2017 Season TicketPrice Increase

[ewokpelts]

The "free patio parties" is a myth to me. I never get that, and I have to beg to get additional grinder bash tix for my toddlers

 

There seems to be a pick and choose element to which accounts get extra s***. I did get a fan deck event, but that was. A Tuesday night in September when no one gave a s***.

[Dick Allen]

They get what the market can bear. That they are raising prices this much after the last few years is just another data point that this ownership group is absolutely clueless. There's a reason the Cubs, Red Sox, Yankees etc charge what they do. Demand.

 

I don't see much demand for Sox tickets, do you?

Well, so far everyone who has season tickets discussing this increase is renewing. So why would ownership be clueless?

[Chicago White Sox]

Well, so far everyone who has season tickets discussing this increase is renewing. So why would ownership be clueless?

It's not that they're clueless, it's pretty much the opposite. They know they can raise ticket prices by 7% and not lose a ton of accounts (at least not yet). The problem I have is with the reasoning. IMO, it feels like they know a rebuilding is going bring down attendance so they might as well maximize their fixed revenue by price gauging their most loyal customers. I think that fans like you deserve better, but to each their own.

Edited November 13, 2016 by Chicago White Sox

[Dick Allen]

It's not that they're clueless, it's pretty much the opposite. They know they can raise ticket prices by 7% and not lose a ton of accounts (at least not yet). The problem I have is with the reasoning. IMO, it feels like they know a rebuilding is going bring down attendance so they might as well maximize their fixed revenue by price gauging their most loyal customers. I think that fans like you deserve better, but to each their own.

The reality is the average ticket price for the 2016 White Sox was 25% less than it was for the 2008 White Sox.

 

So you still aren't going to have to pay anything near what you would have 8 years ago.

[caulfield12]

It's not that they're clueless, it's pretty much the opposite. They know they can raise ticket prices by 7% and not lose a ton of accounts (at least not yet). The problem I have is with the reasoning. IMO, it feels like they know a rebuilding is going bring down attendance so they might as well maximize their fixed revenue by price gauging their most loyal customers. I think that fans like you deserve better, but to each their own.

 

SoxTalk is not unlike the media echo chamber around the election.

 

It probably represents roughly 5-10% of the fanbase, but we're definitely not going to hear from many who cancel their tickets because why bother if you're at the point of being so frustrated with ownership/management that you currently see no light at the end of the tunnel?

 

And it's not so surprising to see prices falling to 2008 levels, since people's disposable incomes are probably flat at best from the housing crisis on...the team has sunk into irrelevance in the face of the Cubs' onslaught and only those with heavy stock market investments (who didn't flinch and sell) are MUCH better off.

Edited November 13, 2016 by caulfield12

[GREEDY]

I think the new "Dynamic Pricing" that teams are using to ask more for seats leading up to game day is supporting a raise in the cost of Season Tickets. My full seasons are in the $45 per ticket range (I don't watch it too close) and I'm pretty sure I've never seen them for less than $60 + fees on Ticketmaster.... and if the tickets became in real demand they cost $90+.

 

 

[ewokpelts]

I think the new "Dynamic Pricing" that teams are using to ask more for seats leading up to game day is supporting a raise in the cost of Season Tickets. My full seasons are in the $45 per ticket range (I don't watch it too close) and I'm pretty sure I've never seen them for less than $60 + fees on Ticketmaster.... and if the tickets became in real demand they cost $90+.

but the lure of a season package, even as small as 7 games, is to "lock in" prices below dynamic pricing. your $45 ticket is that much because you bought a 27 or 81 game package. the guy buying at the box office day of game has a much smaller commitment financially to the sox than you.

[GREEDY]

but the lure of a season package, even as small as 7 games, is to "lock in" prices below dynamic pricing. your $45 ticket is that much because you bought a 27 or 81 game package. the guy buying at the box office day of game has a much smaller commitment financially to the sox than you.

 

Sure, that is right.

