My_Sox_Summer

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Apr 8, 2013 -> 11:38 AM) What other business do you blame the customer for sales? Again, it isn't about this. It is about the "fans" who said that the only thing holding them back from attending more games was price. That has been changed, and still (yes it's early) fans didn't show up. Hope the numbers go up, but if the impact isn't made, so will the ticket prices. Same attendance with lower prices won't last. To be honest, I could really give a crap if people show or not. I don't mind being the only person in my row. I like the space. I like using the restroom quickly. I like not waiting in line forever for my drinks or food. What I do mind is people (not you Marty) saying that it is a price thing when it is clearly more than that.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Apr 8, 2013 -> 11:38 AM) So what? That's not comfortable and I watched on TV. Their TV revenue is massive and super important. You said it was 32 degrees. I just told you what the real temp was.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Apr 8, 2013 -> 11:28 AM) Wasn't the attendance over 19k yesterday? 18,708 was paid attendance. I am betting there were less than 16k there.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Apr 8, 2013 -> 10:52 AM) I refuse to accept that I'm a crappy fan for not going to see a game in 32 degree weather. This passive/aggressive guilt-trip garbage is not helpful. It was in the 50's most of the game, cooled off to 43 by the end.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Apr 7, 2013 -> 08:45 PM) I'm offended by that picture. Who are you to tell the White Sox fan how to spend their money and why is being a good fan dependent upon buying tickets? Why do you find it offensive? You do your part, you aren't making excuses for why you don't go. It isn't directed at you. (Plus note the which if you don't understand that, well, ask somebody) It is directed at the thousands of people that say on a regular basis that they would go to games if it was less expensive, if parking was less. Well, you got your wish, and you still didn't show up. Opening week, Sale on the mound, heck of deal for a Sunday. Weather was fine (in the sun) not a bad day for a game. Although the team did miss the playoffs last year, it was an amazing year most of the time. 1st place, in a year that was written off by the general manager in February. They struggled at the end, but it doesn't change the fact that they put together a hell of a year. Just an early season reminder to fans that the organization is making an effort to make it affordable. I'd like to see this trend continue, so I'd like to see some support of it. I went to alot of games last summer, but I would never say that I am a better fan than anyone else. I am pretty sure there are bigger fanatics than myself that go to few games. But those fans also don't b**** about prices or make excuses for why they don't go to games. And no, this is not a meme. I am hardly smart enough to create something like that.

QUOTE (GoodAsGould @ Apr 7, 2013 -> 07:07 PM) Did they really lower parking and where can you get 5 dollar tickets? Yes. For Sunday home games, it is lower. Same with tickets, $5, $10 and $15 tickets for Sundays. I went right to the box office. Picked up a $10 seat, could have sat behind home in the uppers it was so bare.

So I made this pic. If it offends you, you are a crappy fan. Go Sox.

http://deadspin.com/the-red-soxs-sellout-s...yre-l-458833962

My cousin met Chip Caray (?) walking around in club level before the game. I don't know where they park, but I am pretty sure you can wait outside for the Hawkster to leave.

Thanks guys! What I was gonna take just got alot lighter.

I am headed to Sox Fest this year. It will be my first time. Any tips for a new guy? Are you limited on what you can get signed? Pictures? Stuff for sale? Thanks!

That is worded kinda strange, last sale was only in the area that they do the "all you can eat and drink" pre-game. Now they say they will have the clubhouses open with items for sale in there? Or are they talking about taking a tour of the clubhouses for $? In any case, I plan on being there.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Oct 30, 2012 -> 02:45 PM) Were Dynamic Deals available at the Box office? I also don't think those $7 tickets were available for anywhere close to 53 games. I'm not doubting his numbers, just pointing out if they are accurate, he was doing something differently than dynamic deals and coupons. Wouldn't it be great to see all the numbers laid out? Or even a retelling of how I got to that many games for $400? http://mysoxsummer.wordpress.com/

QUOTE (Brian26 @ Oct 20, 2012 -> 07:50 PM) How so? Supported their Dynamic Deals. Used coupons for the lower ticket prices. Went to 53 games this season for $400. I also filled out a survey and said (like many I am sure) that they needed to sell the tickets in the corners in both the uppers and lowers for a fixed price, lower parking costs, ect.

QUOTE (Iwritecode @ Oct 19, 2012 -> 02:41 PM) We had nearly 30,000 for that make-up game against Detroit on 9/17. Then they proceeded to go on a 1-5 road trip. I'd bet my house that if they went 5-1 and came back home with more than a 1 game lead they would've hit 30,000 a few more times. I was at that game, no way there was 30k there. They had 30k tickets sold, but the attendance was more in the 17k range. Most of the uppers were empty, and I was sitting behind home in a row with 6 people. It sounded like 30k though, one of the best games all season that I was at.

