OK, I honestly have no clue what they Baltimore Blast were thinking , But we are not the NFL and the price increase is just insane. I get that this play is a nice newer arena Is is honestly worth losing the fans who supports you for 37 years ?
Cardman, as a comparison, can you provide what season tickets cost in 2016-2017? I haven't had season tickets in 10 years for the Blast (moved 2,200 miles west) so my comparison dollars are very dated.
How accessible is this site by mass transit? In theory, you could take a train right up to whatever the old arena is called now.
Individual tickets for the 2016-17 Baltimore Blast regular season cost $40, $30, $22, $19 or $16, depending on the seating location you choose. A $3 facility fee and $2 box office fee is added to the price of each ticket purchased at the Royal Farms Arena Box Office. A $3 facility fee and applicable fees if purchased through Ticket Master. The $16 tickets are obstructed view and are available only at the Royal Farms Arena Box Office, two hours prior to kickoff. $40 tickets - Front row in sections 105, 106, 109, 111 & 112 $30 tickets - Second row in sections 105, 106, 109, 111 & 112 $22 tickets - All other seats in sections 105, 106, 109, 111 & 112, as well as all seats in 103, 104, 107, 108, 110, 113,114 and 207-212 $19 tickets - 101-102, 115-116, 201-206, 213-218, 301-318 and stage seating $16 tickets - 219-229 and 319-329
If you live on the Eastern side of Baltimore county you can forget going to the games by bus it would take up to 2hrs to get to the arena and its an even longer ride home.
However no bus actually goes within a half mile of the SECU Arena. The buses closest to it are 7/10th of a mile away. SECU is in an area of Towson's campus away from the major roads like Charles and York.
So we've established you need a car to get to the games. Either that or Uber. From the letter Cardshop posted, parking is free/included Does this arena have a hockey floor configuration? EDIT. Ignore, answered in another post.
Yes parking is free , But it only works in your favor if you are a single person . The cheap seats with the arena fee RFA , $35.00 with the $15 parking free , Now Its 28.00 with free parking so you save $7. Now the more people you bring with you is when it start to add up, Because they are paying an additional $8 for ticket . Stage tickets went from 19.00 front row to $50.00 front row.
Old pricing for stage seating: $19 + $5 (fees) + $15 for parking = $39 New pricing for what would've been stage seating (behind net): $50 flat with free parking The argument they will make is the $11 difference will be made up during food purchases that will be "cheaper" with "more selections". The rest of the tickets after you factor in parking (unless you're buying multiple as Lewis said) are nearly the same or slight bit cheaper overall. The price increase will be determined more by where you usually sit and how many tickets you buy. If you've been a center field, front row ticket prices shouldn't be a big raise for you. If you enjoyed sitting behind the goal your prices just jumped through the roof. Add in smaller facility, tougher commute for everyone not around the Towson area, little to no public transit if you go that route, and the argument the more you buy (food) the cheaper it becomes is a tough sell. The Blast pack many houses with group sales so it will really come down to Mike Conway growing a group base in the Northern Maryland market to make up for the loss of groups who won't go due to distance now whether or not this is a success. Personally I've seen a larger majority of current fans unhappy about the move than those who are pleased. You know problems could abound when people who actually live closer to Towson then Baltimore are complaining about the move themselves. This will be very interesting to see how it plays out.
If you remember Ed Hale stated "I knew this could eventually happen," he said of the arena building site. "I've looked at UMBC and Towson University for possible places to play, but they don't work [because of small capacity]. " Now all of the sudden this works ? , Why would you (1) move to a smaller arena (2) Buy New walls and plexiglas. (3) play on a estimated 85 x 150 floor, (4) piss off a lot of fans ? The only thing that makes sense is that the ROFO Jacked up the price of that arena so high that they force the blast out. Now they can shut it down and start gutting it and remodeling the arena in phases.or Build a brand new one http://www.baltimoresun.com/bal-sp.blast25jul25-story.html
Scott, you selectively use the worst case scenario, the first row of the stage at RFA to make a case that is impactful for a small percentage of fans. 1) There is not a majority of fans complaining, what you have is a small number of fans complaining repeatedly on multiple streams of social media, using, as you yourself did, the worst-case scenario, the first row behind the goal. 2)The number of people affected by the first or second row behind the stage is perhaps fifty people. For anyone sitting behind the goal but in the third row or back, the cost per couple actually went down, ($30 x 2= $60 vs RFA ($19+$5 ) x 2 + $15 = $63.) 3)The number of fans that take mass transit, such as it is, or walk to RFA is 100 or less, I know of only ten. It is not like mass transit in the Baltimore-Metro area is quick, or convenient or far-reaching like in Chicago or New York. 4)For the overwhelming majority of people that actually go to the games, SECU arena is a closer, less expensive trip (gas and tolls) to a state of the art facility in a cleaner, safer area. 5) It is not inconceivable that the Blast would have had to increase ticket prices had they stayed at RFA. In that case the fans would have paid more, (and bitched about paying more to watch a game in the dump that RFA is) with no additional benefit. I understand how visiting fans, fans that walked or used mass transit, fans used to getting a deal, switching seats or getting free tickets are adversely impacted and for them and if it creates a condition where they can no longer attend games, I feel for them. However, the vast majority of the fans live closer now, drive, pay the going rate for their tickets and stay in the seats for which they paid. If I'm a business owner and by making a move I can create a viable solution to a business condition that will only become more difficult and benefit the vast majority of my customers, I make that move and don't look back.
