News: 2020 Season and Virus Talk

Discussion in 'Houston Dynamo' started by nbrooks503, Jun 30, 2019.

  1. nbrooks503

    nbrooks503 Previously Held @Dynamo Hostage From 2008-2019

    Jun 1, 2008
    Disgruntled Former STH - Fairweather Bandwaggoner
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    #1 nbrooks503, Jun 30, 2019
    Last edited: Jun 30, 2019
    Just checked the Dynamo website and it looks like they have increased season ticket prices for premium members. For the seat I hold the price has increased by $7.25 per game for 17 games. In addition to the price per seat per game, there is also a $315.00 General Admission charge for club access and a $15 handling charge. Total increase over last year is $145. (last year the season included 20 games and while the actual increase is $145 overall - the number of games has decreased by 3).

    If you look at the "benefits" for a season ticket holder for 2020 they include complimentary tickets, plus if you are premium member the "access" to the lounge include "inclusive food and beverage".

    "Beginning in 2020, all premium seats have access to the Audi Sport Club with all-inclusive food and beverage (not including liquor), dedicated entry into BBVA Stadium, along with an air-conditioned private lounge including a private bar and bathrooms. Parking is included with a minimum purchase of two (2) season seats. "

    Well for the past 8 seasons I've had access to the Sports Club and the opportunity to purchase a meal if I so desired. That meal is now about $27. The addition of the $315 surcharge for access to the club works out to about $18.50 per meal. So they want me to pay $315 for something that I generally do not buy.

    This is going to roll out on August 1 and I predict they will have a very hard sell getting folks like me to go along with it. I'm not paying $345 extra so that they can discount tickets to other sections, and do $7 game tickets, and reduced price concessions. If I didn't know better I'd have though AOC and Bernie were running things.

    How in the heck can they do this with a straight face?

    [​IMG]
     
    Westside Cosmo repped this.
  2. Dynam0

    Dynam0 Member

    Arsenal
    Feb 3, 2018
    Houston, Texas USA
    Nat'l Team:
    Panama
    @nbrooks503

    And that meal is not worth even $10. What a rip off!!!

    If my tickets go up, I don’t think I will renew. There isn’t much of a benefit for been a STH
     
  3. AcetheTigah

    AcetheTigah Member+

    Apr 6, 2005
    Woodlands, TX
    You can only milk a cow so often or the cash cows will dry up too.

    Fools and desperate people running the ship for an owner with a poor / low risk business model.
     
  4. Westside Cosmo

    Westside Cosmo Member+

    Oct 4, 2007
    H-Town
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I went on the Dynamo website to look at some of this (I didn't see pricing but then again I'm not a season ticket holder anymore). A few funny things:

    1) Not sure why you would have a "membership year" that didn't sync up with the actual season itself unless the sole purpose of this entire program is to get you to enroll but then forget to opt-out thus sticking you with another year of tickets you may not want. And they structured the thing such that if you don't renew by August 1st you lose your loyalty years!!! (See below AUTO-ENROLLMENT). Nuts. Did Canetti design this?

    2) I've never seen a company try to spin as a "benefit", not charging customers for product they don't receive (see PLAY ON below). That implies that at some point season ticket holders were charged for games not played (like the year they went from 20 to 17 games but held prices "the same")

    Members will enjoy a simple “pay as we play” policy so you’ll never be charged for a game that doesn’t happen!

    Glad to know the team won't be perpetuating a fraud on its most loyal customers. Always gotta emphasize not being criminals

    3) It seems like they took the upper level club seats and are doing something with them because the site says the all-inclusive food and beverage package only applies to 1,000 seats in 100 level club seats and President's Club seats.


    "AUTO-ENROLLMENT
    For the 2020 season and beyond, all Houston Dynamo 365 Members will join our free and convenient Auto-Enroll Membership which offers uninterrupted membership year-over-year.

    The Houston Dynamo 365 Membership Year begins on August 1st each year and concludes on July 31st of the following calendar year."

