Pick a good game, sell out the stadium. Its the same idea as selling crack, give em a taste of it.. and they'll come back for more! Of course $1 tickets...and $10 parking has its own issues. ---- Blue Jays Sell Out After Offering $1 Tix Tue Apr 29, 4:23 PM ET TORONTO - The Blue Jays sold out Tuesday night's game against the Texas Rangers (news) after offering $1 tickets in an effort to show Toronto remains vibrant despite SARS (news - web sites). The sellout was announced before the World Health Organization (news - web sites) lifted its warning against nonessential travel to Toronto, saying it was satisfied with local measures to stop the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome. The Blue Jays' parent company, Rogers Communications Inc., said it wants to "bring the community together at SkyDome ... to show its support for the city of Toronto." The tickets sold for $1 Canadian, which is worth 69 cents in U.S. currency. Fans bought tickets at a rate of about 2,000 an hour and SkyDome was sold out late Monday night. About 34,000 tickets were bought for the reduced price. The 16,000 fans who paid full price will be able to buy a $1 ticket for a later game. With the average Blue Jays ticket about $14 in American dollars, the move is costing Rogers roughly $484,000. The U.S. ambassador to Canada, Paul Cellucci, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch Tuesday. While some visiting players have been nervous about traveling to Toronto, fans haven't been reluctant. For their three-game series against Kansas City, the Blue Jays drew 16,417 spectators Friday, 17,197 on Saturday and 17,059 on Sunday, their second-, third- and fourth-biggest crowds this season. Blue Jays president Paul Godfrey estimated SARS already has cost the club the sale of 10,000 tickets and said inquiries for group sales have dropped substantially.
Except how much money would they lose on the GS rental fee, and how many more games would they have to make up the loss? The Blue Jays own SkyDome and play 81 games a year in it. The Metros rent GS and play 15 games a year. BTW, the Expos did this last year in Montreal ($2 tickets, I think) and didn't come close to selling out the stadium. The Metros might get 40k if they were lucky.
About the same as the money they lost hosting the Metros VS Rhinos game a month ago... and that was for the 2000+ season ticket holders only. If they had spent that money on a $1/tix game at least they would have gotten some press, and more than 2000 people (who already had become season ticket holders and fans).
I might be mistaken, but I don't believe the Metros were charged for rent for that match so there was no loss for them. Knowing how well the Metros market their team, this could backfire if they don't draw well to a "$1 game".
having gimmicks like $1 tickets i think shows that a team is deperate to get people to come to games. sure it would great if more people were coming, but would it be worth it? would it sell out? would it get more people to support the metrostars? i think the good would be outweighed by the bad.
I don't think it would sell out. I don't think it's a bad idea, but the Blue Jays probably get a share of concessions and what not, which the Metro do not. So they would really be chucking money out the window, but it is a good PR stunt. Make 1 game in the middle of the year where the entire middle deck is $ 1, and see if you can sell the middle deck out. There is no way to sell out the entire stadium for just Metro soccer. The Arizona Diamond backs have 1 section at the BOB in the upper deck where all seats are $ 1. It's up in the nosebleeds and there aren't a lot of seats in that section, but it is a good way to get kids and their (low income) parents out to a game.
Another reason they were able to sell out a stadium is because they had free advertising on their hands. When the news networks find out theres $1 tickets to a game in "SARS Territory" it's big news. Its on the front page of the paper, it's one of the first stories on the news. If metro did this, they'd have the same problems they have all the time. They have no money to market with. Sure they could do that 1/4page ad in the Star-Ledger saying they have tickets for a buck, but that will only get about 45,000 fans.(my guess anyway) On top of that, they dont collect parking/concessions/they pay to rent GS. It wouldn't be worth it. They lose enough money as it is. They don't need worse. In our new stadium, if we ever had to do this, the league would be folding. If we couldn't pull in 18,000 fans on average with a new stadium, thats a problem not even $1 tickets can solve. Honestly though, not a bad idea.
I still think they should let kids in free when they come with an adult. Kind of like a 2 for 1. Cheap and fun for the whole family. I bet they'd sell more that way than with the "family 4-pack".
My opinion, It will not sell out, it will hardly have an impact in attendance figures if done without a good PR. You see they could have done this after September 11 and related somehow to the firefighters, but it would have needed the media to cover it in order to fill up the stadium. I want to ask you guys something and tell me if this is fair, and if this detracts people from buying season tix. I have 4 season tix, family of 4 at $ 30 each. Should my two kids pay the full amount, is that fair ? Discounted tix for kids,half price and senior citizens would be the way to go. That might help sell more then your one time $ 1.00 idea. Seems i'm getting punished for being a season tix holder.
