listen, i hear what both sides are saying here and i agree to a point with both sides. to me, it comes down to football. i dont give a sht about their stupid fox, their stupid marketing schemes, their stupid concessions, their stupid name on seats, etc. my issue is: this couldnt have come at a worst time. the team is in peril of missing the playoffs AND we made 1 move during the summer transfer window. the only teams that can get away with that are teams that are 1 move away from winning MLS Cup/SS/CONCACAF/etc...this team is not. i mean we're at a point where the Dynamo arent even mentioned in transfer RUMORS. we're that low on the interest meter and no amount of 'Bowling with Kevin Garcia' events is going to convince me that this team is 1 player away from becoming the next Atlanta/LAFC (football and attendance-wise). PS - FRONT OFFICE, I KNOW YOU MONITOR THIS THREAD. THE FOX IS STUPID.
I love the Fox - he is uniquely ours. However, I don’t care for some of the things ours fans do - like the ‘********’ chant many fans of Mexican heritage still yell in the stadium.
Hey, lay off Diesel man! Love the fox, and his song, lol! But really, he is there for the kids and they love him. When he comes in my section the kids just mob him.
The underlying tone and direct words in that video show contempt for the customer, a strategy to create "barriers to exit" - not "incentives to retain the membership, and an attitude to create a one-way business relationship where it is business for the team and some other emotional obligation from customer. A one-way relationship. Just read the membership agreement, completely one-sided. The Astros don't even have as bad of an agreement and they can jam it down most peoples' throats. You watch that video then they try to sell you some "one badge, one family, one Houston" garbage slogan and it comes across as completely lacking in any genuine foundation. Their membership "discounts" seem to be following raising prices and reducing the number of desirable games in the "membership package" (just MLS + USOC initial rounds) and then claiming the net price is a "benefit". Whether it is good business remains to be seen. No one needs to buy tickets to a soccer match, its not like needing to travel from Houston to Denver on short notice and having limited options outside of United Airlines so their yield management algorithm you have to deal with. Their bet is they get more new "members" using these methods and techniques than than they lose in existing customers. What I scratch my head about it is: what is the hook or sell point they have on this other than the sales pitch itself? There's not a team to really sell, the membership concept presumes that there is a big demand for an exclusive Meet the Hondurans Night at Taqueria Arandas, and under the current MLS playoff format unless you are a top-8 team in MLS the chances of hosting a playoff game is fairly slim. Not sure her NBA concept works for MLS.
All it implies is they hired someone from a league/team (NBA/Cavs/Pacers) who implemented this membership model and they think it may work and it is FAR cheaper to hire one new VP and give it a go than to actually up the payroll to levels it needs to be to create a sustained winning team. Has zero to do with sport and culture or belief. Has everything to do with trying business techniques to try and grow revenue instead of making needed capital expenditures/investments in the team.
If it was so good for the fan and the experience the team should have no problem re-broadcasting that presentation on their own team YouTube channel. Regardless of whatever they would tell you as to why they are doing it, the video explicitly says why - just the real "why" that won't tell the customer!! The theme of that video is a sales program and ticket selling structure to strip all of the leverage from the customer and give it to the team thru pulling on emotional and other qualitative heartstrings to get the fans into an arrangement that is quantitatively beneficial for the team by fooling the fans into thinking they are getting benefits and a discount. That's it.
It's hard to see how this works launching it at a period at or near low tide for the team. 2012 was the time to try this. Or after a big signing or MLS Cup run.
The fact that the Dynamo website promoting the membership program with has the following statement is simply mind-blowing to me in their arrogance or at least makes me question the gullibility of the fanbase if anyone buys it: Members will enjoy a simple “pay as we play” policy so you’ll never be charged for a game that doesn’t happen! So a "benefit" is not being defrauded by the seller of the item.
