White Sox releasing $5 upper deck ticket for TOR series

[caulfield12]

Anyway, Sox are selling discounted tickets for the Jays series...finally.

5 dollar upper deck tickets for the entire series....now,c'mon Sox fans,lets show management that the pricing is the problem...and fill that upper deck!!

 

I think they should just go with 5 dollar upper deck tickets for til all star game,at least.

 

 

But they're not publicizing it very much at all...or going out of their way to mention it at chisox.com or through their tv and radio teams.

 

 

 

Perhaps for the first two months of the season, they really were better off with their dynamic ticket pricing model, treating Chicago like an "inelastic" market that would bear any pricing burden.

 

However, where they're at now...they need to start making efforts to bring out the casual/bandwagon/"cheapskate" (in the eyes of the marketing dept.) back to the park.

 

Because right now, 25,000 fans and the EXACT same revenue is worth more than 19,000 fans to the team itself winning on the field. If they want to create a buzz around the team and in the city, it can't be done with selling tickets in July/August in mind. They need to maximize this opportunity right now to take advantage of the hot streak.

 

If they want to hold onto the dynamic pricing model in the bottom level, fine. Protect the season ticket holder/premium experience.

 

But the more games go by where the Sox are playing this well and drawing such abysmal crowds (Friday night), the harder it will be to start breaking that trend and consistently drawing at least 25-30,000 per game, especially on the weekends, Fireworks, promotional item giveaways, etc.

 

For KW and Boyer to keep digging at the fans supporting the team when they have this system in place is disengenuous at best. It's a direct reflection of the fact that the front office and especially former manager Ozzie Guillen could care less about the 1-5-10 time per season attendees.

[greg775]

Anyway, Sox are selling discounted tickets for the Jays series...finally.

5 dollar upper deck tickets for the entire series....now,c'mon Sox fans,lets show management that the pricing is the problem...and fill that upper deck!!

 

I think they should just go with 5 dollar upper deck tickets for til all star game,at least.

 

 

But they're not publicizing it very much at all...or going out of their way to mention it at chisox.com or through their tv and radio teams.

 

 

 

Perhaps for the first two months of the season, they really were better off with their dynamic ticket pricing model, treating Chicago like an "inelastic" market that would bear any pricing burden.

 

However, where they're at now...they need to start making efforts to bring out the casual/bandwagon/"cheapskate" (in the eyes of the marketing dept.) back to the park.

 

Because right now, 25,000 fans and the EXACT same revenue is worth more than 19,000 fans to the team itself winning on the field. If they want to create a buzz around the team and in the city, it can't be done with selling tickets in July/August in mind. They need to maximize this opportunity right now to take advantage of the hot streak.

 

If they want to hold onto the dynamic pricing model in the bottom level, fine. Protect the season ticket holder/premium experience.

 

But the more games go by where the Sox are playing this well and drawing such abysmal crowds (Friday night), the harder it will be to start breaking that trend and consistently drawing at least 25-30,000 per game, especially on the weekends, Fireworks, promotional item giveaways, etc.

 

For KW and Boyer to keep digging at the fans supporting the team when they have this system in place is disengenuous at best. It's a direct reflection of the fact that the front office and especially former manager Ozzie Guillen could care less about the 1-5-10 time per season attendees.

 

That was a great post until you brought Guillen into it.

WTF? You think any manager cares about fans? I mean they are nice to them and sign autographs but why the f*** would Ozzie Guillen or any manager care about the second guessing fans who call talk shows and reveal their stupidity on a daily basis? Your post went to hell when you brought Guillen into it.

[caulfield12]

That was a great post until you brought Guillen into it.

WTF? You think any manager cares about fans? I mean they are nice to them and sign autographs but why the f*** would Ozzie Guillen or any manager care about the second guessing fans who call talk shows and reveal their stupidity on a daily basis? Your post went to hell when you brought Guillen into it.

 

 

 

3. Ozzie's blasts at the fan base the past few years, which rubbed raw a lot of people. (For example, I sent Brooks an e-mail after Ozzie's 'pissing on statue's' comment. It was a week before he got back to me, which is very unusual. Brooks apologized saying he was trying to catch up to all the fans who had written him.)

