The ticket rep that I usually buy from is a very nice guy but I won’t support this organization which fails to operate in a way that would give the team on the field and the fans who support the team a chance of winning an MLS cup.
@AcetheTigah They are not looking for potential Season Ticket-holders... they are looking for “members”
Can't remember if I posted this link - but here's the saved copy that accurately describes what is happening with the Dynamo right now. I looked at it again and no wonder they asked the guy with the YouTube channel to take it down. After seeing what she told DonJuego (there are not enough people like you to matter), it is clear what they really think of their customer base, and those who do not fall in line. https://www.dropbox.com/s/m0dmz8l6a0ig0fn/Dionna Widder - Creating The Membership Experience - 2016 SSBC in Pittsburgh.mp4?dl=0
I finally got around to watching this (thanks for sharing it in dropbox). I actually didn't find it objectionable. Sure, the use of terms like "holding us hostage" is potentially inflammatory. But outside of that, the general idea addresses what has been some of the biggest complaints that fans have had (certainly a complaint I had in my last few years as a STH). That is the complaint that there is no value in being a STH. The underlying concept here is creating that value so it is obvious why you want to be a member, that the value goes just beyond your seat in the stadium on game day. I'm all for that, it is good business. It is approaching the whole concept of the financial and ticket side of the business in a much more creative and better overall way than the previous loser management team did. This is just good business. I don't see it as a negative. The first year stuff they are doing like jacking up prices and forcing an food and beverage option on club ticket holders as well as some of the other stuff, yeah that I agree is a negative and it is year one clumsiness of adjusting to this new system. Thereafter, though, if they do what she talks about here then for those who remain or new members it seems like it will ultimately be a net positive.
I agree with this -- and was told that in so many words. What I want (a 200 level club seat) has to be sacrificed to make room for hoards of new fans they are going to attract.
In some way, perhaps these new suits have stumbled upon what has been known the world over for professional association football clubs for generations. I.e. have men and women become club members. En espanol it is called socios. This of course implies that our owners want a real club of sport. Not some franchise business that operates a team in said sport. Big difference.
I actually agree with you. Enhancing the membership experience is a good thing and good business. However, they are putting poison in with that sugar. - Making you commit and pay for 2020 now; - Raising prices; - Removing all price transparency; - Limiting options while claiming they are providing more options; - setting it up so that current year playoff ticket access is available only if you renew for next year (this is a future step, but for now just get the pay as they play feature while not renewing for next year means you have to pay upfront for games that may not be played. BTW -- no stated commitment to refund for games not played -- you want that? Renew your membership.); - Diminishing options unnecessarily, as in my case. - Bundling food for club access. They know folks won't show up to games or won't eat much on average and they get revenue for stuff they don't have to pay for. - Year to year benefits are whatever they decide they are. As soon as they get their "barriers to exit" in place and team has a good year the benefits can be reduced. - Most importantly, removing any connection with quality of the product on the field with your fan experience value. No accountability to the members. Remember, under their scheme the team has all the leverage, members none. This membership thing could be done right. See Seattle Sounders where you are a member rather than a season ticket holder.
I have no problem with the video either. The "holding us hostage" line was correct when she went on to explain what she meant. If they are trying to sell tickets in Feb and some customers aren't jumping till July that is a problem. I love the idea of a 365 experience. I want the club experience. There are two problems, not with the plan but the implementation of it, she can control only one. Teams that are consistently bad lose fans. Look at the stands during a Redskin, Sunderland or Padres game and you will see a lot of empty seats. It takes years, but eventually fans will just watch from home, at least that way they don't have to take the walk of shame out of the stadium. All 3 of those teams had, at a time, a large passionate fanbase and now they are in hibernation. She can't control that though. What she can help with is marketing and promotion of the team and the experience. We should have Dynamo reps at various youth soccer games promoting the team, offering deals and trying to make it the cities team. I see none of that going on. Also, we members need more events and personally I want some more interactions with players and coaches. It would also help if Brenner met the fans from time to time. I like the vision, just hope they put enough thought into the logistics.
She is talking in reference to the NBA schedule. Portland and Atlanta and SKC all have waiting lists for Season tickets with commitment deadlines much closer to the off-season. Also, I don't think I should have to pay for 2020 until 2020. She wants to force us to pay for 2020 now, and it is non-refundable. Now if she has a waiting list of folks who want seats then I can accept moving the deadline forward but not the payments. I should not have to pay for 2020 until 2020.
I'm fairness though, any team could make decisions that make the members angry. A new FO could see the Sounders fanbase angry if they changed the system. I disagree with you about leverage, we still hold all of it because we are the ones paying them. We are also the ones engaging in social media, apps, YouTube views etc, and those numbers sell ads and generate a lot of revenue. Barriers to exit is a strategy that many in the entertainment business utilize. We don't have to have soccer, we choose it and they know that so they want to keep us hooked. They can, but they will need to work on it. BTW, totally agree with you on the food package, that is just stupid. Besides, my pre-game ritual involves beers and burgers at Pitch 25 so I'm already full and half drunk by kick-off, lol!!
