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Is GRF bad at being busy


bmags

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2 minutes ago, hogan873 said:

I'll agree and disagree.  I love getting to a game or two a year with the family.  But it's a pain in the ass.  Parking, getting through security, lines at concessions, etc.  I won't complain about the cost of concessions, because I choose to have a beer or two and to let the kids buy some food.  Fans can bring in their own food and water, and we'll do that as well.

It's A LOT easier to sit my lazy ass in my recliner with a handful of beers.  But I still want to be at the game.  It's just fun to be there.

Opening all the stands, however, is a different story.  They will plan ahead of time based on expectations.  Scheduling which stands and how many people to schedule has to be based on attendance projections.  Sometimes they'll get it wrong.  On a much smaller scale, a friend of mine is good friends with the owners of the Joliet Slammers and has season tickets.  He invites me and my family regularly, and I'll see days when there are 1000 people there and every stand is open and other days when there are 4000 people and half the stands are open.  Having talked to the owners and event coordinators, they say it's tough to project sometimes.  They'll have 800 tickets sold ahead of time and then 1500 walk-ups some days while other days they'll have 1000 tickets sold and only half them show up with only a couple hundred walk-ups.  Obviously the Sox should be more organized and have a better idea of attendance, but I'm sure there are still failures.

 

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Friday for the opener was great.  Quick entry through security and lines were very manageable...but we were in the upper deck for that game.  I could see the outfield concourse was just packed with people.  I'd figure you'd want to be watching the actual game instead of standing out there, but I guess some folks pay to come in and do that.   

Saturday was a mixed bag for me.  We got in to the stadium rather quickly after gates opened.  That line moved well.  We walked around the entire ring and it was OK...a little crowded,but manageable.  Once the game got started, it was hell walking anywhere.  The worst part is how the concession lines extend out into the walkway, so it is a giant Cluster.  Lines from both sides, making it a single file line to get through it.  I missed Jose's dinger because of it.  Easy solution to that is to put some of those line ropes to have it go sideways, instead of out into the walkway.  We did see that "Take and go" shop they put in and that looks to be a great idea for grabbing the quick Beer or drink.   

I also had an issue with the Designated Driver in the Ballpark App.  It let me sign up, but then I couldn't retrieve the code to get the drink.  So I had to walk to Guest Services and track one down because it was later in the game.  The guy said that they did just have to go back to the paper because the app wasn't working.  

But the Hoodie is pretty sweet, so that was a nice giveaway.   

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I don't understand the scanners. If it's a sunny day, it takes those poor people about 15 attempts to get a phone ticket to click. I would like to see them use a thing like the CTA. Have all info on a phone and give a card to season ticketholders and let them scan themselves in with that. 

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Just for record, while saturday was uniquely bad this has been an ongoing issue for me at sox games. 

I get that it's hard to project, but that's not completely exhonerating to me because part of the decision to go to more games is when you decide on a whim to go. That happens less when you think it's going to be a pain (especially with kids, where the times you get up to get food is multiplied).

But there was a lot of good insight here, and as I have said, this usually is the worst early in the year and they figure it out as they go.

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2 hours ago, bmags said:

Just for record, while saturday was uniquely bad this has been an ongoing issue for me at sox games. 

I get that it's hard to project, but that's not completely exhonerating to me because part of the decision to go to more games is when you decide on a whim to go. That happens less when you think it's going to be a pain (especially with kids, where the times you get up to get food is multiplied).

But there was a lot of good insight here, and as I have said, this usually is the worst early in the year and they figure it out as they go.

Go to the Club Level. It's delightful. No bathroom lines, server. Food and drink delivered.  Give them your credit card info at the beginning of the game, and pay for it after the 7th.Great view, and a decent shot at getting a ball if that's your thing. 

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4 hours ago, hogan873 said:

I'll agree and disagree.  I love getting to a game or two a year with the family.  But it's a pain in the ass.  Parking, getting through security, lines at concessions, etc.  I won't complain about the cost of concessions, because I choose to have a beer or two and to let the kids buy some food.  Fans can bring in their own food and water, and we'll do that as well.

It's A LOT easier to sit my lazy ass in my recliner with a handful of beers.  But I still want to be at the game.  It's just fun to be there.

Opening all the stands, however, is a different story.  They will plan ahead of time based on expectations.  Scheduling which stands and how many people to schedule has to be based on attendance projections.  Sometimes they'll get it wrong.  On a much smaller scale, a friend of mine is good friends with the owners of the Joliet Slammers and has season tickets.  He invites me and my family regularly, and I'll see days when there are 1000 people there and every stand is open and other days when there are 4000 people and half the stands are open.  Having talked to the owners and event coordinators, they say it's tough to project sometimes.  They'll have 800 tickets sold ahead of time and then 1500 walk-ups some days while other days they'll have 1000 tickets sold and only half them show up with only a couple hundred walk-ups.  Obviously the Sox should be more organized and have a better idea of attendance, but I'm sure there are still failures.

I just get mad at all the nickel and diming of the fan. Open up the concession stands, all of them. Talk to anybody who has worked for a baseball team: they pay exorbitant salaries for players and nickel and dime everybody else.

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 Go to a buffet before the game.  Develop a taste for beer better than Miller, Bud Light, Pabst. If not remember you can get a 12 pack of those on sale for what a cup is at the ball park. Force yourself to never buy concession prices.  I was pretty shocked during Spring Training that Chick Fil-a was one of the vendors and they had to charge $14 for a chicken sandwich.  

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12 hours ago, kitekrazy said:

 Go to a buffet before the game.  Develop a taste for beer better than Miller, Bud Light, Pabst. If not remember you can get a 12 pack of those on sale for what a cup is at the ball park. Force yourself to never buy concession prices.  I was pretty shocked during Spring Training that Chick Fil-a was one of the vendors and they had to charge $14 for a chicken sandwich.  

Part of going to the ballpark is it’s fun to have a polish with grilled onions with an ice cold beer and seeing your sons mouth turn blue with cotton candy. I go to baseball games to have fun!

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14 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

Just so someone says it - 

It is very disappointing that they're still seeing surprisingly big walkup crowds, even for day games with good weather, to reward the franchise for how they behaved this offseason.

Many of the people there didn't pay for a ticket, although they probably spent plenty on concessions. And they were there for the hoodie, which I must say seemed pretty nice. Not the typical junk they give away that people will wait in line for hours to get. 

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