 

"As soon as you leave the ballpark, they don’t care about you any more. They don’t. The monuments, the statues they have for you, they piss on it when they are drunk. That’s what they do. Thank you for coming for 30 minutes for all the suffering you did all your life, day in and day out."

 

Ozzie Guillen

[greg775]

3. Ozzie's blasts at the fan base the past few years, which rubbed raw a lot of people. (For example, I sent Brooks an e-mail after Ozzie's 'pissing on statue's' comment. It was a week before he got back to me, which is very unusual. Brooks apologized saying he was trying to catch up to all the fans who had written him.)

 

"As soon as you leave the ballpark, they don’t care about you any more. They don’t. The monuments, the statues they have for you, they piss on it when they are drunk. That’s what they do. Thank you for coming for 30 minutes for all the suffering you did all your life, day in and day out."

 

Ozzie Guillen

 

I don't understand the 30 minutes part. Games are 2.5 hours.

Well at least I see why you included him. He's actually right about "some of the fans", but who cares?

Ozzie should have qualified it to "some of the fans."

[BigSqwert]

I guess I'll never understand why the 3rd largest city in the US cannot support this team and fill up the stadium when we have one of the best teams in baseball. I'm sick of all of the excuses over the years that even I have used to justify the lack of attendance.

 

Just look at 2005. We had weekend games in September where we could only draw 28K or 30K. A year where we were close to winning a 100 games.

 

I guess I've come to realize that our fan base is pretty small.

[caulfield12]

Option A

White Sox barely hang on to make the playoffs but are swept in the first round, Ventura still wins AL Manager of the Year

 

Option B

Marlins win the World Series, Ozzie Guillen is consensus NL Manager of the Year...Greg775 has opportunity to start collecting donations for Ozzie Guillen's managerial shrine in Cooperstown and launch hundreds of "I told you so's" at Soxtalk.com. Not that the Marlins winning the World Series wouldn't be MORE about the talent on that team, lol.

 

 

Which one would you prefer, if you had to choose between the two options but couldn't have both?

Edited June 2, 2012 by caulfield12

[greg775]

I guess I'll never understand why the 3rd largest city in the US cannot support this team and fill up the stadium when we have one of the best teams in baseball. I'm sick of all of the excuses over the years that even I have used to justify the lack of attendance.

 

Just look at 2005. We had weekend games in September where we could only draw 28K or 30K. A year where we were close to winning a 100 games.

 

I guess I've come to realize that our fan base is pretty small.

 

 

Option A

White Sox barely hang on to make the playoffs but are swept in the first round, Ventura still wins AL Manager of the Year

 

Option B

Marlins win the World Series, Ozzie Guillen is consensus NL Manager of the Year...Greg775 has opportunity to start collecting donations for Ozzie Guillen's managerial shrine in Cooperstown and launch hundreds of "I told you so's" at Soxtalk.com. Not that the Marlins winning the World Series wouldn't be MORE about the talent on that team, lol.

 

 

Which one would you prefer, if you had to choose between the two options but couldn't have both?

 

1. I agree Sox fan base is very small. And there's a large segment of the fan base that can't afford to go to any games unless they go alone. This 5 dollar pricing for the Blue Jays series should get a lot of pub because if the average Southsider/TV watching Sox fan HEARS ABOUT IT in time, I'd suspect they'd go to a game or two. Five bucks is a winner.

2.) I'll never say I told you so on Ozzie. I will support him however when fans on here blast him. I never bring him up. I respond. I prefer option one; I'll take any playoff berth.

Edited June 2, 2012 by greg775

[2nd_city_saint787]

I guess I'll never understand why the 3rd largest city in the US cannot support this team and fill up the stadium when we have one of the best teams in baseball. I'm sick of all of the excuses over the years that even I have used to justify the lack of attendance.

 

Just look at 2005. We had weekend games in September where we could only draw 28K or 30K. A year where we were close to winning a 100 games.

 

I guess I've come to realize that our fan base is pretty small.

 

 

Its a city divided and for whatever reason it's divided more toward the team on the North Side of Chicago.

[BigSqwert]

Its a city divided and for whatever reason it's divided more toward the team on the North Side of Chicago.

