Tim Lieweke claims NYCFC has sold 24,000 season tickets.

Discussion in 'MLS: News & Analysis' started by FoxBoro 143, Sep 11, 2014.

  1. FoxBoro 143

    FoxBoro 143 Member+

    Jan 18, 2004
    MA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    This video has just started to circulate. It has TL speaking to MBA students and among other topics regarding MLS (TFC, Beckham etc.) he claims NYCFC has sold 24,000 season tickets. I'm not sure I can believe that, but it's Tim Lieweke so he is fairly credible i'd say.
    https://ryecast.ryerson.ca/12/Watch/7594.aspx
    He mentions NYCFC at 58 minutes.

    Edit: I just listened to it again and he did say "because of Silva and Lampard".
     
  2. scheck

    scheck Member

    Mar 13, 2007
    Denver
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    If this ends up being confirmed, then it's really a new age for mls. The CBA is going to be big.


    But I think you mixed up your Spanish internationals. ;)
     
  3. FoxBoro 143

    FoxBoro 143 Member+

    Jan 18, 2004
    MA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    He said it, not I! I think we know who our third DP will be. (I know he misspoke and meant Villa)
     
  4. Mstars96

    Mstars96 Member

    Jul 13, 2003
    NJ
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I would think such an huge number would be publicized all over, would make people try to get tickets because of demand, believe it when I see it. And if true...NYRB has to do some soul searching, let me help you. start with a non- corporate logo.
     
  5. joehooligan0303

    joehooligan0303 Member+

    Dec 16, 2001
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I obviously don't know and can't prove anything, but my gut tells me this is total BS. They would be shouting this number from the roof tops and the other numbers we have seen leaked out are nowhere even remotely close to this.

    I have been wrong plenty of times though.
     
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  6. sitruc

    sitruc Member+

    Jul 25, 2006
    Virginia
    It was actually around 56:00.
     
  7. okcomputer

    okcomputer Member

    Jun 25, 2003
    dc
    The way he stressed the number when he said it makes me think its legit. I agree with others though if its true I'm surprised that the team itself hasnt thrown the number out there.
     
  8. tomásbernal

    tomásbernal Member+

    Sep 4, 2007
    Club:
    Portland Timbers
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I would also be shocked if the club had this level of sales and stayed mum about it for this long.
     
  9. rslfanboy

    rslfanboy Member+

    Jul 24, 2007
    Section 26
    rep for "an huge."
     
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  10. T.M. Anthony

    T.M. Anthony Member+

    Jun 13, 2010
    Hudson Valley
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    somehow I doubt this… if only because I don't think there would be that many season tickets in the first place.

    The soccer configuration for NYCFC seats about 27k. Usually teams will cap off their number of available season ticket packages to drive up demand and an they'll leave a decent number of seats available per game for single game purchases and the like. This, ESPECIALLY when that team is newer and would probably want a decent amount of fresh faces to get the full experience of coming to c agape every so often.

    One would think the cap off Season Ticket's would be lower than 24k, or if that was the ST cap that they would simply announce that all tickets were sold out or close to selling out or something…. I don't know, because of that this feels dubious. :cautious:
     
  11. Lancaster FC

    Lancaster FC Member+

    Oct 2, 2007
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    interesting interview
     
  12. Sounders78

    Sounders78 Member+

    Apr 20, 2009
    Olympia
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    France
    I'm skeptical. If he worked for NYCFC, then that would be one thing. But he doesn't, so I'm not confident his "insider" information comes from the actual "inside". Great if it's true but I would rather hear it from a NYCFC official.
     
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  13. bbsbt

    bbsbt Member+

    Feb 26, 2003
    Yup, Defoe.
     
  14. ielag

    ielag Member+

    Jul 20, 2010
    #14 ielag, Sep 12, 2014
    Last edited: Sep 12, 2014
    "According to Yankees chief operation officer Lonn A. Trost, the stadium will be downsized from its current capacity of 49,642 seats to 33,444 seats for MLS matches."

    http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/artic...unce-yankee-stadium-be-home-field-2015-season

    While I'm skeptical of the 24K too and wait for a journalist, Randy Levine, or Tim Pernetti to confirm it, but doesn't the single entity structure of MLS easily allow Leiweke to find out that information?
     
