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Originally Posted by
USCKingsFan31 
Again, if the tickets being sold at low face value were actually ending up in the hands of real fans, I'd be with you 100% on all of this. And sure, a few fans that can't afford tickets at current prices (or understandably don't want to fork over a big percentage of their monthly pay to go to one game) would be able to get in at legitimate prices, and that is great.
I wish we had numbers to look at...but SOME of the face value tickets DO end up with fans and not brokers. I bet that most of the tickets sold the last few days ended up with fans and for me it's a shame that they had to pay $155+ instead of the normal $30.
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Having said that, these working-class real fans you are talking about don't all tend to be able to be signed in on Ticketmaster the minute the ticket drop or pre-sale is happening, considering that many are WORKING or taking kids to school or whatever else. Meanwhile, these ticket reselling behemoths are all stationed on multiple computers mass-refreshing so that the second the tickets drop to these super-desired events they can scoop up entire rows and sections to re-sell to whoever can afford their prices, no "real fan test" required.
Maybe, but there are controls the Kings could use (like those "enter fu5iOn 632 before proceeding" things) to limit those sales. For that matter, they could just make a policy that any broker buying more than 4 (or whatever) tickets can't buy ever again. And then enforce it. It can be done.
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I actually worked for one of these companies (a ticket re-seller) and it really opened my eyes to the business. Sometimes it sucks majorly for the consumer, like it does in a game like this. In many other cases, it actually helps the consumer; when these re-sellers over-commit to a game/event and supply outweighs demand, ticket prices plummet. You can easily get tickets for well-under face value on many nights for this very reason.
I hear ya and it can...but it's just a damn shame when fans who really reallly really really really really really want to go....can't. And I know goddamn well it could be controlled.
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Many teams and concerts have tried rolling out ticket sales in which buyers must be the ones to pick up their tickets at will call with photo id on the day of the event (to combat second market resale) and this is almost universally hated by everyone. What if you can't go and want to give your tickets to a friend or re-sell them yourself? People don't like being powerless over their own property.
Agreed...that's not a good way to handle it.
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"Goodwill"? More like bad business. Why sell tickets at 10% of their second market value knowing full well that MOST are just going to get scooped up by those second market sellers anyway?
I wish we had real numbers to look at...
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"I'm not gonna argue economics or supply and demand because the argument has nothing to do with that." Really? You are much smarter than this. I agree with you that non-STH shouldn't be considered second-rate fans, and I also agree with you that it sucks that some true fans will be priced out. But your solution is to ignore economics completely and pretend like re-selling and second market gouging to major events isn't happening?
Here's the thing...either way has upside and downside. The way it works now is great for the short-term and sucks for the long-term because it'll do for hockey what it's done for baseball...limit new fans. That's why average attendance (and ratings) for MLB is down. In the long run, it'll hurt the sport and hurt the team. Sports that need in-person attendance get KILLED when they do this.
My solution (keeping tickets affordable) lets the team make a reasonable income and gives FANatics (like me at age 25) get to lots of games. Resellers will buy up some tickets (although like I said they could put controls in place to limit that too). In the end it depends on what the goal is: maximize profits at the expense of long-term growth...or manage long-term growth at the expense of short-term profits.
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Originally Posted by
shoot2scor JT: I get what you are saying and you have a very valid point. At the same time I don't see this as the Kings taking advantage of their fans at all. If anything I agree with the logic that they are trying to combat the ticket scalpers (a better way would be to attempt to limit ticket brokers from having season seats). Opening night will probably be the most expensive game of the year due to how many people want to be there. The other problem with this year which will elevate prices will be the shortened season, less games which should also provide a more intense atmosphere.
I agree, although I wish they'd focus on the controls and not just concede defeat to the resellers and raise prices.
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Look what happened in the SCF's last year. The market for the tickets was insane. I know plenty of fans that probably couldn't afford it but paid the prices because it meant so much with them. Compare the prices of what people were paying in LA to what happened in PHX or even Jersey. I sat 2nd row in game 5 in PHX for $150/seat, and under $300 13 rows up in Jersey for game 5. You could not even come close to those tickets in LA for that price. Obviously a supply and demand argument again right?
Yup, but that was still face value or above, right?. But keep in mind that those game 5 tix were for home ice opponent elimination games.
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Now, if the Kings were trying to $*** on their fans then I would argue that with what Darby posted above. I understand we all cannot afford season seats or just choose not to put that much money toward it but I was extremely pleased last year out how cheap our playoff and SCF tickets were. They could have easily bumped those tickets 200-300% and I think while there would have been some whining but seeing what tickets went for it would have still been a bargain.
Again, I agree. I was also pleased. And that's why this is disappointing. Game 1 of a post-lockout season costs more than game 6 of the SCF. Really? Seriously? C'mon....
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Also if someone feels priced out or doesn't want to drop the cash on the home opener, there will definitely be other opportunities in the remaining schedule as rinkrat pointed out.
Not to watch the banner go up there won't...
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This also can go other way. I remember people getting lowers for $20 2 years ago. When I was paying more then that for my season seats. I am not sure exactly what the right thing to do is considering the amount of scalped tickets and the demand but I actually don't think they are $***ing on the fans. They don't keep track of loyal fans that by individual tickets throughout the years. How are they to really know? You can't expect the most sought after games to be given out as charity.
Well...actually...I think it's reasonable to expect that the first game after a screw-the-fans lockout would be priced to say "Thanks" to the fans.
Look, I don't know if I'm actually gonna make it to the game. I can afford it...I don't have to sell a kidney...or 4 pints of blood...or make my daughter a Kazakstanian sex slave...it just rubs me the wrong way when tickets that normally cost $30ish cost $155+.
