Next On : "I am Rich and a Liar"

[Pez68]

Extremely derogatory and a really good example of how "rich" people view those that don't have as much money as them. Basically he's saying that those outside the top 25% or so in income just come to games to get drunk and get in fights? Obviously people that don't have unlimited disposable income are inferior to those that do in every way imaginable.</p>


 </p>


I really can't believe the stupidity and arrogance here. How the **** did any PR person worth a pile of dog shit allow him to make these statements? Especially when THEIR FAMILY MAKES MOST OF THEIR MONEY FROM SELLING ALCOHOL.</p>


 </p>


Here's what I have to say to Rocky:</p>


 </p>


"How is how much money someone has to spend on a luxury like Hawks' tickets, in any way relevant to their character, their motivations for attending games, or their behavior when there? So the lower and middle class are more likely to get drunk and get in fights at a hockey game than rich people? Good to know. Go **** yourself."</p>


 </p>


I would love to hear his response. Unbelievable, except, it really isn't.</p>

 

[The Count Dante]

FIXED:</p>


 </p>
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Pez68" data-cid="211189" data-time="1381894078">
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Here's what I have to say to Rocky:</p>


 </p>


 "Go **** yourself."</p>


 </p>


 </p>
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[EspoForever]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MassHavoc" data-cid="211042" data-time="1381859937">
<div>


Wow... he obviously didn't run that stupidity by McGrinch before he said it... I haven't been to a lot of games in recent years but I can say that every game I've ever been to ever hasn't had a fight that i've seen. That I can remember. I think you've done away with that by charging 9.50 for a beer not raising ticket prices so families can't go.</p>
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Yeah...I have been to 8-10 games each year since about 2003 when I moved back from Connecticut and have not seen one fight. There were some asshole Wings fans disrespecting our building that NEEDED their asses kicked once that I saw, but even they did not get the beatdown they deserved. So I just don't see the need for making it more family-friendly at all. It's a hockey game for God's sake...ugh.</p>


 </p>


Going to games has all but lost its fun for me.  I've been to one game this year and all my Hull package tickets are either sold or up for sale at this point...partyly because I am super busy this year, but partly because of the</p>
<ul>[*]Cost of everything BEYOND the tickets
[*]The lame-brained ("Let's go Blackhawks, clap, clap...clap clap clap") people are just wearing me out
[*]The temperature in the 300-level which leaves me sweating like a dog if I cheer for the Hawks at all
[/list]

They are getting rid of their home ice advantage more every year. I was at the Tampa game and just when the Hawks needed noise the most (after Tampa scored 2 quick ones to tie) I could not get ANYONE to give a shit and get any noise going and I am a leather-lung that can be heard from 2 sections away...it was pathetic.</p>

 

[EspoForever]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Forklift" data-cid="211096" data-time="1381866890">
<div>


Little by little the veneer of St. Rockwell of Madison St. is being ripped away. But at this point, you guys are absolutely right - the demand far outweighs the supply. My $75/game 300 level seats that were $15 a half-decade ago would be snapped up in a heartbeat if I ever dumped them.</p>


 </p>
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</blockquote>


You are right that the tickets are valuable but it is getting harder to sell them. I have many of my games out there priced to sell and they are not going anywhere. Another indication that demand is dropping is that banner raising night tickets were down on average this time. In 2010 300-levels were pushing $300, this year it was down around $150. There is a day of reconing coming (financially) for the whole NHL.</p>

 

[The Count Dante]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="EspoForever" data-cid="211211" data-time="1381936589">
<div>


You are right that the tickets are valuable but it is getting harder to sell them. I have many of my games out there priced to sell and they are not going anywhere. Another indication that demand is dropping is that banner raising night tickets were down on average this time. In 2010 300-levels were pushing $300, this year it was down around $150. There is a day of reconing coming (financially) for the whole NHL.</p>
</div>
</blockquote>


 </p>


I was able to get aisle seats, in 200 level, watching Hawks shoot twice, like row... 6 I think for $200 per. In 2010, my former STH buddy sold his 315 row 1 aisle banner seats for $325 per. Could be that 1 Cup was decades in waiting and the other was months in waiting (comparatively).</p>


 </p>


But i also echo the feelings here in the thread... Going to the UC doesnt have that same feel anymore. We used to call it Going To Church. It doesnt have that feeling anymore. We used to get there early and had a routine: We would go look at the ice to see the condition and discuss. Then we would go to 309 and grab a sammitch and beer, discuss the game. We then went to our seats to sing along with Tom Connors. We would visit a couple other sections to say hello, back to our section to visit with them, and watch the warmup and discuss. Have a nice budding beer buzz going into puck drop, begin Church.</p>


 </p>


Now? Most of the STH i know/knew that are trying to keep their seats sell all that they can. Others like me have ditched them altogether. Gone for me is the UC as a central hub for sharing my interests with other like minded folks. When I went to the banner raise, it was no longer my Church. </p>

 

[CLWolf81]

I felt the same way the other night when I got Standing Room Seats against Tampa Bay.... Because I hadn't been inside since 2010, I decided to give the place a new look around....


