mreye Posted December 30, 2005 Share Posted December 30, 2005 http://nwitimes.com/articles/2005/12/30/ne...0e7000e3f15.txt There was nothing wrong with Indiana spending its money at Soldier Field during the Bears regular season. But now that the NFC North champions have made the playoffs for only the second time since 1994, they are excluding Hoosier fans from purchasing tickets for home games. The Bears first playoff game will be either Jan. 14 or Jan. 15, with time and opponent yet to be determined. On Thursday, the Ticketmaster Web site declared, "Sales to this game are limited to residents of Illinois only! Any out-of-state orders WILL BE CANCELED WITHOUT NOTICE." Angry Bears fans in Indiana couldn't get to their phones and e-mails fast enough. "We've got a large fan base here in Northwest Indiana," said Rick Gubitz, of Crown Point, who promptly e-mailed the Chicago Bears Fan Services Team and got this response: "Our goal is to give as many Bears fans as possible an opportunity to attend the game, given the limited seats we have available. The intention of the geographic restriction is to serve our local fan base while minimizing the impact of brokers, many of whom are out of state and take face-value tickets away from Bears fans." Gubitz, a claims manager for Farm Bureau Insurance, wasn't buying it. "I live closer to Soldier Field than people in Schaumburg. It's absolutely crazy," he said. "I buy two games a year on the Internet, four tickets at $80 a crack, that's $640. "We're not Johnny-come-lately fans. We've been going since the Bears were in Wrigley Field and supporting them through those 1-and-13 years." When contacted by The Times, Fan Services Assistant Jacinta Williams refused to comment on the sticky subject, referring all questions to Scott Hagel, the Bears' senior director of corporate communications. "First and foremost, our goal is to try to get the limited tickets we have available to as many Bears fans as possible. Unfortunately, brokers can sometimes make that difficult and a lot of them are from out of state," Hagel said. "The state of Illinois border was a very successful way that we utilized in 2001. "We understand some people are going to be unhappy with this. To eliminate the brokers who take advantage of our situation, you have to draw a line somewhere and, unfortunately, you're going to have some people on the other side. We understand their frustration." Under current Bears guidelines, fans can't purchase more than four tickets for each playoff game. Hagel said the Bears will enforce their ticket policy throughout the playoffs. He didn't have the number of available tickets, saying they won't go on sale until Tuesday but will number "in the thousands." That makes it even more difficult for Schererville's Adam Paulson to accept the Hoosier ban. He became so livid, he contacted a Chicago TV station. It sent a reporter and cameraman to his home. "Me and my dad tried getting tickets for the first game in the new stadium a few years ago against Green Bay, and ended up paying $500 a pop off e-Bay because we couldn't buy 'em off Ticketmaster. We couldn't get through then," said Paulson, a financial advisor. "I live 30, 35 minutes away. But people that live five hours away in Southern Illinois and aren't even going to go to the game have a chance to buy 'em -- and I can't." Paulson said he was told by Ticketmaster that if you have a credit card billing address in Illinois, let's say where you work, then you can purchase playoff tickets. "These brokers, I guarantee you, are going to find a way around this," he said. "This is ridiculous." If the Bears are doing this to stop the brokers then they have no idea how brokers work. The broker doesn't make the phone call, he has people like you and me doing the calling and he has people all over the US. :headshake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greasywheels121 Posted December 30, 2005 Share Posted December 30, 2005 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HuskyCaucasian Posted December 30, 2005 Share Posted December 30, 2005 QUOTE(greasywheels121 @ Dec 30, 2005 -> 12:10 PM) I love those commercials! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sayitaintso Posted December 30, 2005 Share Posted December 30, 2005 QUOTE(Athomeboy_2000 @ Dec 30, 2005 -> 01:56 PM) I love those commercials! Those are some of the best commericals out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 QUOTE(Athomeboy_2000 @ Dec 30, 2005 -> 01:56 PM) I love those commercials! CUT THAT MEAT! CUT THAT MEAT! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YASNY Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 Do you guys remember how much b****ing and whining there was around here because because locals couldn't get Sox playoff tickets because of the out of state guys buying them all? That's what this is all about. The Bears, however, should include Indiana into the equation because of the close proximity. I don't think that would have been difficult or required much forethought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen Prawn Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 QUOTE(YASNY @ Dec 31, 2005 -> 05:23 AM) Do you guys remember how much b****ing and whining there was around here because because locals couldn't get Sox playoff tickets because of the out of state guys buying them all? That's what this is all about. The Bears, however, should include Indiana into the equation because of the close proximity. I don't think that would have been difficult or required much forethought. That is exactly what I was thinking Yas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Hudler Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 You would think they could restrict it by zip code and limit ticket sales to only those within a certain mile radius. That would still piss some people off, but it would more fairly allow those who live close to purchase tickets. It just seems weird to me to limit it to Illinois. Do they think all of the brokers are in Indiana or other states and not in IL? