and they end up getting the majority of the available seats.

Patriots 2016 Individual Game Tickets To Go On Sale Thursday, July 14

2016 Individual Game Ticket Presale Opportunity

Patriots 2015 individual game tickets to go on sale Wednesday, July 15

Patriots 2014 Tickets to go on sale Tuesday, July 15

Patriots 2013 Individual Game Tickets To Go On Sale Tuesday, July 16

TMC74 · Jun 29, 2017

Hi all,

It's been awhile since i have been on the site.

I have a question about the season ticket wait list.

If I buy (1) $100 seat on the season ticket wait list does that only allow me to purchase one ticket on the exchange site?

Thanks for any help.

TMC

PatsWSB47 · Jun 29, 2017

TMC74 said:
Hi all,

It's been awhile since i have been on the site.

I have a question about the season ticket wait list.

If I buy (1) $100 seat on the season ticket wait list does that only allow me to purchase one ticket on the exchange site?

Thanks for any help.

TMC

Pretty sure you can purchase up to 4 but I'd call the ticket office to make sure.

BUSTAMOVE · Jun 29, 2017

I've been a STH for 23 years and the nonsense with lowering the cost of exhibition games is insulting. To be honest at least before if you sold your exhibition game tickets you got full value. I personally give mine away to families with kids. Just don't understand the purpose unless you sell your premier games you get more back than the original way. I do believe the Pats hold back 2,000 tickets per game for general public sales. I do know they did this up till 3 or so years ago. I could be corrected if they stopped that policy recently

patstrips65 · Jun 29, 2017

TMC74 said:
Hi all,

It's been awhile since i have been on the site.

I have a question about the season ticket wait list.

If I buy (1) $100 seat on the season ticket wait list does that only allow me to purchase one ticket on the exchange site?

Thanks for any help.

TMC

They only let you buy 2,3 or 4 memberships. Can't buy a single.
If you join, you are allowed to buy up to four per game.

patstrips65 · Jun 29, 2017

Team announced this morning that tix go on sale Friday 7/14.
I saw this thread this morning and thought it was related to the public sale announcement. Nice timing.

chris_in_sunnyvale · Jun 30, 2017

49ers employ variable pricing and the Pats were the most expensive ticket last year. I felt bad for Pats fans that flew in who had to lock in tix early since airfare and hotels needed booking. The aftermarket tanked the week leading up to the game. Those bold enough to wait on tix made the right call.

I'll still take variable pricing over what San Diego did a while back if you wanted to see the Pats game there: Buy a 3 game pack. The aftermarket solved that problem, but sheesh. I hope the Pats are never *that* desperate to sell seats.

Regards,
Chris

Nunchucks · Jun 30, 2017

BUSTAMOVE said:
I've been a STH for 23 years and the nonsense with lowering the cost of exhibition games is insulting. To be honest at least before if you sold your exhibition game tickets you got full value. I personally give mine away to families with kids. Just don't understand the purpose unless you sell your premier games you get more back than the original way. I do believe the Pats hold back 2,000 tickets per game for general public sales. I do know they did this up till 3 or so years ago. I could be corrected if they stopped that policy recently

Nobody buys the preseason tickets

XLIX · Jun 30, 2017

Tunescribe said:
This never has been clear to me. Are they "held back" or released back to the box office from team employees/visiting teams who don't use them?

They do both. That's one of the reasons why, during the preseason, you can walk up to box office the night of a game and get 2 tickets to get in the stadium.

Also, SRO tickets are sold on a purely individual game basis.

XLIX · Jun 30, 2017

JetFan79 said:
Come tailgate in Jersey. An hour before kickoff just use StubHub for seats in the LSL sections. 1st level, 30ydln-15ydln seats, quick exit from the stadium, safer area for opposing fans so long as they're not too disrespectful, great access to bathrooms and concessions as well in those areas w/o lines.

Average face value is around $160 for those (my old section) and 10k PSL so it keeps out a lot of the riff-raff. Not sure what variable pricing would be... Maybe like $210.

Weeks prior to the game you'll probably see $350+ prices. Just sip your beer and wait until an hour before kickoff. You'll get great tickets for under $100.

Unless of course Hackenberg is good. Then all bets are off. You'd be looking at $400+.

You are so fortunate to have such cheap tickets readily available to you to see your team.

It must go quite well with how lucky you are to not have to spend so much money buying championship gear on a semi-regular basis.

Enjoy your good luck, my friend!

XLIX · Jun 30, 2017

BUSTAMOVE said:
I've been a STH for 23 years and the nonsense with lowering the cost of exhibition games is insulting. To be honest at least before if you sold your exhibition game tickets you got full value. I personally give mine away to families with kids. Just don't understand the purpose unless you sell your premier games you get more back than the original way. I do believe the Pats hold back 2,000 tickets per game for general public sales. I do know they did this up till 3 or so years ago. I could be corrected if they stopped that policy recently

I'm a STHer too and I don't think I ever got "full value" for a single preseason game I sold, before or after "variable pricing."

JetFan79 · Jun 30, 2017

XLIX said:
You are so fortunate to have such cheap tickets readily available to you to see your team.

It must go quite well with how lucky you are to not have to spend so much money buying championship gear on a semi-regular basis.

Enjoy your good luck, my friend!

Cheap? Are ya nuts or rich?

My 4 25ydln season tickets cost 10k in PSLs EACH and $160 each face value for all games including preseason.

When you breakout the PSLs over a 10 year payment plan, those 4 tickets cost me almost $11k per year. Then add in the cost of my 95' Dodge conversion Jet Mobile that is used only for tailgating and accompanying tailgating costs.

We're looking at like $13k a year for 8 regular season games.

Pretty sure Gillette is cheaper.

XLIX · Jun 30, 2017

JetFan79 said:
Cheap? Are ya nuts or rich?

My 4 25ydln season tickets cost 10k in PSLs EACH and $160 each face value for all games including preseason.

When you breakout the PSLs over a 10 year payment plan, those 4 tickets cost me almost $11k per year. Then add in the cost of my 95' Dodge conversion Jet Mobile that is used only for tailgating and accompanying tailgating costs.

We're looking at like $13k a year for 8 regular season games.

Pretty sure Gillette is cheaper.

Not if you go to the aftermarket, where Patriots tickets in a similar section routinely go for hundreds of dollars and yours, depending on the opponent, might fetch 45 to 50 cents on StubHub.

But you do raise a good point.... Bob Kraft didn't fleece his own fans by forcing them to buy PSL's, even though he would've made hundreds of millions of dollars.

Consider yourself fortunate, my friend!! You will never know the burden of supporting a successful team!!

JetFan79 · Jun 30, 2017

XLIX said:
Not if you go to the aftermarket, where Patriots tickets in a similar section routinely go for hundreds of dollars and yours, depending on the opponent, might fetch 45 to 50 cents on StubHub.

Consider yourself fortunate, my friend!! You will never know the burden of supporting a successful team!!

Oh gotcha. Yeah this year we may luck out more than most. But usually on average (7 or 8 win seasons) the section I'm talking about go for over 300 each.

I know you're trying to joke the Jets are so bad that tickets are ridiculously cheap, but realistically it's a very short term thing that will change drastically with even a little success or hype. Sucks. Too many rich people and business willing to spend big on good tickets in the region. Even with 38 professional teams in the area.

Patriots "variable ticket pricing" silliness

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