2008 Cauldron Season Ticket Information

As Cauldron President, I would like to weigh in on some of the issues being discussed.

First – Dave, I can assure you that nobody was “bent over” by the Front Office. Your comment is childish and completely uninformed. I’m not sure how you came to the conclusion that the Leadership Group was in any kind of a negotiation with the Front Office over Cauldron location and/or pricing. It was an ongoing discussion about the pros & cons of various locations within Community America Ballpark.

Second – There were no “super-secret” meetings that I am aware of. This isn’t the Knights of Templar, we are just a group of soccer supporters, and there is no need for secrecy in dealing with Cauldron issues. Maybe I am wrong, but it is my understanding that, as the elected President of the Cauldron, the Cauldron body has put their faith and trust in me to do what I feel is in the best interest of the supporter group. I have been in discussion for a couple of months with the Front Office over the Cauldron locations at CAB. Recently, as posted here on Big Soccer, a handful of regular Cauldron members toured CAB and discussed seating & pricing options, leaving with two possibilities at that time. The results of this tour were immediately published in a thread on Big Soccer, in an open forum to elicit feedback from the Cauldron as a whole.

Third – At no time was I or the group dictated to on location or ticket price. The information was put out there for us to debate/discuss. I never once had the feeling that we were being scammed or mislead by the Front Office staff.

Fourth – Would I like the Cauldron tickets to be cheaper? Of course, who wouldn’t? The bottom line is this: It’s a business, and people are in business to turn a profit…or at least reduce losses. That being said, Cauldron Season Tickets for 2007 were $15.00 per game. Cauldron Ticket prices for 2008 are going to be $16.61 per game. That’s an increase of $1.61 per game (or 11%). That is not a “the sky is falling” increase in ticket pricing, and other than the right field GA berm, is still the lowest ticket price available at a Wizards game. The real problem here is that everyone is comparing the price of the GA berm with the price we are paying for stadium seating. For those of you thinking about moving to the berm, please take these into consideration: standing will not be permitted on the berm (and believe me, if you have not been there yourself, it is much worse than it looks in pictures, about a 45+ degree slope), sitting on a blanket to watch soccer match, we can expect at least 4-5 rainy games. I completely understand the cost issue with some people, and when we were initially discussing the stands over the left field wall versus the left field berm, we talked about a loss of members due to the price difference if we went to the stands, as well as a loss of members if we went to the berm. Either place, we knew we would lose people.

Fifth – This is the “New” Cauldron. We will not have the same problems with security that we had at Arrowhead. We will have much more latitude for our activities. The front office is committed to making the west end of the field a place that opposing teams dread. We will have the opportunity to have a real impact on the outcome of games.

Sixth – There are still things in the works to improve the Cauldron, other than pricing issues. We still want to make the Cauldron a “destination”…a place that people want to get involved in…a place that kids what to “graduate” to…”The” place to be at Wizards games. Please, don’t give up on the Cauldron just yet.

Thanks for letting me hop up on my little soap box. Feel free to post questions or PM them to me if you prefer. I will do my best to answer them.

Robert Houghton
President, The Cauldron

 

rep

But now you have that empression if you don't buy tickets your now your not going to get to see a game feeling. And we should becuase if we can't sell out a 10,000 seat venue every week we suck. Crystal Lake anyone?

I am not agaist 2 st (lisa and I) but paying full price for Maddy. Plus with a 2 yr old turning three and I will soon have to pay for her as well. (little hoolie in training she is)

In the end the berm is probably were we will end up. 450 to 900 ummmmmm u do the math?

 

So does chivas and C-bus. Please don't give me that line of we only have so many seats we are limited to capacity? *knock knock* Hello your fan base is not overflowing, there is no demand for Wizards tickets. Wizards fans do not grow on trees, you should appreacate the ones you have created. Until we figure out how to make it an event, a-la the Chef's in the 90's, there will be no real demand for tickets.

Does the Cab have the potential to make this yes happen? Hell yes IMO!
The place is small and it will be much more intament atmosphere. Make it a party and people will come.

 

I'd be happy to have a price break for kids too.

 

Wait... what?

This isn't the Knights Templar?

I feel misled. I think that this statement should accompany any mention of the Cauldron*, so that from now on nobody will make the same grave mistake that I made.

Furthermore, I feel that we ought to consider aligning the Cauldron* closer to that of the Knights Templar. Not really the religious stuff or the secret stuff as much as the being badass and a little bit of chain mail. Oh yea, and the whole being crazy rich thing would be good too.

Why hasn't this been brought up sooner?

* The Cauldron is not the Knights Templar.

 

Coming from a standpoint of someone who does not have kids, I too feel that there could be a price break for families (but not necessarily kids by themselves). I think it's important to keep the ratio of children to adults at a reasonable level and not give price breaks on all children such that two adults could bring two mini-vans of children (the whole kid population of the neighborhood/block) and whatnot. Obviously soccer teams are a different story, but I remember not liking the whole reading reward/free ticket days of yore because there were (or at least seemed to be) many more kids than adults. Giving discounts to families (basically something like a cheap child ticket when using a normal 'adult' ticket, or something) would keep the ratio at a good level _and_ ensure that the adults have enough money to buy every kid something.

Better yet, include some food as part of the deal to help defer the cost of the discount. Even including a soft drink at a discounted price with the package could still turn a good profit (since soft drink margins are always very high).

In relation to kids in the Cauldron, I only fear for the unsuspecting parent who brings their kids to the Cauldron not knowing what they're getting themselves into. Obviously you know what's up, but without proper 'warning', we could have some disgruntled parents at the back of the Cauldron or something.

 

That's been the worry for years, and what always happens if they do, either they get a laugh out of it, or they get appalled by it and them and their kid leave after the first 15 mins.