 

But that isn't what I'm saying.

 

I have a premium seat that sells for over $60 to virtually every game thanks to dynamic pricing. And that is a new development. Up until a few years ago that seat was either sold to season ticket holders for $45 (minus a slight % off type discount) or then sold the day they went onsale for that same $45. Now, thanks to dynamic pricing the Sox can either sell it for $45 to me for every game or sell them on ticketmaster for more. So I'm just pointing out that it would make sense that the Sox would want closer to what the ticket is worth, even from people buying 81 games at a time.

 

 

[ewokpelts]

Sure, that is right.

 

But that isn't what I'm saying.

 

I have a premium seat that sells for over $60 to virtually every game thanks to dynamic pricing. And that is a new development. Up until a few years ago that seat was either sold to season ticket holders for $45 (minus a slight % off type discount) or then sold the day they went onsale for that same $45. Now, thanks to dynamic pricing the Sox can either sell it for $45 to me for every game or sell them on ticketmaster for more. So I'm just pointing out that it would make sense that the Sox would want closer to what the ticket is worth, even from people buying 81 games at a time.

the smart money is to get the 81 game sale. they have kept prices flat for four years. why the change when it looks like payroll is going to get slashed hard?

 

[he gone.]

when you have seats go from a little over $50 per game per ticket to $54 that's significant. Our invoice went up like $1200. I don't mind paying that when they put out a good product but these last few years have been awful. If I cant make a game and have to sell n Stubhub I usually take a loss. I'm sure if someone did a study of the Cubs or other big market teams the resale value % is much higher, the Sox have to be near the bottom the league in resale value. Of course we could always cancel our plan but we wont, just too loyal to the team and its part of my summers for many years. It just doesn't seem like great timing to raise product prices 7% when you are having quality issues.

 

 

That was my problem and the reason I generally don't think I'll buy season tix from the Sox any longer. I've had some sort of package every year since I graduated college. So I'm going on 8 years of some sort of plan. Whether that be 7, 14, 20+ games and I take a loss almost every year for games I cant go to, no resale value + I think its kind of a pain to have that many tix. I'd be exhausted on a Wednesday after work and rather sit on my couch. But If I had tix I'd have to trek down to Sox park and by the 7 inning I wanted to be gone so I can sleep in time for work the next day. I probably stayed to the 6 inning on average.

 

My main problems in order are this:

 

- it's almost impossible to get people to come to the games with me. Most of the time I have to offer my tix for free to friends for them to consider.

- the resale value is almost zero. I had diamond box 5 rows up from the sox dugout for a year and those actually held better resale than anywhere. My only guess was that people were buying as special occasion seats. I've also had outfield tix. Price was like $25 per seat... very affordable. Only problem is I can get those on StubHub with no commitment to the Sox for like $10 most game days.

- who cares where my assigned seat is? Not to be that guy, and I Hated it when ppl did this when I had diamond box tix, but I had OF seats this year and never sat in my assigned seat. Most of the time I was 10-15 rows up off the dugout. All you have to do is go on stubhub app like 20 mins before the game and look for the best seats that haven't sold yet. Then you know nobody is coming to sit in those seats... so you never have to deal with the embarrassment of being asked to move. Essentially I can pay $7 for any game and have the best seats.

 

All That being said Palehouse if you ever want to unload a few of your games behind the batters circle I'm always game.

[ewokpelts]

Did any ticket holder NOT get the renewal letter/package? I havent gotten mine yet.

[he gone.]

Did any ticket holder NOT get the renewal letter/package? I havent gotten mine yet.

 

I received nothing. Had a partial season - the weekend games + cubs.

 

Regardless if they do though I think its pretty pointless to send or call me. My mind is made up. Call me in 2018 or 2019.

[Sleepy Harold]

Did any ticket holder NOT get the renewal letter/package? I havent gotten mine yet.

I haven't received anything yet but I did get a call from the ticket office yesterday so I believe the packages/info should be sent out/made available shortly.