Ticket Prices for 2012-13

[klemmer]

I was talking with fans last night who said they wanted to see a game in Chicago.



I told them to go somewhere else where the hockey game matters more than the superflous bullshit that McD and his cronies dish out in spades.



When it costs an out of towner more to get in the doors than plane fare and hotel, this fan said "it's been fun". I'll see the boys at other places that are more fan friendly.

 

[The Count Dante]

That is where I am at as well Klem.



I will use said funds that would have been spent for Church, to plan other trips to see Hawks play in other barns. If I have out-of-towners, sure, I will go to the UC to catch a game. As I mentioned earlier, I will demonstrate a bit of hypocrisy for the sport and team I enjoy so much. But Southwest and other hockey markets can have my money. Wirtz and Co. can not.

 

[klemmer]

We flew in Friday for the Preds' game. Our local team, the CHL Mavericks, were in Evansville Friday, so we made the 2 hour trip for game two in their playoff series.



The President/GM, his Assistant, Coach, and Assistant Coach and several players all came up and thanked us for coming to the game and supporting them.



Sure they know me through Skate, but it still meant a lot to know they valued our support.

 

[Pounder]

I agree the increases suck but if you put yourself in McD's shoes you'd probably be doing the same thing he is. He is maximizing revenue and showing the Wirtz family the revenue increases he has brought in. And he has a waiting list of thousands that are willing to take those seats in a heartbeat from those that give them up. He's in the driver's seat whether we like it or not. The thing he doesn't understand is that there has to be a tipping point where the 99% renewals each year drop to 50% when people start to say they've had enough. That plus throw in a year where the team doesn't make the playoffs and you'll see plenty of people jump ship.

 

[klemmer]

I agree the increases suck but if you put yourself in McD's shoes you'd probably be doing the same thing he is. He is maximizing revenue and showing the Wirtz family the revenue increases he has brought in. And he has a waiting list of thousands that are willing to take those seats in a heartbeat from those that give them up. He's in the driver's seat whether we like it or not. The thing he doesn't understand is that there has to be a tipping point where the 99% renewals each year drop to 50% when people start to say they've had enough. That plus throw in a year where the team doesn't make the playoffs and you'll see plenty of people jump ship.

But... the prices won't go down AND they've lost their core fans.

 

[Variable]

It'll be what the market bears it to be. What's the renewal rate? How big is the waiting list?

 

[BiscuitintheBasket]

Oh man, did our ticket rep pick the wrong day to call us. I was busy, but my wife answered the phone. He was calling to let us know that the playoff tickets are on their way, but also to remind us when the deposit is due for next season....My wife is usually a calm lady, but this started to set her off.



She asked why such a large increase and got a scripted sales answer...these are the things that drive her nuts and she proceeded (calmly), to give our ticket rep a piece of her mind. Knowing that the guy had to stay on the phone (and good that he did, as I know her next step would have been a complaint to the team about our rude ticket agent), she just kept on going and pushing.



The complaints ranged from why in the 200's do STH's pay the $1000 "Club Level" fee per seat and really get nothing more from it now as the Club is so overrun with non-STH's, to how early we have to start paying, to the stupid circus atmosphere. The big kicker was when the rep told her that one of the reasons for the increase was so that the team can keep up with the give-aways...she asked why was the team paying for them when they are sponsored.



Of course this means little at this point, but I do know that many of the regulars I talk to on the 200 level have all complained to their rep either on the phone ot via email. If this organization is truly supposed to be better for the fans than Bill was, the multitude of complaints should be addressed...





Oh, and the other kicker is that she asked when the bill for next season needed to be paid, and the reps answer was that we needed to be paid in full by July 1. She then said to him that since there was no due date on the bill for next season for completion of payment and assumes that we have until the end of the next season to pay and that is our intention. Wonder when he is going to call back.

 

[jakobeast]

I would have had more respect for McD's answer if he had simply stated "We have playoff caliber hockey, we recently won a Stanly cup, the renewal rate last year and the year previous was pert near 100%, and we have a waiting list for tickets. We can afford to raise the price."



At least from a business standpoint, that is the truth of what is going on.



I am not saying that is the right thing to say, and it would still piss people off, but hey, you are gonna anger them one way or another, may as well be truthful.



Eruns said it best. It's not that I want the other guy to pay more,rather, I would rather pay less. There is a 20 difference between the 2 tiers in my section. Why? Does it have to be so big?



And with RK's seats, it's the same huge chasm, only with bigger monetary implications.

 

[Maiden]

As I've posted many times, for those of you who hated WWW all I have to say is.............



**** OFF!!!!

 

[Variable]

Not sure how one's failures and missteps erase those of whom had come before. It doesn't change the past.

 

[Pounder]

As I've posted many times, for those of you who hated WWW all I have to say is.............