    "What happens if I opt-out of my Membership before the deadline?

    There are no fees, no hassle, and no penalty for opting out within the opt-out period (July 1-July 31) for the following season. Your Season Membership will be removed from the Auto-enrollment program and will not be automatically enrolled for the following season. Your Membership for the current season will remain intact until the season’s end, however your benefits will terminate on August 1. Please note - if you chose to opt out, your loyalty tier will reset and your current seat location and special pricing may not be guaranteed if you choose to return at a later date.+


    PLAY ON

    As part of the Houston Dynamo 365 Membership, all Members will also be enrolled into the “Play On” program which automatically opts-in Members to receive a guaranteed seat and preferred Member pricing on any MLS Cup Playoffs, the Semi-Final and Final of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, and other potential Dynamo games hosted at BBVA Stadium.

    Members will enjoy a simple “pay as we play” policy so you’ll never be charged for a game that doesn’t happen!
     
  5. Westside Cosmo

    Westside Cosmo Member+

    Oct 4, 2007
    H-Town
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Oh, and based on some twitter traffic and the seat map they posted, it looks like they may be moving the supporter's groups down to the lower level behind the goal. Some people on twitter less than pleased about having to relocate for the supporters
     
  6. AcetheTigah

    AcetheTigah Member+

    Apr 6, 2005
    Woodlands, TX
    They do need them behind the goal. I sat in that section one or two games and the noise / volume of the supporters section was considerably less than my regular seats near the field in 108. I guess that wall below them blocks some of the sound down near the goal.

    As for the season ticket holders - very few in those sections
     
  7. AcetheTigah

    AcetheTigah Member+

    Apr 6, 2005
    Woodlands, TX
    They should have put them there in the first place but I bet they thought those tickets were just too valuable and 'in demand' to let supporters have them at a reduced price! LOL
     
    Soccergodlss repped this.
  8. CeltTexan

    CeltTexan Member+

    Sep 21, 2000
    Houston, TX USA
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Just join a supporters group, or in theory, start your own.
    Remain in your very own seats for the next 15 seasons.
    However, everyone will be standing around you.
     
  9. Westside Cosmo

    Westside Cosmo Member+

    Oct 4, 2007
    H-Town
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Considering this is the 3rd different location the FO has placed the supporters groups in 5 years its not assured you can stay anywhere apparently. It’s not like the SGs have grown so big they have to take over additional sections, they appear to have shrunk since BBVA opened.

    I’m not trying to turn this thread into a SG level of support debate but seems like they aren’t at a level to be dictating much of anything.
     
  10. nbrooks503

    nbrooks503 Previously Held @Dynamo Hostage From 2008-2019

    Jun 1, 2008
    Disgruntled Former STH - Fairweather Bandwaggoner
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    15 season? I don't think I'm going to give them 15 minutes.

    As mentioned before, a few of us met with Walker, the new Chief Revenue Officer, and later had a chat with Brener. We told them exactly what was needed to stop the bleeding and to try to regain attendance and it did not include increasing ticket prices, moving sections, or spending money on the stadium. We told them the obvious - Improve the team by making significant investment in acquiring talent including names.

    In a one on one with the CRO I was quizzed about "what does the badge mean to you"? I responded that I'd been coming to games since day one and had been a STH since 2008, had gone to many away games, had gone before City and County to urge they participate in the construction of the stadium, and some of the photos I had taken at the payoffs in 2011 and 2012 are on the wall in the stadium provided to the organization for absolutely no $$ and no credit.

    I got the message that this current management group believes that it can increase attendance by providing incentives to and increasing the numbers in the supporter section. I don't think that will work because it appears they intend to defray that cost by raising the cost for others.

    If this plan goes through, and there is every reason to believe it is set in stone, they will lose more people from the premium season ticket holder section.
     
