Thread: Price gouging for opening night tickets

Originally Posted by santiclaws

Being a fan is being delusional. It is utterly irrational. It is absolutely absurd. The fact that I care about how a bunch of guys in skates who don't know me from a sack of wheat do in a game is ludicrous. I'm a grown man, for crying out loud. People on this board admitted to crying at Game Six. You think they were crying because they imagined the profits AEG would rake in as a result of winning the Cup? If someone told me I'm an idiot for caring, how could I not agree?

The fact is that sports teams are selling delusion. They're in cahoots with the fans, who are willing participants in being deluded. That the team cares about "the fans." That somehow the fans have some input. That by being present at a game they "participated." Since I've been a fan, the team has changed players, coaches, owners, building and uniforms. There is virtually no connection between team I started rooting for and the current team except for the name. That's it. When you get down to it, I'm a fan of a freaking name of a sports team. It's moronic, frankly. But the team and I pretend that I matter. That there's something in being a "loyal fan" besides income for the corporation who currently happens to own the name. We are both willing participants in the deception. Any time a sports team reminds me that rationally, I am an idiot for caring about them in any way, I get a little uncomfortable. I know he's there, but I don't want to see the man behind the curtain.

Again, from a business perspective I don't think it is a very wise decision. There is a reason tobacco companies used to sell cigarettes with cartoon characters. There's a reason the price of a six pack of Coke in the store does not come close to keeping up with inflation. You need future customers. When you prevent future customers from becoming current customers by pricing them out of your product, what's going to happen? The Kings were selling a lot of tickets long before they became any good. Eventually, not too many years from now, they'll suck again and all those people clamoring for tickets now will not want them anymore. They'll buy Lakers tickets or Clippers tickets or whatever the new hot thing happens to be then. If you haven't expanded your customer based and alienated your long-time customers by pricing them out of your product, you're not going to do so well.

Great post. Since I would be coming from out of state I am waiting to see if my buddy can get tix. I just wonder what they would charge if they win the Cup again next year? Would it be $250 or $300 for seats upstairs? There are many fans, like myself, that had season tickets through some very lean years and we stuck with the team. I had season seats from 2001 thru 2008 and smaller packages dating back to the Forum before I moved out of California. Santiclaws is right. Yes you can, and probably should, charge a premium for something like this. But there does come a point where it becomes excessive. I will pay the $200 to sit upstairs and watch the banner go up. I have waited over 30 years to see that. They just need to remember all of the people that followed this team when they were at the bottom, and the fact that we still bought tickets, jerseys, concessions, etc. and were in it for the long haul. Maybe one of you knows how much some of the other recent Cup winning teams charged for their banner raisings. It feels a bit out of balance to me.

Originally Posted by RoyalJester

As a business, the Kings have every right to set their market value... they are in a HUGE area with LOTS of money, and they can demand the high price point.

No one is denying their absolute right to do whatever they want. I argued during the lockout that I would return exactly because the Kings owe me absolutely nothing. Still don't. I am questioning the wisdom of them exercising that right at this point in time.

Originally Posted by santiclaws

No one is denying their absolute right to do whatever they want. I am questioning the wisdom of them exercising that right at this point in time.

I know I'm just tagging up on your excellent post....

BUT....

anybody who earnestly thought that the Kings or the NHL would "reward" the long loyal fan hasn't been paying attention. Three lockouts. One just ended. The NHL isn't in the business of rewarding customers. No business is.

As for your fears of losing fans based on business practice...

What evidence is there in the last 100+ years of professional sports in North America that anything other than cancelling a World Series will have any negative impact on the financial strength of a league or a team?

The Kings went into Bankruptcy, missed the playoffs for 8 years, lost a full season................................

we're all still here. Not only are we all still here but every now and then someone we know is hired by the Kings or wins an autographed guitar or meets Bob Miller or has Bailey show up at our birthday party.

We're addicts. They know it.

As long as nobody is using their rent money or their baby food money to get their Kings fix I don't think anybody should get bent out of shape.

I was at Game 6. I'll probably have to miss the banner raising ceremony.

C'est la vie.

If you don't want to be price gouged... don't go.... watch on TV.

or you can use this site I just found.

The Web's Largest Ticket Search Engine - Sports, Concerts & More | SeatGeek ...pretty addicting.

Outta curiosity, what was the lowest face value for Game 6 and what did people pay for that? I ask because the Kings may've been able to sell, what? 23,000 tickets to this game if they'd priced them at $40? 27-30,000? More? Same as with Game 6.

The prices were gonna be high for this. Especially when you figure that there are more plan holders and season ticket members after the playoff run. And in thinking about it, if tickets ARE gonna go for $300 on Stub Hub or wherever, then I'm kinda glad the Kings are getting the lion's share of that.

Guys, this is ONE GAME. Yes, I know it's THE game, but still. It's not as if all those Thursday night games are gonna be this high. You can bring friends to see the banners some other night. It's not like they're going anywhere. And is this really the game that you wanted to introduce potential new fans to hockey? You can't do that on a Tuesday in March?


I know how much it sucks, but you guys haven't been priced out of concerts or anything before? And if the prices were that low, were you guaranteed to get tickets with everyone else trying?

At least it looks like all of it will be on TV.

Wait till the special DVD / Blu-ray combo pack of the Banner Raising Ceremony comes out for $44.99. Players may wear a one time patch on their sweater's Saturday afternoon, for which replica's will be on sale in Team LA. Just wait and see how much Cup related merch. will move, no doubt they're set to rake in some cash.

I blame Terry Murray, I'm guessing the Kings will use the extra revenue from the opener to pay down some of the salary they owe him; or maybe Alyn McCauley if he's still getting a check.

But seriously, here is what I expect to get for my money when going to a hockey game, in order of priority:

1. I pay for the privilege of watching the best athletes in ice hockey compete in my home town.
2. I pay to attend an event in a world class facility, with multiple seating and dining options

Those things don't change from game to game, and honestly, those are really the only tangible product / services my ticket entitles me to. Everything else is window dressing. Important game? Well, if enough people think so, well that is just the market's demand reflected in price. Emotion has zero to do with it, and any expectations that it does is a useful delusion, like Santi' talks about. STH's were taken care of, which is a benefit that come's from measurable loyalty / investment. Everyone else is just a transaction.

People are willing to by so why not. Bob was saying last night that the home opener has a higher demand compared to game 6. I'm just happy the Kings won the cup and get to raise the banner while I'm still on the diehard price. I don't event want to think of what the tickets will get raised to next season.

Originally Posted by santiclaws

I'm a grown man, for crying out loud.

I call BS.

Originally Posted by doughtydiva

I don't know why this is shocking people so much when you look at what ticket prices were starting at for the Stanley Cup.I am sure the Kings will have ticket deals throughout the season.This game is a huge huge huge deal.Most teams want season ticket holders.When you raise the prices for premium games you are sending out a silent message that game should get season seats.Why should the Kings charge say $60 bucks for opening night ? They just won the Cup for crying out loud.

It's not shocking, it's upsetting...and disappointing.