**** OFF!!!!

He would have done the same thing Rocky is now. But he couldn't back then because there was no waiting list. Easy to keep prices low without increases when there is no demand for your product. When Rocky and McD see the waiting list at 10,000 it's easy for them to keep raising prices. I expect the 300 level green seats at some point to be $100 a seat. We are trying to dump our 100 level now and move up to the orange seats.

 

[Pounder]

If this organization is truly supposed to be better for the fans than Bill was, the multitude of complaints should be addressed...

If people complain and still renew they won't do anything different. It's only when people complain and don't renew that we may see change. Hawk fever is still in the air from the cup win. But all it will take is one season of missing the playoffs and I think a lot of people will dump and jump ship.

 

[R K]

He would have done the same thing Rocky is now. But he couldn't back then because there was no waiting list. Easy to keep prices low without increases when there is no demand for your product. When Rocky and McD see the waiting list at 10,000 it's easy for them to keep raising prices. I expect the 300 level green seats at some point to be $100 a seat. We are trying to dump our 100 level now and move up to the orange seats.

Bullshit he would have. You do realize that building, IE the Stadium was sold out with a waiting list for fucking two decades right?



nice try.

 

[Maiden]

If people complain and still renew they won't do anything different. It's only when people complain and don't renew that we may see change. Hawk fever is still in the air from the cup win. But all it will take is one season of missing the playoffs and I think a lot of people will dump and jump ship.

Hawk fever? Did you see all the empty seats for "fan appreciation night" this past Sunday.

 

[Pounder]

Bullshit he would have. You do realize that building, IE the Stadium was sold out with a waiting list for fucking two decades right?



nice try.

You are correct that the old man was known for taking care of his STH base even in the years of filling the stadium. We'll never know if he would have continued that post cup win. Given his penny pinching ways I have to think he would have jacked prices as well. Probably not to the extreme that Rocky and McD have so yeah in hindsight we'd probably be in a better situation with ticket prices today under WWW. But....would we have signed Campbell and Hossa to those big deals? Not with WWW in charge. Without those 2 guys = no cup.

 

[Pounder]

Hawk fever? Did you see all the empty seats for "fan appreciation night" this past Sunday.

Hawk fever = over 125+ continuous sellouts

 

[BiscuitintheBasket]

You are correct that the old man was known for taking care of his STH base even in the years of filling the stadium. We'll never know if he would have continued that post cup win. Given his penny pinching ways I have to think he would have jacked prices as well. Probably not to the extreme that Rocky and McD have so yeah in hindsight we'd probably be in a better situation with ticket prices today under WWW. But....would we have signed Campbell and Hossa to those big deals? Not with WWW in charge. Without those 2 guys = no cup.

He put Tallon at the head and gave a large amount of trust and money to him. If he was able to sign the crazy contracts he did out of the gate, then it was obvious the old man felt that rebuilding was ready to turn to the make a run.



The thing about the old man was that he wanted hockey at the foremost for the Blackhawk product, not a circus atmosphere. I go back to my wife's complaint about the 200 level...enough of us complain about the club being run over by not STHs and within a game or too, everyone entering would be asked for their STH card in order to enter. I don't get that feeling with this group and I had that before the cup win.

 

[IceHogsFan]

He put Tallon at the head and gave a large amount of trust and money to him. If he was able to sign the crazy contracts he did out of the gate, then it was obvious the old man felt that rebuilding was ready to turn to the make a run.



The thing about the old man was that he wanted hockey at the foremost for the Blackhawk product, not a circus atmosphere. I go back to my wife's complaint about the 200 level...enough of us complain about the club being run over by not STHs and within a game or too, everyone entering would be asked for their STH card in order to enter. I don't get that feeling with this group and I had that before the cup win.

Hey, we still have Curtis providing post game security at the Stadium Club entrance!

 

[Maiden]

Hawk fever = over 125+ continuous sellouts

That's a crock of crap. McDickbag is making up crap that you people buy.

Ask any old timer how hard it was to get a ticket in the 1980's. This BS that 125 consecutive is a record is a load of garbage.

 

[R K]

You are correct that the old man was known for taking care of his STH base even in the years of filling the stadium. We'll never know if he would have continued that post cup win. Given his penny pinching ways I have to think he would have jacked prices as well. Probably not to the extreme that Rocky and McD have so yeah in hindsight we'd probably be in a better situation with ticket prices today under WWW. But....would we have signed Campbell and Hossa to those big deals? Not with WWW in charge. Without those 2 guys = no cup.

You most certainly would have signed Campbell. Dale had permission to go after him from Peter. Would we have won the Cup with Havlat over Hossa, not sure if that's a debate. Again Bill was building the team long before bozo one and two arrived.



I'd have rather found out than have to give up my seats because to them all I am is a buck. When you talked to Bill you knew one thing, he meant what he said, whether you liked it or not. When you talk to the new regime you hear what they think you want to hear. And yes I know the former and the current.





Matters not, but 5 years ago, I felt it did. This team was on its way to win the Cup. And just FYI after the lockout Bill spent most of the Cap.