    DonJuego, Heft, *rey* and 1 other person repped this.
  11. CeltTexan

    CeltTexan Member+

    Sep 21, 2000
    Houston, TX USA
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    What stands out on a belt?
    The brown or black belt or the belt's buckle?
    Osea, as common up and down our Americas for association football inside a stadium on game day, the loop around the stadium can be full or not, the supporters section like wise might be full or not, but with the color and visuals like banners, flags, drums n horns and color bars, this area shines for any front office to point to. To package, free of charge, to potential players to potential advertisers to the youth player and what he could one day perform in front of and in general a terrific marketing vehicle that each league market can be proud of. Like our Texas heritage and Space City lore, every city should have a destination inside of their home ground that just radiates the club's way of being.
    When we first started in 2006, I told Oliver just give us an endzone at The Rob. His clever response was I will and I want you guys to organically grow to fill the entire end! I never asked for any ticket dscounts. Ever! Nor did he offer any. Such offers came from AEG's way of business. I.e. we "give" you a break on ticket prices but btw you must sell such ammount or else.
    The organically grown concept has been ditched. My suggestion to John Walker is to return to this mindset post haste. Drop all wristband policies and price debates. Just let us grow with no handcuffs. Really breath a new sound of cooperation. Certainly our players need all the backing they can get. Lower bowl, upper bowl, Cotton Bowl, Orange Bowl! Let Houstonians of the working class have a destination that is a guaranteed mos pit of fun and footy celebration each game night. Have Brenner market this for the next decade of hia ownership and I guarantee Houston will be the elite home ground atmosphere in our MLS scene. Atlanta will have numbers, Portland the dispaly, but in downtown Houston a tremendous, authentic celebration. Enter at your own risk young man mantra!
    Also, why aren't our Dynamo boys and their friends, even dads n uncles not standing with us. Singing the club songs for Elis and our guys. If in town, they need to be witneasing the first team and getting stuck in as hinchas for the jersey they aspire to wear as a pro one day!
     
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  12. Ethos

    Ethos Member+

    Houston Dynamo
    Apr 28, 2019
    Houston
    I feel like I haven't earned an opinion yet since I only discovered soccer last year, though my passion has never wavered since then, but I truly think the problem is marketing. Honestly, before I received an email offering me free Dynamo tickets (they sometimes offer free tickets to us teachers in HISD) I really had never heard the name Dynamo before. Now obviously I don't think the majority of the population hasn't heard of the team but with no marketing, no buzz, why would people come?

    For instance, I went to the Open Cup games and they were terrible and I'm not just talking about the play on the pitch. There were so few people there, why not play the game at another stadium and just give the tickets away? Make it unique. At least it puts eyes on the game. As CeltTexan says, "the game sells itself". It did for me, I went from caring nothing about soccer to a die hard season ticket holder in a month.
     
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  13. Westside Cosmo

    Westside Cosmo Member+

    Oct 4, 2007
    H-Town
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Looks like the Dynamo may have gone to a Canetti School of Business seminar and tried to treat the Dynamo customers as fools again. Based on some posts on Dynamo Reddit and twitter, it appears (I say this as not a season ticket holder so can’t see the info directly) that the Dynamo have rolled out loyalty discounts in concert with price increases that do nothing other than get the STH back to the price they are currently paying. So really no net benefit.

    My favorite part of the entire program is that the “membership year” runs until July 31st so if you don’t renew for the following year they can treat you like crap for the remainder of the current year you paid for!! Is it me or in the past wasn’t the renewal deadline in mid or late October?
     
  14. nbrooks503

    nbrooks503 Previously Held @Dynamo Hostage From 2008-2019

    Jun 1, 2008
    Disgruntled Former STH - Fairweather Bandwaggoner
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Just took a look at my account and the charge has been removed there is nothing in there for the 2020 season. Mistake? Premature publication? Reaction to adverse commentary?

    We'll see. I removed my credit card details and I refuse to opt out of something that I never opted into. I'm glad I took a screen shot yesterday.
     