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene Honda Civic Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 My only complaint is that I haven't heard anything one way or the other about Wisconsin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sayitaintso Posted January 1, 2006 Share Posted January 1, 2006 QUOTE(Jake @ Dec 31, 2005 -> 12:12 AM) CUT THAT MEAT! CUT THAT MEAT! (charge song) CHARLIE! Your good too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soxman352000 Posted January 1, 2006 Share Posted January 1, 2006 QUOTE(Jake @ Dec 31, 2005 -> 06:12 AM) CUT THAT MEAT! CUT THAT MEAT! D CAFE *Stomp Stomp* D CAFE *Stomp Stomp* Got to love those commercials Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sayitaintso Posted January 1, 2006 Share Posted January 1, 2006 QUOTE(soxman352000 @ Dec 31, 2005 -> 07:12 PM) D CAFE *Stomp Stomp* D CAFE *Stomp Stomp* Got to love those commercials Without those commericals i don't know what i would do besides flip to another channel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texsox Posted January 1, 2006 Share Posted January 1, 2006 Damn, I guess I will have to not watch the game on TV instead of not watching in person Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsideirish Posted January 2, 2006 Share Posted January 2, 2006 QUOTE(mreye @ Dec 30, 2005 -> 06:09 PM) http://nwitimes.com/articles/2005/12/30/ne...0e7000e3f15.txt If the Bears are doing this to stop the brokers then they have no idea how brokers work. The broker doesn't make the phone call, he has people like you and me doing the calling and he has people all over the US. :headshake <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I don't know if you heard, but the area has been extended to northwest Indiana. That should make some of you happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr_genius Posted January 2, 2006 Share Posted January 2, 2006 "I live 30, 35 minutes away. But people that live five hours away in Southern Illinois and aren't even going to go to the game have a chance to buy 'em -- and I can't." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 QUOTE(southsideirish @ Jan 2, 2006 -> 01:06 AM) I don't know if you heard, but the area has been extended to northwest Indiana. That should make some of you happy. Smart move to appease you ticket base. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LosMediasBlancas Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 FYI, at 10:01, the Ticketmaster website said even a single ticket was not available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Jan 3, 2006 -> 09:59 AM) Smart move to appease you ticket base. The ticket base already has their tickets. This appeases the whiners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
watchtower41 Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 well, that was a bigger joke than White Sox playoff tickets, what did they have available 25 tickets?? On sale: 10:00am Sold OUT: 10:00:15am Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chisoxfan79 Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 I am sick of this ticketmaster s*** can the general public buy tickets to anything anymore Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 QUOTE(watchtower41 @ Jan 3, 2006 -> 10:09 AM) well, that was a bigger joke than White Sox playoff tickets, what did they have available 25 tickets?? On sale: 10:00am Sold OUT: 10:00:15am What did you guys expect..? The only reason tickets were sold at all is because some ST holders declined their tickets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
watchtower41 Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 QUOTE(Steff @ Jan 3, 2006 -> 10:13 AM) What did you guys expect..? The only reason tickets were sold at all is because some ST holders declined their tickets. Incorrect, but ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 QUOTE(watchtower41 @ Jan 3, 2006 -> 10:16 AM) Incorrect, but ok. No, it's not incorrect. Most of the tickets that are not ST holders went to the Bears and the NFL and sponsors. We had the choice of not buying our tickets and were told that they would go in the ticketmaster pool. A few thousand were in that pool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsideirish Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 QUOTE(Steff @ Jan 3, 2006 -> 04:24 PM) No, it's not incorrect. Most of the tickets that are not ST holders went to the Bears and the NFL and sponsors. We had the choice of not buying our tickets and were told that they would go in the ticketmaster pool. A few thousand were in that pool. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Steff is definitely correct. This is a fact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 QUOTE(southsideirish @ Jan 3, 2006 -> 01:36 PM) Steff is definitely correct. This is a fact. Wow, there's a first time for everything Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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