I don't buy that. With several million people in the metropolitan area you'd think getting 35k on a weekend for a 100 win team in 2005 shouldn't be a problem. Same goes for yesterday. The hottest teams in baseball playing extremely well in all facets of the game with an elite pitching matchup and you can't break 20K?!

 

There are very few teams I could think of that would have this problem. Most cities would have broken 25K last night if their team had won 8 straight going in and was in 1st place. And this is Chicago not some podunk town.

Edited June 2, 2012 by BigSqwert

[greg775]

I don't buy that. With several million people in the metropolitan area you'd think getting 35k on a weekend for a 100 win team in 2005 shouldn't be a problem. Same goes for yesterday. The hottest teams in baseball playing extremely well in all facets of the game with an elite pitching matchup and you can't break 20K?!

 

True, but how many people do you talk to in your life who say they can't do this or that because "I don't have the money." Or you go out with them and they are so cheap cause they "don't have the money."

A group of buddies used to go to Vegas once a year and it died down when the economy went to hell and they couldn't afford to throw money around the tables and sportsbooks and clubs like they used to.

[BigSqwert]

True, but how many people do you talk to in your life who say they can't do this or that because "I don't have the money." Or you go out with them and they are so cheap cause they "don't have the money."

A group of buddies used to go to Vegas once a year and it died down when the economy went to hell and they couldn't afford to throw money around the tables and sportsbooks and clubs like they used to.

That doesn't address the lousy attendance prior to the economy tanking.

Edited June 2, 2012 by BigSqwert

[caulfield12]

I guess I'll never understand why the 3rd largest city in the US cannot support this team and fill up the stadium when we have one of the best teams in baseball. I'm sick of all of the excuses over the years that even I have used to justify the lack of attendance.

 

Just look at 2005. We had weekend games in September where we could only draw 28K or 30K. A year where we were close to winning a 100 games.

 

I guess I've come to realize that our fan base is pretty small.

 

 

Or 2000.

 

But it's because the fans didn't fully believe in the team because of the previous half-decade, lol.

 

If it wasn't for the 2005 trophy, it (glass is half-empty rather than half-full) would be firmly-entrenched in the RNA/DNA of EVERY White Sox fan.

 

As it is, you'd think the younger fans in their 20's and 30's who missed the 60's-90's would be more immune to that skepticism.

 

But then you have the economy card for that group. And young families. Location. Traffic. Parking prices. Dynamic pricing. Weather. The Bulls/Blackhawks. Residual effects of the initial negative publicity about the stadium. Etc. Etc.

 

 

Blame it all on Bad, Bad Leroy Brown.

 

 

 

[caulfield12]

I don't buy that. With several million people in the metropolitan area you'd think getting 35k on a weekend for a 100 win team in 2005 shouldn't be a problem. Same goes for yesterday. The hottest teams in baseball playing extremely well in all facets of the game with an elite pitching matchup and you can't break 20K?!

 

There are very few teams I could think of that would have this problem. Most cities would have broken 25K last night if their team had won 8 straight going in and was in 1st place. And this is Chicago not some podunk town.

 

 

Even CLE had been drawing much better recently on weekends, and they're far far far away the worst team in overall MLB attendance.

 

I would guess the only situations that fit your scenario are Tampa Bay, Miami (before the new stadium) and Oakland. Maybe Toronto, Baltimore and Seattle...to an extent.

 

You have to think at least 25% of it's the dynamic pricing model and the fact that it's just much more convenient than ever before to follow the team on cable tv, satellite, at a bar, internet, cell phone, GameDay Audio, AtBat, etc.

 

 

[BigSqwert]

Even CLE had been drawing much better recently on weekends, and they're far far far away the worst team in overall MLB attendance.

 

I would guess the only situations that fit your scenario are Tampa Bay, Miami (before the new stadium) and Oakland. Maybe Toronto, Baltimore and Seattle...to an extent.

 

You have to think at least 25% of it's the dynamic pricing model and the fact that it's just much more convenient than ever before to follow the team on cable tv, satellite, at a bar, internet, cell phone, GameDay Audio, AtBat, etc.

 

These are all just excuses. Not buying it. I'm sure we'll see 100 more excuses in this thread before it's said and done. Let's face it, our fan base is just very small.