 

You should be embarassed for letting him get over on you...you must be getting soft in your old age, the Mark I thought I knew never would have let Brandon get away with that

I'll have to make sure he stands next to you at least once this year to remind you how he whooped up on you

 

Looks like he needs to give you another lesson

 

So, has anyone else noticed that our owners just committed to dropping 65 million+ directly on a new stadium?

From a growth standpoint, I still don't like the idea that there are cheaper tickets available than in the Cauldron, but everyone needs to be realistic about the amount of money being invested in what for a lot of us is a lifelong dream.

I think most see that, even those who are talking about a financial crunch affecting their decisions this year.

If we, as supporters, want to build this club into something more, 16 dollars per game is probably as cheap as it could ever possibly get. I'd set the floor there at a bare minimum for all tickets. It sounds like the walkup ticket floor is around there.

The Wizards will still bleed losses in the multiple millions this year. I guarantee it.

I get the need for children's season ticket pricing, especially kids under 12 or so, but that's a separate issue. I've been harping on that all year, with no kids of my own.

I want to see a Kids Cauldron Season Ticket that can't be abused - maybe even a 5 year membership/season ticket at a greater discount for those families that want to invest in the Wizards long-term.

We need to make sure that when Ian sneaks his first beer, it's taken from good influences like us.

 

I agree and I'll reiterate my stance that I'm not so much b*tching about the ticket prices as venting my frustration about personal situations that may impact my ability to support the team that I love. I'm hoping that we can find a way to afford our tickets and I also hope that the mass exodus from the Cauldron to the cheaper seats will stop but I can't blame people for having to make those decisions since I'm in the same boat. I just can't see me becoming a "grass sitter"...similar to a hand sitter but just on grass.

 

Hey Stu, you can still yell sitting down right? U can still throw streamers. You can still make banners. You are still supporting the team buy purchasing a ST. You just can't stand, I do not think it is the end of the world. I don't like it either an I would rather stand but not being able to go to games at all would do me in. I am sure they would much rater have you sit on the berm than not buy tickets at all and just watch from home.

 

I bought 5 season tickets for the berm, and I would of rather spend that 750 on the Cauldron, but I am taking people out to the game. I am trying to get new people out to the game. To see what a game is like, and most of the time I am taking people who watch baseball and football, and think soccer is a girly sport. Every game I have to explain things to these people, and slowly but surely I am bring new fans in to watch the wizards. The ticket prices are alot cheaper in the berm, but that is where I need to be with these people. I have only sat with you guys 3 or 4 times over the last 3 years, but I can wait two more years.

I guess what I am trying to say is... These two years are going to blow, but you guys have a lot of faithful people in the cauldron. It might just be a crappy situation, but you guys will come together with the new stadium. I just hope at the time I will have 5 or 6 new faces that you guys can enjoy.

 

Oh I hear ya and I may very well end up going that way myself - I know Beth is already on board with that. I just hate seeing the Cauldron splinter. For us I think it would probably only be for a year until we can get our finances back on track but still... I guess I got spoiled to jumping around and going nuts along with the Argies.

 

spoon/stu/pez

what about getting 1/2 season cauldron and 1/2 season berm?

 

I was thinking an "upgrade" program where for individual games, people with berm seats could pay the difference in the ticket price to upgrade their seat for that game.

There's not a lot of incentive for the team to offer that though.

 

Well, you could accomplish the same thing by buying a walk-up Cauldron ticket and selling your berm ticket for face value to other walk-up berm people.

 

You're right, but the team doing it would make it easier, and I was thinking more about berm people that "discover" us inside the game. I guess the easiest, no hassle way is to have the people who are controlling entry also have a chance to make a sale. Stamp the upcharge people's hand or something so you don't even have to issue a new ticket.

It's about the same price as a beer, and while it won't be used en masse, I think it could get consistent use from a few.

 

this was something i brought up when we initially toured the facility...i mentioned that and that the/a ticket booth is right outside the gate right by our section and with the design of the gate it should be little to no problem trading in a ticket to upgrade at the ticket booth...whether or not that will be set up to easily do or not is up to them

 

$5 upgrades would be great... (walkup prices are $15 & $20, right?)

Then I can take my $8.33 berm season ticket and make it into a $13.33 cauldron ticket.

 

1)I agree that the "bent over" comment was extremely childish. However, I didn't make the comment. That would be the individual on page 3 of this thread. It took me a while to find it, I had to take him off "ignore".

I resent your error, sir. Most would appologize. What will you do?

If you can't get that simple thing straight, then how can we possibly be expected to have confidence in your assurances?

2)I didn't conclude that there was negotiation. Obviously there was none and I suggested that may be helpful going forward.

Your "ongoing discussion", however dialogued and helpful, has resulted in being given two choices and forced to make one. That choice has at the very least resulted in a portion of your membership being forced to attend less games or be occasionally separated away from he Cauldron's location.

Regardless of circumstance, you are representing a group with some degree of fracture that is being dictated to. As a leader this should be of some level of concern.

I am not the Cauldron's nor your #1 problem, or even a problem for that matter.

I feel $15 is at the high end of a range. If break-even pricing is inaccurate (I have not seen any threads but this in several days, so I'm a little behind), then all of us have been misled.

Hmm. To me it seems the actual real problem is Cauldon members not being able to afford what you feel is OK. There is a disconnect somewhere.

 

you ignore the main point of this...it is only $1.61 increase from last year...if it were by the gallon and not a game i would get the falling out of the new section but $50 more for 20 games (which is more matches than last year though i didn't look it up)

i understand peoples (some) financial situations and the reason for going with a cheaper ticket, but to go to a different section after last year just because there is a cheaper ticket is beneath the people of our section