Didn't like what I saw.... a chant of "Lets Go Blackhawks" on one side and people not waiting for the whistle on the other. People on their cell phones throughout the game, etc. Even the 300s are not short of the many bandwagon jumpers we love to hate. </p>


 </p>


I can see what you guys are saying now.... I want the old experience back. Same team, but the old experience. This new UC is just too weird to me.</p>

 

[jakobeast]

I wish I could explain it as good as you Dante. That is pretty much the same thing i felt last July. I wanted to give em up last year but i wasnt fast enough.</p>


 </p>


And die in twin tower fat cheeseburger is awesome.</p>

 

[BiscuitintheBasket]

The pricing has definitely helped to make me want to dump my seats....having people interested to buy in has kept me going for this season.   Really, I love watching the game live and I really love socializing with all of the people around me or the regulars in the club, but even many of them have consolodated their seats or share with each other.   I do think that once the fun it completely gone, I will most likely dump or go to selling the full season while I still can.</p>

 

[Spunky Porkstacker]

When I'm at the games and the stadium cam focuses on Rocky and and he is shown on the jumbotron the crowd roars. I get a smirk like Rockies but obviously not for the same reasons. Sam Fels should put a similar captioned</p>


photo on the front of the Committed Indian.</p>


 </p>


 </p>


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                                                  </p>


<span style="background-color:rgb(232,232,232);color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"> Mr. Wirtz earlier this year pointed to the more expensive games as a key to keeping out fans who show up to games to drink heavily and get in fights,</span></p>


 </p>


 </p>

 

[roshinaya]

So what you guys are basically saying, going to games was better when the team was shit. Well, better hope the Hawks fail for a couple of years then.

What Wirtz said about raising the prices keeping the "riffraff" out is classist as ****. BOOOO.

 

[MassHavoc]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="roshinaya" data-cid="211405" data-time="1381990298">
<div>


So what you guys are basically saying, going to games was better when the team was shit. Well, better hope the Hawks fail for a couple of years then.

 </p>
</div>
</blockquote>


I hope you aren't really this dumb... look at how much ticket prices have increased since the first cup, they were good then, and more expensive than before, but still somewhat affordable... no one said anything about them being bad is better. They said it would be nice to actually be able to afford going to games again.</p>

 

[The Count Dante]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="roshinaya" data-cid="211405" data-time="1381990298">
<div>


So what you guys are basically saying, going to games was better when the team was shit. Well, better hope the Hawks fail for a couple of years then.


What Wirtz said about raising the prices keeping the "riffraff" out is classist as ****. BOOOO.</p>
</div>
</blockquote>


 </p>


In a way... Yeah. The folks that were at the games were there out of love of the sport and team. Any person you saw at the UC was like-minded. The experience of going to Church was great.</p>


 </p>


Like I think i mentioned somewhere else in the forum:</p>


 </p>


Part of the fun for me and buddies was when the college kids that got in for 8$ started moving down the 300's to better seats not taken and we always had open ones in 315 right behind us. So we would shoot the shit with the kids and get em beers they couldnt afford, tie on a nice beer buzz, talk about and watch hockey for 3 hours. </p>


 </p>


I wont lie, after the Cup win i was kinda hoping the Hawks WOULD have sucked a bit harder to maintain any of this Church I once knew. And we were close... I couldnt GIVE away playoff tiks when folks knew Hawks wouldnt go far. Which perhaps is the perfect line in the sand: The "new" fan didnt want to go unless the Hawks were winning. The "old" fan, all you had to say is it was live playoff hockey. The "new" fan wouldnt know what that even meant. </p>

 

[IceHogsFan]

Five seasons ago the seats that I share were $12,000 for all four in the Club Level.</p>


 </p>


This season same four seats are $22,800.</p>


 </p>


Add to that the number of primetime Saturday games on WGN (20 on WGN in total) really leaves me disgusted. This season I bought a lesser number of games then previous and next season I may not buy any. Having my wallet raped more and more and then the added grief of not being able to see games that are on WGN is getting to me.</p>


 </p>


I already own seats on the glass in Rockford and frankly, I am becoming more content with owning just those.</p>

 

[LordKOTL]

Unfortunately the next time I'll be out in Chicago is February, when there are no home games. :icon-sad:</p>


