Cubs cancelled my season tickets - anyone else?

[evanstonian]

The fact of the matter is you weren't going to games; you were using tickets as a way to make a profit.

Not true. I attended about 7 games out of the 81. That's more than a lot of other out-of-state season ticket holders did. How many games should a season ticket holder be expected to go to under your theory?

Of course they didn't care when they suck and the care when they're good; much like restaurants will let you push two tables together when it's slow but when it's busy they won't.

Sorry, that analogy doesn't work. I paid for all of my tickets and wasn't asking the Cubs for more leg room on the house.

I mean, if they don't police this, their tickets are massively more expensive for the "average fan" and then season tickets are essentially meaningless at getting real fans to the game.

This is mostly false. When the Cubs were bad, season ticket holders would typically sell their seats at great losses to the "average fan" on Stubhub since the face value of the tickets exceeded what their fair market value was. The Cubs have never been accused of underpricing their season tickets, especially after last week when they raised them by 20%. It's supply and demand.

Now, it's true that they charged season ticket holders only about $250 each for World Series tickets. But let's say they charged $3,000 instead. In that scenario, you would see far fewer people signing up for season tickets. What is the incentive to invest $10,000 in January risking a financial loss if the team is crappy when you can simply wait and choose the games you want throughout the season on Stubhub and pay $3,000 for a World Series ticket if they make it? Season tickets are an investment in a business, and that's how you have to view it.

Don't buy the Cubs' propoganda. It's all about the money. This BS about being "tough on brokers" to the media (while they receive special payouts from Stubhub and restrict Stubhub sales up to 6 hours before the game) is meant to convince the masses of asses who scoop up anything the Cubs tell them that they actually care about anything other than the green in their wallet.

 

[DanTown]

Not true. I attended about 7 games out of the 81. That's more than a lot of other out-of-state season ticket holders did. How many games should a season ticket holder be expected to go to under your theory?

Depending on where you live and the cost of your tickets, I think going (or not selling) sub 10% of your games isn't really the point of season tickets. Especially if you're reselling them not on their site. Again, the Cubs are a business and in this case, I'm going to side with them. People like you make tickets more expensive for the consumer and take season tickets out of potential for fans at your own profit. I'm sorry that I don't cry about you losing your profit center.

Sorry, that analogy doesn't work. I paid for all of my tickets and wasn't asking the Cubs for more leg room on the house.

The point is actions that are completely fine in one scenario are drastically different if you change the demand. In both analogies, the demand was low so the Cubs/restaurant do not care what you do. When demand is high, they will care.

This is mostly false. When the Cubs were bad, season ticket holders would typically sell their seats at great losses to the "average fan" on Stubhub since the face value of the tickets exceeded what their fair market value was. The Cubs have never been accused of underpricing their season tickets, especially after last week when they raised them by 20%. It's supply and demand.

There is a balance here that you're failing to either grasp or don't care to grasp. The Cubs PROBABLY don't care that you only went to seven games and they PROBABLY don't care that you sold your tickets but what they do care about is the fact you sold their tickets for a profit outside of their official ticket reselling area. I mean even you'd agree that what you did wasn't in the spirit of why teams have season tickets; the Cubs don't' hope that the guy who gets your seat is going to sell 90%+ of the games.

Now, it's true that they charged season ticket holders only about $250 each for World Series tickets. But let's say they charged $3,000 instead. In that scenario, you would see far fewer people signing up for season tickets. What is the incentive to invest $10,000 in January risking a financial loss if the team is crappy when you can simply wait and choose the games you want throughout the season on Stubhub and pay $3,000 for a World Series ticket if they make it? Season tickets are an investment in a business, and that's how you have to view it.

Plenty of people pay to go or sell enough games to go to the others, what you did is far beyond any person I've ever known with non-Bears seats who has had season tickets. I mean you not only resold the vast majority of the tickets but you didn't even use the Cubs site to do it. What did you think was going to happen?

Don't buy the Cubs' propoganda. It's all about the money. This BS about being "tough on brokers" to the media (while they receive special payouts from Stubhub and restrict Stubhub sales up to 6 hours before the game) is meant to convince the masses of asses who scoop up anything the Cubs tell them that they actually care about anything other than the green in their wallet.

Of course it's about the money, the Cubs are a business and not a charity. And as a fan, I personally enjoy this policy because Stubhub has massive fees well beyond the other ticket sites and this keeps the price of tickets lower AND moves the season ticket list.

I guess you came here hoping people would say "wow, that sucks" but frankly, I think "Wow, great move by the Cubs".