[iamshack]

These are all just excuses. Not buying it. I'm sure we'll see 100 more excuses in this thread before it's said and done. Let's face it, our fan base is just very small.

It can't be that small, or else the television contract wouldn't be worth that much.

 

I hear you loud and clear though...

[caulfield12]

These are all just excuses. Not buying it. I'm sure we'll see 100 more excuses in this thread before it's said and done. Let's face it, our fan base is just very small.

 

 

Unless we win another World Series, you might be right.

 

See 2006 attendance.

 

And, even then, the thrill/excitement is going to have already worn off a BIT because of that '05 breakthrough.

 

 

The way things are going right now, you'd think they would certainly struggle to get 30,000+ for playoff games against the Rays.

[fathom]

The way things are going right now, you'd think they would certainly struggle to get 30,000+ for playoff games against the Rays.

 

Not a chance they wouldn't sell out if they made the playoffs.

[BigSqwert]

Not a chance they wouldn't sell out if they made the playoffs.

Agreed

[southsideirish71]

That doesn't address the lousy attendance prior to the economy tanking.

 

In the end our attendance is driven by our season ticket sales. End of story. We are not going to rock a large walk up to cover the fact of a poor season ticket base. This was expected when the GM pretty much said we were in a rebuilding or retooling phase. Having a losing record at home to start off the year wasn't a help as well.

[BigEdWalsh]

This is a funny discussion. Everybody is right. Yes, the White Sox have a small fan base. Yes, the common everyday Joe can't afford to go to games any more. I can barely afford to go to games and when I do I can't afford to eat. I sneak in some snacks and go to Wendy's on the way home. This is a great deal. If I were in the Chicago area, I would definitely be taking advantage it. They need to advertise it! If they don't it wont help to increase attendance much.

[southsideirish71]

This is a funny discussion. Everybody is right. Yes, the White Sox have a small fan base. Yes, the common everyday Joe can't afford to go to games any more. I can barely afford to go to games and when I do I can't afford to eat. I sneak in some snacks and go to Wendy's on the way home. This is a great deal. If I were in the Chicago area, I would definitely be taking advantage it. They need to advertise it! If they don't it wont help to increase attendance much.

 

So for the Brewers series. Well it might cost 150 bucks just to sit in section 548 for a family of four. Then add on 25 bucks or so to park. So you are 175 bucks in before you even think about dropping another few bucks down on a simple hotdog and a drink. Another fun oddity, is that tickets to the upper deck lock you in the upper deck. Not the case in most of the parks out there. This is one practice that they need to change. Not exactly something that the average Joe can do a lot over the summer.

 

 

[caulfield12]

This is a funny discussion. Everybody is right. Yes, the White Sox have a small fan base. Yes, the common everyday Joe can't afford to go to games any more. I can barely afford to go to games and when I do I can't afford to eat. I sneak in some snacks and go to Wendy's on the way home. This is a great deal. If I were in the Chicago area, I would definitely be taking advantage it. They need to advertise it! If they don't it wont help to increase attendance much.

 

 

They need to advertise that you can sneak in food?

 

Well, I remember always going to Taco Bell across from Kauffman Stadium and parking for free, but it all adds up. Movies are the same way.

 

 

But I'll still order at least a Dr. Pepper in the stadium, lol. Can't survive without some type of drink and chili cheese fries.

[BigEdWalsh]

They need to advertise that you can sneak in food?

Now you know that's not what I was alluding to. But if i must......They should ADVERTISE the fact that they're releasing $5 upper deck ticket for TOR series.

[caulfield12]

Now you know that's not what I was alluding to. But if i must......They should ADVERTISE the fact that they're releasing $5 upper deck ticket for TOR series.

 

 

Actually, it wouldn't be the worst idea in the world to let fans bring drinks/food in (maybe for Mon-Thursday games)...but once you started, it would be a pain in the ass to stop or reverse.

 

Or maybe they could let fans who sit in the upper deck do this...to make them feel poorer or cheaper, like steerage class on the Titanic or the current trend in "economy/budget terminals" like they have in Singapore.

Edited June 2, 2012 by caulfield12

[justBLAZE]

Man this $5 deal is so tempting!