I think you are way off on the number of fans that take the bus and the light rail to the arena , I would say it's closer to 500 to 1000 I know when they games let out a ton of people go catch the light rail to go into glen burnie and other part of the city. A lot of fans also come in my subway since its a 1/2 block away
There really is no way of knowing for sure since the MTA does not publish weekend ridership totals. But 1000 people would be one half percent to one percent of the total ridership of the MTA on a work day and 16% of the average Blast attendance. I believe you when you say the transit is crowded, but could that be at least somewhat because anyone using the light rail or bus would be leaving at the same time and catching the same scheduled bus?
I really don't think pblic transport effects any MASL team. If the Edmonton Drillers come back then maybe. The new arena in Edmonton has a light rail transit station built into it and has 1400 parking spaces all up.
Good morning . it has been a few years since I posted on here . but it has been enjoyable reading all of your post . I have a question since the Blast are now using a college campus arena will there be adult beverages sold .if you look at secu arena policy it shows no alcohol . just wondering if anyone heard. thanks Bob
I believe the policy prohibits bringing alcohol I to the arena, there are beer sales as the prices were quoted in the letter sent to season ticket holders.
Actually its because the Baltimore street side of Arena is a major bus hub, I believe close to 15 buses stop there. The like rail has a main stop at the arena. I am sure a lot of those people that came to the games only took the bus to avoid dealing with downtown traffic.
Last year: 1st row (except behind goal): $40 2nd row (see above): $30 Club/Center Field Seats: $22 Lower Level: $19 Mid/Upper Level: $16 This year: 1st row = $45 $ 2nd row = $35 Club Seats = $30 Lower Level = $27 Upper Level = $25 So adding parking to the equation for last year, which was $10 or $15... Front Row $55-50 last to $45 this year 2nd Row $45-40 last to $35 this year Club Seats $37-32 last to $30 this year Lower Level $34-29 last to $27 this year Upper Level $31-26 last to $25 this year So you're correct Blastnut, only the few people who sit behind either goal (stage or the tickets you can't buy as season tickets/limited view) will get screwed by pricing. However, I still am not sure about the area. I do not know where the majority of the fans come from, and I have a bit of an idea about the groups just from the parade of champions. I haven't and won't go back and watch every single broadcast over the past couple of seasons to find out exactly where they all were announced from. But I do know hearing Crofton and especially Harundale, both of which will be loooong rides for any team/group that travels from there.
I guessing this is just a better business move for the Blast and their future. Maybe they know something about ROFO arena that we don't know, like it will get some future renovations or might be even be torn down in the near future. Either would have forced the Blast out and they would of had to move anyway. Maybe ROFO rent increased this year and they got a better rent deal with Towson. ROFO will survive without the Blast, as the majority of their revenues comes from concerts/shows, not the 13/14 Blast games per season. I love the people who want a new arena built for the Blast, which to me makes no sense financially. If a new arena was built in Balto, the Blast would receive bad game dates (weekdays) or could not afford the higher priced rent at all. The Blast would of had a better chance in a new arena if Mr. Hale was involved, but we all not that never materialized and just isn't going to happen. The Blast/MASL are small potatoes and are suited for smaller arena's just like SECU. So ask your self a question, would you rather have the Blast at SECU or no Blast at all? One of my concerns is the size of the field and how the game play will look live. The picture they have posted does not look bad. They say the field will be 85' x 150'. The field in Sonora looks to be 150' long, but does not look 85' wide. Hopefully the field does not look like when the Philly Kixx moved to Temple/Liacouras Center. To me, that field looked too small and the field in Sonora does look at least wider, possibly longer, than the Liacouras Center field. Anyone know the exact dimensions of the Sonora field and the new SECU field? Other Questions: Heard the Blast are getting new boards and are they getting a new turf also? Are the Blast finally getting away from Ticketmaster and their over priced fees? Really like the Aberdeen Ironbirds ticket prices, $2 per ticket fees (no Ticketmaster) when purchasing online, can print tickets at home for free, and free parking. Some Pros on the move: Brand new arena (4 years old) and field Much more safe area Most groups are from Balto/Harford county, not the city, so should be a closer location for the majority. Five or tens minutes from 695 depending on traffic. Plenty of close parking to the arena Ticket prices not bad/comparable and include parking Still much more affordable than MLB, NFL, NHL,NBA, etc. Concession prices are supposed to be cheaper As far as the public transportation fans, which I also agree is a small number of fans compared to the majority, here are a couple of options. Talk to the Blast to see if the MTA will possibly add a stop closer to the arena (like on Osler drive) for game days. Maybe, talk to the Blast/Boosters to see if they might be getting Buses/ or shuttles together from certain locations (like meet at Blast Golden Ring office for example) of course this would depend on the amount of interest. Or just Uber/ taxi with other Blast fans to split the cost I think this will be a good move and will definitely give it a chance. If I like it, will probably attend even more games than usual. The Blast did sign a 3 year deal with Towson, so a move back to Baltimore might even happen in the future, who knows. No matter where the Blast decided to move or stay in Balto, it is impossible to please everyone completely. Like Scott said above, it will be very interesting to see how this plays out.