I am honestly debating a season ticket. At $810 for an upper deck one, I might just do it. Congrats to the White Sox for listening to fans, and maybe, just maybe, I provided a role in it. Ha.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Oct 17, 2012 -> 09:03 AM) Day of game, dynamic pricing is outrageous. We were debating it, and were probably going to drop them, then my ticket partner was in an accident and died. We realized Stubhub was a better option. I could still go to the games for a lot less money. The only thing we would be missing out on is playoff tickets. From what we save during the season,we could pay up for playoff games or watch them on my sweet Samsung 46" HDTV, and still come out ahead. I bought my Dynamic Deals before the day of game, so I have no idea what they sell for day of game. I was under the impression at most games it is the same as it was before or still cheaper than the list price. http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/cws/ticket...content=pricing So a $9 upper deck ticket is outrageous? Or a $20-$25 lower deck seat? On StubHub, isn't it about $10 more than the price listed? That is why I stayed away from it. I could get them cheaper at the box office or even from a scalper. Bottom line is if you want to put in the work to get cheaper tickets it can be done. People that can't do that will walk up and pay full price. Or benefit from the Dynamic Deals. And as a former season ticket holder, you are pricing out your season, which takes time and effort. I did the same thing. If you wanna save money you have to put time into it.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Oct 17, 2012 -> 08:22 AM) Then the Sox lose out. My point being, is if they are willing to sell tickets at a certain price, sell them at that price rather than sitting on them because someone doesn't have a code. They become worthless when the game ends. I used to have season tickets, this year I did not. I used codes and Stubhub and never paid anywhere close to full price. It may seem crazy, but not everyone has access to the internet, not everyone is aware codes exist, and usually they are the people who can least afford paying full price. I disagree, not that you are wrong, I just don't think that people are not going to games because the tickets are too expensive. There are codes for basically every game. They cannot discount every game. Now, what I do think they should do, is the areas that they usually mark down the tickets is just sell them for a lower rate to all games. The corners upstairs for $15 the lower corners for $25. Why did you stop getting seasons? That is something the Sox need to focus on. I don't think the demos would show that people buying tickets without the internet, go to multiple games. Which is where Dynamic Pricing comes in, those deals are available at the box office with no code and no fees.

QUOTE (IlliniKrush @ Oct 17, 2012 -> 12:38 AM) A huge problem with the upper deck is that you can't go downstairs at all. How many teams have this policy? I know they claim it's for safety and code and whatever, but we all knows it's BS, as it started after the incident on the field and all the fights that would happen in the UD. They said hey, let's keep the idiots upstairs. Going to the game with your kids and not being able to go downstairs and watch BP, etc. is going to make a difference. The food upstairs is also much different than downstairs. They've slowly brought stuff upstairs, but it's not on the same level. How many people do you think would go sit upstairs when they see a ton of empty seats downstairs? I agree that it sucks to not have access to the entire park, but as many have said the Cubs have similar policies as well as other teams.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Oct 16, 2012 -> 07:23 PM) You are correct, but I don't think people want to look for a code. What I don't understand is why they require codes for the discount. If they are willing to discount it with a code, just discount it for everyone. They make coupons too, should everything just be lower in price because people are too lazy to bring a coupon? I mean come on. That is what dynamic pricing is supposed to do, no codes and you get that low price. I think they also only do it online because they re-coup some of it with the fees. If someone is too lazy to use Google, they deserve to pay full price IMO.

QUOTE (Iwritecode @ Oct 16, 2012 -> 03:46 PM) What happened on that random Tuesday in July against the Twins? Because it’s those days we need to focus on. Obviously the Cubs and half-price Mondays draw people in. The Sox had 9 home games in July. The Twins series was near sold out for every game, even when it was 100 out. Goes with the theory if they played less games, attendance would go up.