Except that this marketing tactic was used ad nauseum in many NASL cities and much money was lost while determining quite conclusively that professional soccer is not like heroin or cocaine -- it's much more of an acquired taste.
i thought it was interesting that just as i was reading this thread the following email arrived in my inbox: Per your request to be notified, we are recruiting candidates for a position listed below. If you or someone you know is interested make sure you visit our website at www.MLSnet.com or at the address underneath the job and apply directly online: ======================================== Manager of Public Relations-NY/NJ METROSTARS http://mls.teamworkonline.com/teamwork/r.cfm?i=2243 ======================================== Please feel free to pass along this email to a friend. To purchase tickets online to your favorite MLS team go to http://www.mlsnet.com/teams/tickets.html. Thank you. Major League Soccer If you wish to be removed from these notifications, please go back to the MLS website, press "edit your information" and modify or delete your record. Thank you.
i didn't know they were $ 1.00 tix and major PR, all meadia outlets behind it, totaly missed it . I was there I think it was a friendly against DCU , but i'm not sure now. Thanx for your input
Please don't take this personally, soccerfan, because I don't mean it that way. But if I pay $36 to get a nice seat, everybody around me had better have spent the same to sit there. I don't like the idea that what I pay for a ticket may be subsidizing others. We all put up with enough of that nonsense in this society and, frankly, I'm tired of it. As far as the $1 idea goes, the Major League Soccer office would probably have to give the okay to do it. I don't think the league is such a situation that they would. It smacks of desperation.
riverplate I am not taking it personaly at all I been doing it for the last 7 seasons, I remember the Cosmos had different prices for kids and adults . And i agree with you that the $1.00 gimmick would be a sign of desperation.
WTF are you talking about? If you want to suggest that you are "getting punished for being a season ticket holder", it may help to cite a legitimate reason. For example, a legitimate argument along those lines would cite ways in which your children or you could get the same seats at a better price through something other than the season ticket plan. It is significantly less compelling to suggest that you are "getting punished for being a season ticket holder" because you pay $30.00 per seat for you and your family, as opposed to the great deal you would get if we lived in some fantasy world where all of the seats at GS were $1.00 each. Wouldn't it be even better if parking was free and everyone got a complimentary beverage and hot dog with their $1 ticket? Sure beats the season ticket plan. Get a grip man.
Well, at least this is an easy hypothesis to put to the test. Many Koreans came to watch the Galaxy play the MEtros -- not much better game than that, the MLS Champs. If more than half of them "get hooked" and come for the Colorado game, then it might be a good idea to charge a buck for one game, just to get people to come the first time. If none of them come back (my guess), then this is probably just a money loser.
Kevin you need to take a deep breath of fresh air and relax a bit, I was only asking a question , no need to for the F word. I give a lot of my money to the sport and the Metros, my situation was just an example not a complaint from my part, but thinking if this may dectract others from buying season tickets. You need to read my post better and not jump to conclusions. I am all for riches to the Metros and getting them high attendance numbers. This thread was how to put people in the sits the $1.00 idea, remember ?. So I asked if the fact that families with kids have to pay full price might be a deterent. OK, hope this makes it clear mate.
The Metromemberships DO come in Adult and Youth prices. Youth being 14 and younger. Checkout metrostars.com under tickets.
To clear this up too: The metros DID pay for the stadium usage for the Rhino games. There are no freebies from the NJSEA.
Yeah, Kevin--how can you not understand? They should charge people by how tall they are, preferably by the foot.
Better yet. Charge regular price but everyone gets a digital vote counter. At half time the FANS get to vote off 2 players and pick the subs...it wont sellout..but that would be cool!
We sure have some very very sensitive people on this boards, since we are talking about ideas here is what the A-league Vancuver Whitecaps are doing for their opening game As part of the Opening Night entertainment fans can arrive early, stay late and join the party! " The Fabulous Neurotics will kick things off at 5:30 PM " The Ache Brasil Carnival Parade will take to the concourse at 6:15 PM " Look up, waaaaay up at 6:45 PM to witness an AMAZING display by the BC Skydiving Demonstration Team " Burnaby's Mayor, Derek Corrigan will perform the ceremonial kickoff at 7:00pm " Then enjoy your Vancouver Whitecaps take on Canadian rival, the Calgary Storm " After the game, make sure the family stays for a post-game fireworks display http://www.whitecapsfc.com/master.html?http://www.whitecapssoccer.com/news/releases/apr30200353.htm