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  15. zensum

    zensum Member+

    Jan 22, 2008
    The Bronx, NYC
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Wow...a deal changer...if true...

    though...

    Even some fans on the NYCFC forum are skeptical...

    Just within the last couple of weeks Don Garber said season ticket sales for both Orlando and NYCFC appeared to be moving "reasonably well" (or some such words)...

    If true both the Yankee Stadium downsizing plan and more importantly the projected 25K stadium in the Bronx must be open to question...

    Why is lame duck Leiweke still shooting from the lip on so many subjects these days...

    I thought when the nasl cosmos were launching last year their several month marketing campaign was the best the metro area had ever seen for soccer...the NYCFC campaign has already trumped it tenfold...and it continues...they must have spent millions already...

    Waiting for the fine print...
     
  16. Zoidberg

    Zoidberg Member+

    Jun 23, 2006
    I want it to be true, but an exce speaking to students? Hmmm...exageration is not uncommon.

    I have turned down speaking opps, but I know guys who have done it and they have admitted to pushing the envelope in order to make it more fun, leave a greater impression. Hmm.

    Fingers crossed Tim ain't grandstanding. He does have flair and vision, but he does get things done. Hmmm.
     
  17. I dont know about that. Liewecke is really connected to everything that goes on within MLS, he could easily obtain that info just from Garber alone not to mention all his other connections throughout the league. Based on the money that team seems to have spent on marketing and the DP's they signed it really wouldnt surprise me that much if this number is true.
     
  18. Zoidberg

    Zoidberg Member+

    Jun 23, 2006
    Yeah....that really is easy to believe. It's what we/I want to believe.

    Maybe they are waiting/hoping for the opening match to be a sellout and then promote the hell out of the numbers and the sellout a few mths before next season. It is NY and you have to capture people's attention in a big focused way because so much is going on.

    Please be true.
     
  19. triplet1

    triplet1 BigSoccer Supporter

    Jul 25, 2006

    Everything you suggest may well be true. Like okcomputer, the way he stressed the number and the fact that it was such a specific (and unusual number) suggests to me that there is something to it. Again, if he was just puffing, he could have said "over 20,000", or rounded to "25,000" -- but he clearly stresses the "TWENTY FOUR THOUSAND."

    If he's puffing or making it up, I'll say this, he's convincing.

    We'll know soon enough.
     
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  20. triplet1

    triplet1 BigSoccer Supporter

    Jul 25, 2006
    If it's true and if they hold that number past the "shiny new toy" phase, I think you are right on the mark, both for RBNY and the league. The name, the stadium location, all of that is going to be reassessed IMO, but many of those decisions won't be easy to reverse.
     
  21. Mstars96

    Mstars96 Member

    Jul 13, 2003
    NJ
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I apologize for the typo Mr. Degrasse Tyson, someone with your intelligence should know a typo when sees one, "a huge".
     
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  22. Zoidberg

    Zoidberg Member+

    Jun 23, 2006

    ....but using a number like 24K is a clever way of making it seem more real.;) That's the genius of it.

    As you said...we will find out soon enough. I have been so blank about this situation I really want it to be true.
    Would be such a letdown if we found out it was 24K for the season opener.

    Well, RedBull built the stadium and saved the team from possibly CUSA levels....OK , not that bad, but can you imagine the MStars in the same situation as before and having it be a disaster at this point?

    It will however as you guys said...force RB and the league to,do some soul searching. That type of soul searching would be fine by me if that NYFC number is true.
     

  23. If the capacity for mls at Yankee Stadium is set for 33k the 24 K number would make me think that might be the cap that was set on season tickets. The ratio would seem to be similar to how other teams cap season sales as percentage of capacity. That would be something if they sold out all their season tickets. I remember NYCFC awhile ago stated they had 7500 season ticket accounts. Would the average season ticket account be for 3 tickets? If so, then the number Tim states would make sense.
     
  24. bremen24

    bremen24 Member

    Jul 12, 2014
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Depending on how you pronounce 'huge' an could be the correct article. So it isn't necessarily a typo and I did not take it that way.
     
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  25. ceezmad

    ceezmad Member+

    Mar 4, 2010
    Chicago
    Club:
    Chicago Red Stars
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    But you believe th Atlanta numbers right? ;)
     
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