 

[JZsportsfan]

While I understand their point, I think that's wrong. Depending on how many games you actually sold, it's not reasonable to expect someone to attend 81 games a year. A majority of games won't fit into one's schedule

 

[evanstonian]

"...they PROBABLY don't care that you sold your tickets but what they do care about is the fact you sold their tickets for a profit outside of their official ticket reselling area. I mean even you'd agree that what you did wasn't in the spirit of why teams have season tickets; the Cubs don't' hope that the guy who gets your seat is going to sell 90%+ of the games.

This is wrong. I sold about 99.5% of the seats that I sold through the Cubs' official channel. I thought I made that clear in an earlier post. The Cubs obviously do care that I was re-selling, period.

what you did is far beyond any person I've ever known with non-Bears seats who has had season tickets.

You obviously have never owned baseball season tickets.

I guess you came here hoping people would say "wow, that sucks" but frankly, I think "Wow, great move by the Cubs".

Actually I came on here to find out whether my situation was unique. I don't care about your opinion, but hopefully I am at least educating you.

My other point was to gauge people's opinions on whether, in cancelling my tickets based on re-selling, the Cubs violated this part of Illinois law:

815 ILCS 414 "Any term or condition of the original sale of a ticket to any theater, circus, baseball park, or place of public entertainment or amusement where tickets of admission are sold that purports to limit the terms or conditions of resale of the ticket (including but not limited to the resale price of the ticket) is unenforceable, null, and void..>"

 

[DanTown]

You obviously have never owned baseball season tickets.

I've had plenty of family/friends/coworkers who have had season tickets to Cubs, Bulls, Hawks, etc and none of them sold 90% of the games to third-party. Did they go to every single game, of course not. But they also didn't sell 90% of their tickets, in a season where the team was the best team in the league, either.

I mean, you were going to seven games a year, it's hard for me to buy the argument that your situation was "normal".

Actually I came on here to find out whether my situation was unique. I don't care about your opinion, but hopefully I am at least educating you.

My other point was to gauge people's opinions on whether, in cancelling my tickets based on re-selling, the Cubs violated this part of Illinois law:

815 ILCS 414 "Any term or condition of the original sale of a ticket to any theater, circus, baseball park, or place of public entertainment or amusement where tickets of admission are sold that purports to limit the terms or conditions of resale of the ticket (including but not limited to the resale price of the ticket) is unenforceable, null, and void..>"

What are you educating me on, you don't fully understand and grasp what the Cubs did and why?

Here's the Cubs T&C and the first page

This License, the Ticket Account and Tickets are revocable at the sole and absolute discretion of the Club, with or without cause, including, but not limited to, failure to pay any amount when due. Without limiting the foregoing, Licensees are advised the Club may cancel any Ticket Account or revoke any license or take other appropriate action, including, without limitation, ejection and further legal action for conduct including, but not limited to: (a) any form of fraudulent activity, including without limitation fraudulently obtaining wheelchair and companion seats; (b) the purchase of tickets for the purpose and intent of reselling the tickets on the secondary market; (c) use of tickets for sweepstakes, contests and/or promotions without the prior written consent of the Club.

You selling 90% of your games sounds like you're doing exactly what they said not to do.

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/chc/ticketing/sth/sth_terms_and_conditions.jsp

I mean, do you live in the area? Do you live hours away? The argument "I can't make every game" is fine but you seem to live close (judging by the name) and yet you only made it to a game a month?

I mean, end of the day, you're not supposed to use the tickets to turn a profit. You get season tickets because you like the team and want to go to games and it guarantees you a much cheaper price for playoff tickets; season tickets are NOT supposed to be you get them and then instantly flip the for a profit.

 

[nobull]

The fact of the matter is you weren't going to games; you were using tickets as a way to make a profit. Of course they didn't care when they suck and the care when they're good; much like restaurants will let you push two tables together when it's slow but when it's busy they won't. I mean, you buy tickets from them and I assume in the agreement the right to that is revoked if they feel that you're using the tickets the way you did (sold almost all of them, sold them outside the Cubs portal). I mean, if they don't police this, their tickets are massively more expensive for the "average fan" and then season tickets are essentially meaningless at getting real fans to the game.

I have no idea where your seats were but I mean, why should as I a Cub fan or even person feel bad for you? Do you truly believe the idea of season tickets is for people to get the tickets and then primarily sell all of them back for a profit?

This guy whined about thisz on another board 2

 

[nobull]

While I understand their point, I think that's wrong. Depending on how many games you actually sold, it's not reasonable to expect someone to attend 81 games a year. A majority of games won't fit into one's schedule

He sold every post season ticket and the World Series too. He even used the exact same user name on another site.