QUOTE (HickoryHuskers @ Oct 14, 2012 -> 07:02 AM) I took the Green Line to games for 5 years. There were several weeknights when I was the only white person on the train west of Ashland. Never felt threatened though. And during the Sox games, security is beefed up all around the park. I walked from Halsted, never saw any less than 2 or 3 cops on my walk home and people directing traffic. The last thing they want is someone getting robbed by the Cell.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Oct 14, 2012 -> 02:11 AM) You simply can't fix the Sox attendance problems. Baseball doesn't want to fix them. Yankees can't even sell out for first game of ALCS. WOWWWWW http://sports.yahoo.com/news/no-show--yank...oving-fans.html Face facts: Baseball is not a sport meant to have these kind of ticket prices. There are too many f***ing games. It is simply not worth the experience to pay this kind of money to go to a damn baseball game and pay 8 dollars for a pop and 10 dollars for a Miller Lite. I repeat the Yankees had 6000 or more empty seats tonight. In a city that large. Shouldn't that tell you something, baseball owners?? You tried to gouge the fans of New York for ridiculously priced playoff tickets and they said, "f*** you. We'll watch it on TV." PEOPLE CANNOT AFFORD TO GO TO THE GAMES. Guess what owners? You don't need to sign Pujols for 100,000 billion dollars a year if it means you have to raise ticket prices a ton to pay for him. You don't have to pay Zach Greinke 900,000 billion this offseason if you have to raise parking another 10 bucks a car to pay for him. Guess what owners? The Angels didn't even make the expanded playoffs!!!!! Jerry keep raising those parking prices. What a f***ing joke. p.s. and yes I've read some of your posts about how the Sox would rather have 25,000 at these ridiculously high prices than 40,000 at lower prices. Good for them. They and all other teams have helped ruin a great game. Get used to playoff games and World Series not being sold out. We're at that point if New York can't sell out a playoff game. Tell me I'm wrong. Few things, the Yanks average about 44k per game. They are second in the MLB for attendance. They seat 50k+ at their stadium which is more than most, so it is harder to sell out for sure. I mean, that is a ton of tickets. The article you linked states that the announced attendance was 47k so they only didn't sell 4k tickets. Which, I would take at the Cell all day every day. They do the same thing at the Cell, tickets sold vs butts in the seats. Many times they claim 27k when there is about 15k there. As far as the Angels, they average almost 38k per game in a stadium that seats 45k. Their total attendance is down 100k from last year. So I don't think the ticket prices hurt their crowds. That is down 1,235 people per game. I used to live in the OC so I went to a bunch of Angel games. They had a ton of promotions and good ones. They are lucky to be pretty easy in and easy out, with parking at that time about $8. With a higher capacity I think you can have a lower parking. But what the Sox do is make up the lost ticket sales with the higher parking, which only hurts the average fan IMO. There has to be a happy medium.

I think there have been some decent ideas thrown out there, but I don't think there is a simple cure. I think ticket prices are low enough, to be honest, especially considering if you Google "White Sox Ticket Codes" you get a ton of resources. However, like Tiger stadium, there should be a section, maybe the corners of the UD, that are always $10. Can do that downstairs too, at $25 a game. With the dynamic pricing structure, those seats go down to that anyways. Also, some people just have to suck it up. You are not gonna get a seat downstairs for cheap on a weekend. Just not gonna happen. You have to decide how important that beer is for $7.75. Or that Pepsi for $6. Enjoying a game doesn't mean you have to have a 3 course meal. I think the parking should be lowered, that is a big thing. Mondays thru Thursdays, $15. Weekend parking should be $20. People should be rewarded for going to games during the week, minus the Half Price Monday. Do the promotions during the week, in the summer, to encourage people to come. Like Frank Thomas day years ago, it was in a Sunday vs the Yanks. Why? People are gonna go to that game anyways, why reward them? The Twins on a Tuesday in September should be rewarded. I think the number of promotions could be increased too, but not necessary. One other thing is the attitude of some of the people working for the Sox. Not all of them are angry as heck, but a bunch are. Heck, I was in the uppers watching a game and one of the vendors was just talking so much ish about the team, it was bothersome. People barely say hi to you when you come in, if people think they are appreciated, they come back. Just promoting a positive attitude would do wonders. These things will help, but it won't be a cure-all. Some fans are just apathetic to the team. I am working with a bunch of conventions and on signage, Wrigley Field is everywhere. We need to market the Cell like that. Or scrap that entire plan and start marketing to our fan base, not a Cubs fan. There has to be an incentive to get people in the gate, we don't have history on our side. One thing is for sure, what they have been doing, isn't working. Needs to be changed.

QUOTE (Tuna @ Oct 12, 2012 -> 12:23 PM) This is ridiculous. In your opinion, if someone voices a complaint are they now "crying" about it? That's another one of my favorites. If a conversation comes up about reasons why I don't go to a lot of games, I will give them. You can raise your nose and say they are "excuses" if you want to I suppose. The fact is, yes, there's public transportation, but it doesn't make any sense for me. 3 or 4 round trip tickets on the Metra + taking/paying the el round trip doesn't offer any financial solution. Add in taking my 4 year old on the red line at 10 pm isn't an ideal situation for me. With all that being said, it's not like I don't go to games. I do, but that is my reasoning of why I don't go to more. Like I said, it's about effort. The more you put in, the more you get out. Just my view though.