If this plan is so great then why did someone reach out to the person who originally posted in in their YouTube channel and have it removed? The entire concept revolves around creating some kind of value in purchasing a "membership" and forcing those members into an opt out situation rather than the old scheme where they complain that fans will hold out until the last minute and if they do, they are penalized by losing their tier status and discounts. That might work for LAFC, a team that continuously makes the playoffs, or a team that has a waiting list for season tickets. This organization has historically shown that it is at the bottom of the league and ownership has no intention of improving the team by investing money from their wallet. I know a lot of individuals who will not renew, I'm sure that all of this has been taken into account by the organization, and they realize that they are going to lose accounts because of it. Until two years ago I held two season tickets continuously from 2008, and have spent nearly $30k on this organization not including away games. I'm actually kind of glad this new management team came along, because for the past couple of years I've been on the edge of leaving. All I needed was a little push. So, for those folks that believe this is a good concept for the Dynamo, Would I be correct in assuming you'll be renewing or if you previously dropped your season tickets - re-signing?
Just read an article that LAFC fans are grumbling because their already league high tickets prices are going up again. MLS teams are always rising and falling and this high won't last. When they fall I bet you will see massive reductions in attendance for them. To answer your question. I do like the plan and I will be renewing.
Presumably because of the use of terms like hostage being potentially inflammatory and bringing out some of the reactions here. To be honest, though, clean up some of the potentially inflammatory language after minute 10 and I'd see no reason not to put it out there to Dynamo fans as a selling point of "this is where we are headed". In other words make one for fans rather than this one which is obviously an industry conference version.
Big difference between the Latin American club memberships and the Dynamo. My wife’s family are member of Palmeiras... it was the organization to join if you were of Italian ancestry when it was founded, now it’s a mix of social and sports clubs, with tennis courts, swimming pools, ballet classes, etc. It adds value in a city where most people do not have access to those types of facilities.
That's awesome! That will never happen here since Houston has so many readily available sports facilities but still cool.
I don't see any "potentially", it is inflammatory and it reflects the corporate view of the customer base. DonJuego posted his account of a conversation with her and it certainly does not reflect the feeling of being a valued customer. Regardless, the problem with this current management team is that supposedly they are experienced professional, yet have embarked on a "vision" like a bull in a china shop. There has been no outreach to their loyal base, and for the most part the only "polling" as to what fans wanted was structured to achieve their preconceived plan. I don't recall any questions about the team, or performance. Perhaps the way things are going, perhaps their idea is to create a wall of singing supporters and offer a membership in a club that provides year round feel good. Something like the sports version of Costco. Heck I don't know. But what I do know is that a bunch of long time season ticket holders have had enough. If four of the eight Houston Dynamo Fans of the Year have indicated they are not renewing, then either that is a sure sign of trouble, or the most exulted, illustrious, and coveted position of FOTY was not worth the scepter it came with (probably the latter)
This was apparently on sale at the team store last game. The game honored NASA but I'm not too sure that whoever designed this got the irony
In fairness, this management team has zero control or involvement in the team or the performance. And my understanding is that going back to the offseason they did a lot of polling fans (I know I got requests for feedback) and that one of the big complaints was there's no value in owning season tickets. All they can do is try and address that. Whether they are doing it the right way is a different matter, but philosophically there is nothing wrong with the concepts in that video.
And that is indeed the problem. They have no say whatsoever in the performance side of the team. The polling that was done was totally about the "experience". You can do that if you are selling a product that is successful, but they have been put in a position where they cannot address what people are angry about, which is the failure to invest ownership money into the product itself. In our meeting, they were proud of the $1 million they said was spent in the offseason for more big assed fans and improved wifi. What really needs to happen is for ownership to get to around the $10-$12 million level for player salaries so it can actually compete in the market for players. I see no hope that will ever happen
I think she meant holding the seats hostage and phrased it wrong. It was an industry conference and I don't put too much emphasis on one line. I do understand how it can be construed as inflammatory and I'm certainly not saying you or anyone is wrong to feel that way. Your point about the FOTY leaving is excellent and telling. Those are the hardcore, the believers, the spirit of the team. This is a new plan, if they weren't changing things that would be worse. Few plans go completely smoothly. Though I don't know you, I do know that you are a long time deeply rooted supporter and it sucks that you are leaving. It is telling, but at least some change is on the way. For me, my kids, especially my two youngest ones love the games. They love going to member events. They don't know what good soccer is, they think Elis is the best player in the world. And that makes the experience good for me. To each his own I suppose. I'm hopeful, I hope all the fans come back and that the FO and ownership learn a lesson. Brenner is not rich enough to just spend like crazy, and he is not going to sell because this is the MLS expansion era apparently and it would be foolish for him to do so. I think adding partners is a good way to bring in extra cash. I don't think Brenner wants to lose, but few people get rich by making bad business deals so perhaps this is the best he can do. I don't know, I guess I'm just a glass half full kinda guy.