Had to catch up on some of my legendary Westside whining about the Dynamo after a few long days at work. I expected more from John Walker but rolling out a Canetti-inspired program designed to trap customers in an abusive relationship is a disappointment. So most of my allocated sports entertainment money now goes to the Astros because even if you don't like Jim Crane and some of the ticket prices, he's put money behind the team an experience and wants to win. He's not perpetuating a virtual fraud upon his customers. This may sound totally bats**t crazy, but I half-wonder if Brener really wants this market for a team in some sort of combined MLS/LigaMX league. Like I think he just wants a LigaMX team based in Houston and they may be able to prove to Garber thru their incompetence and cheapness that an English-speaking audience won't support a Houston soccer team in MLS.
That's a bit much, it was one line at an industry conference. Her context was that holding seats for people who might or not might pay was bad. I agree. I mean, it's not that big of a deal. I don't feel fooled. I will be renewing my seats because I want to, not because I'm fooled.
Things aren't good right now, this is a change. No change, staying the course would encite more complaints. Here is a change, let's give it a chance.
If you want to do business with a company that believes that a customer who takes time contemplating purchasing an item is holding the seller "hostage" than feel free to sign up with them. Did you watch the video? It's not just accusing paying customers of being hostage takers, its the entire attitude and undercurrent that the customer having control over the purchase is a bad thing which is why you create "barriers to exit" for them.
What would be your rationale for any change is better than no change? They could change to just fraudulently charging all current season ticket holders for 2020 and seeing if that technique got them a higher retention rate and it would be considered a "change" from the current state. I think you are missing that while they are changing the sales technique and pricing/bogus discount math, this organization is staying the course in terms of being cheap with payroll, bad with player development, and generally operating the team like an old rundown Denny's that has a good location on a road with lots of traffic. There is zero evidence that the team will put a better product or customer service effort out in 2020.
I did watch it. Barriers to exit is an industry term. I do not find it offensive. My take- She is selling a membership that allows those who sign up more engagements with the team. For those of us who like that it is a good thing. My kids loved playing on the field with the Dynamo coaches. You and I, as adults, want a more determined owner and investment. I get it, you're not wrong but people have different motivations. I just don't think she is a bad person or views fans as gullible. Again, industry event, the vocab might be inflammatory but the context cools that down. In my opinion.
Look, I get your point. I can't provide ample evidence, but I'm not walking away from the club. All I can do is believe. Again, I don't think anyone is trying to lose. MLS is an up and down league. I highly doubt Brenner is purposely underfunding the team but it is a business. Brenner is rich, but not crazy billionaire rich. Most folks who earn that kind of money aren't stupid when it comes to business. He is not going to sell during an expansion period, hell I wouldn't. My customer service experience has been top notch. From my first game to my last. Before I was a STH to trying to find tix for a game, the Dynamo reps have been helpful. I can't knock them for the team performance.
So -- I agree with you on the concept of creating more value and benefits for being a member. I can't agree with you on your liking the concepts of requiring payments for a season over 6 months before the season starts and of punishing people who don't renew. I like carrots. Win people back by making your product and benefits good. I don't think a sports team should be using sticks on their fans. Many other MLS teams have "memberships" rather than season tickets. Many are also focusing on improved benefits and doing all the good parts that the Dynamo are talking about. I cannot find one other team changing the renewal/payment timing like the Dynamo are. Here is where they are headed: Make you commit and start paying in July before they have missed the playoffs. Deny playoff ticket availability to anyone who has not renewed. If you try to change your mind your payments for next year are non-refundable -- so you stick around another year. That is what you like?
It’s hard to believe when you are consistently near the bottom in MLS in salary. Brener has never spent anywhere near the league average or median
I'm not walking away from the club. I'm forever Orange. But I will push for better both on the field and from management.
I hear you man, I truly do. Every time they lose my heart breaks. But why would he want to lose? Honestly, I want to win a Cup more than you can imagine. I doubt he doesn't want that. We don't know the financials, we don't see the books. It maybe selfish of him, but if you owned a team in a league that was expanding, would you sell?
Forever Orange is all I need to hear. I bleed it now. And, as a guy who never cared about soccer just a little more than a year ago. I should be proof of the power of the game. The attraction, the the thrills! My God I love it! When that ball finds the back of the net, well let's just say I get it. We are down, true. But we will shall rise again my friend. Keep the faith!