  15. DonJuego

    DonJuego Member+

    Aug 19, 2005
    Austin, TX
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Other changes for 2020: The club seats I sit in are above the club. I like the high midfield view point for watching the tactics. I've been told my seats will no longer have access to the club so they want to move me to the 100 level club seats.

    smh
     
  16. DynamoManiac

    DynamoManiac Member+

    Jan 27, 2014
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Copying the Texans. For Texans season tickets, you either buy a PSL and have the right to buy season tickets, or you just buy season tickets in which case you're required to also buy their pre-game food and beverage in the Methodist tent package. I was a STH for one year. My ticket was like $1700, the food package was like $900.

    After one year I decided I wasn't doing that again so I was out. The Texans didn't care because they had a list of people waiting to buy my seats. Difference here is the Dynamo don't.

    I actually suggested that the Dynamo have a club food and beverage option. But only as an option, not something you must do. This seems really stupid for a team that is bleeding season ticket holders.
     
  17. Dynam0

    Dynam0 Member

    Arsenal
    Feb 3, 2018
    Houston, Texas USA
    Nat'l Team:
    Panama
    Yeah, I’ve been on the waiting list for 5 years (and counting). They called me when they opened the new club section, but at $2700 per seat I said no thanks. I should’ve said yes... unlike the Dynamo, Texans STHs can make a profit selling their tickets.
     
  18. CeltTexan

    CeltTexan Member+

    Sep 21, 2000
    Houston, TX USA
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I cannot for the life of me understand why when sound business advice is offered, people losing money reject said advice.
     
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  19. NicaMexicano

    NicaMexicano Member

    Aug 6, 2008
    Houston
    Looks like they’ve done it... $7.23 increase per game, for the family, has priced us out of interest. It’s all perspective, so I might shop around for great 2nd level seats, but I’m not going to renew to get stuck in cheaper, but less enjoyable seats. If we don’t find what we are looking for, we’ll go to 4-5 games a year.
     
    Dynam0 repped this.
  20. Dynam0

    Dynam0 Member

    Arsenal
    Feb 3, 2018
    Houston, Texas USA
    Nat'l Team:
    Panama
  21. NicaMexicano

    NicaMexicano Member

    Aug 6, 2008
    Houston
    The beloved 104, next to premium guys, no cup holders.
     
  22. Westside Cosmo

    Westside Cosmo Member+

    Oct 4, 2007
    H-Town
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    seems like all is going smoothly with relocating season ticket folks in order to move the supporters groups to lower sections

    1144395065374253056 is not a valid tweet id


    1146607988792320000 is not a valid tweet id


    Have to throw this one in as well

     
  23. CeltTexan

    CeltTexan Member+

    Sep 21, 2000
    Houston, TX USA
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    That's our old poster on our boards , what was his handle??? That must be his sister, she seems mouthy like Bryan was. Certainly when they don't get their way.
     
  24. CeltTexan

    CeltTexan Member+

    Sep 21, 2000
    Houston, TX USA
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    And recall always, our supporters section was packed at The Rob. Once Oliver left, we had to endure the Dark Ages under Canetti and his complete and total disinterest in even having a section. Going more for a minor league baseball set up for BBVA. Concepts that just don't fit for pro men's soccer. It was a tough uphill battle to work with our FO.
    Now our leaders are doing well to turn the corner with the new suits in our FO. The future looks bright for this united effort to get back to the fun days and lots of folks packed in!
     
  25. DonJuego

    DonJuego Member+

    Aug 19, 2005
    Austin, TX
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    More news for me regarding 2020. I have 2 sets of tickets. One upper bowl above the club. We know I'm being told I have to move to lower bowl to keep club access. My second pair is behind the north goal lower bowl. I'm being told I have to move from those seats also to make room for an expanded supporters section. I like the idea of a bigger supporters presence, and I'm happy to move to facilitate that, but I'm going to tell them I want my money returned to me if the supporters groups don't fill the expanded section. I dont want to lose my seats for a pipe dream.
     

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