 </p>


I do think this was a lot on the nose.  I also think that it will serve to bite Rocky in the ass.  The 'hawks will never have the mystique that the Cubs do, and at some point the 'hawks will tail off. As such corporation won't buy season tickets and he'll be begging for the usual suspects of the 300's to be getting season tickets to the team they love.</p>


 </p>


But I really look at Rovky vs. WWW as the choice between Bush Jr and Obama; both suck--just on different levels.  WWW would forsake the product on the ice in favor of the season ticket holders, and Rocky forsakes the long-term season ticket holders for new ones that care less about the game and have deeper pockets.</p>

 

[roshinaya]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MassHavoc" data-cid="211432" data-time="1382025071">

I hope you aren't really this dumb... look at how much ticket prices have increased since the first cup, they were good then, and more expensive than before, but still somewhat affordable... no one said anything about them being bad is better. They said it would be nice to actually be able to afford going to games again.</p></blockquote>
Well, that's the price of having a successful team. The little guy gets pushed aside as the big spenders take their place. Supply and demand, although I am wondering how long they can keep it up before people will just stop going. It is a shame that not everyone can enjoy this team at the UC, but those dem bones.

 

[MassHavoc]

It may just be tv but I've seen a good chuck of empty seats for the islanders game I think it was... Unfortunately they were all paid for, but folks just didn't show up. I think if people stop going it will still be this case. Seats paid, people no show. It's a problem with jacking up prices and whoring them out to corporations, sure you get the revenue from the tickets, but the butts in seats can be lower.</p>

 

[BlackHawkPaul]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="roshinaya" data-cid="211450" data-time="1382028663">
<div>


Well, that's the price of having a successful team. The little guy gets pushed aside as the big spenders take their place. Supply and demand, although I am wondering how long they can keep it up before people will just stop going. It is a shame that not everyone can enjoy this team at the UC, but those dem bones.</p>
</div>
</blockquote>


The season ticket holder wait list is 10,000+ deep.

250+ consecutive sellouts.


This money train isn't stopping anytime soon.</p>

 

[thanson1990]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="The Count Dante" data-cid="211230" data-time="1381939129">
<div>


I was able to get aisle seats, in 200 level, watching Hawks shoot twice, like row... 6 I think for $200 per. In 2010, my former STH buddy sold his 315 row 1 aisle banner seats for $325 per. Could be that 1 Cup was decades in waiting and the other was months in waiting (comparatively).</p>


 </p>


But i also echo the feelings here in the thread... Going to the UC doesnt have that same feel anymore. We used to call it Going To Church. It doesnt have that feeling anymore. We used to get there early and had a routine: We would go look at the ice to see the condition and discuss. Then we would go to 309 and grab a sammitch and beer, discuss the game. We then went to our seats to sing along with Tom Connors. We would visit a couple other sections to say hello, back to our section to visit with them, and watch the warmup and discuss. Have a nice budding beer buzz going into puck drop, begin Church.</p>


 </p>


Now? Most of the STH i know/knew that are trying to keep their seats sell all that they can. Others like me have ditched them altogether. Gone for me is the UC as a central hub for sharing my interests with other like minded folks. When I went to the banner raise, it was no longer my Church. </p>


 </p>


 </p>
</div>
</blockquote>


This is it for me.  I never had season tickets, unfortunately, but I used to make it out to 15-20 games a year.  It used to be something special, something that had meaning to me.  When the building started slowly filing up during the end of 08 and 09, the atmosphere in that building was unreal.  The people that started coming back first were people who actually loved the game and were ready for the Blackhawks to be relevant again.  Eventually, tickets became more expensive, and the people who show up to the games now ruin it for me.  Its just not the same as it used to be.  I spent $100 on a ticket that I could have gotten for $10 just 5 years ago, but that isn't even really my complaint.  I understand that with winning, tickets are naturally going to be more expensive, and I can't fault them for that, all things considered.  The bandwagon has just taken some of the fun of it away from me, and that's probably petty of me to say, but I don't really care.  There are some of us around here that watched this team get built from the ground up and have(had?) a certain passion that the new people can't imagine.  Its a shame that this is what a night at the UC has become, but it is what it is and nothing is going to change it at this point.</p>

 

[roshinaya]

Damn, that's a long waiting list, something that gets passed down through the generations.

 

[The Count Dante]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="BlackhawkPaul" data-cid="211467" data-time="1382032227">
<div>


The season ticket holder wait list is 10,000+ deep.

250+ consecutive sellouts.


This money train isn't stopping anytime soon.</p>
</div>
</blockquote>


 </p>


Are ya sure on this number? I find it odd for the past 2 years that my old rep keeps calling me asking if I want season tiks again... I mean, unless they are trying to keep waiting lists big. I know this number was true in 2010, but I wonder if it still is.</p>