TCS: Of Freddy and Scalpers

In reality, even if they did get, say, 30K and opened up the upper bowl for the overspill, it would still look 'empty' up there. Still, I agree that if they sold all 26K tickets a week before the game they should open up the upper bowl, more to avoid the PR issues with having to turn people away than anything else.

However, this issue may well be moot, since according to a post on this thread https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=100269&page=2, DC had 'almost' sold half the 26K capacity as of today. If true, I doubt they will sell out before gameday, if at all.

 

Folks, this misses the point (the idea of "sell out" and then open up the upper deck). A substantial portion of DCU fans are "fair weather" fans. They wait to see what the weather is like, if they feel like coming to a match and then they waltz up minutes before kickoff and buy a ticket.

I want people turned away from games this year. Yes, MLS can use money. But turning away 500 people per match (and it wouldn't be that many except for maybe the first match or so and even this assumes sellouts for every game) would do a couple of things.

1. It would be a news story. And more than some extra tickets in a specific market, MLS needs news coverage.
2. Everyone would know you need to get season tickets ahead of time--or you don't get in. This would be a huge cultural change for most of our fans. Even if it just meant getting to games 2 hours early to be sure of getting tickets, imagine what that would be like. A full parking lot 2 hours before the game. 15K in the stadium 45 minutes before the game. You think songs and chants might break out? You think RFK has atmosphere now, you'd be blown out of your mind if there were a couple thousand chanting and singing maniacs 45 minutes before game time in the stadium. People would talk about how the Skins fans were passive, brie-eaters next to us.
3. It would make DCU tickets a "hot" ticket and big event. Radio stations don't bother giving this suckers away as prizes right now b/c anyone can one. This policy would change that. You'd feel special b/c you had tickets. You could taunt and boast about how "you saw this (sellouts) coming" and had the foresight to get tickets.
4. It would MAKE money for DCU and the league. News of fans turned away at DCU matches would increase interest in our away games (and the league would sell more tickets that way). DCU season or advance ticket sales means much more money for DCU (and sooner access to that money). It increases also sorts of additional revenue (b/c advertisers and promotions have a guarantee of the audience size and will pay more for access to those fans, etc.). Advertising revenue (which is minimal) would go up.
5. There is (IMHO) no negative to turning fans away. How many monday morning water cooler discussions do you hear about DCU? Well, if someone was turned away, you'd hear more of them. Even compliants are better than nothing (the old Oscar Wilde line of: "The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about").

Remember, this is not about total ticket sales or total ticket revenue. This is about being perceived as a "hot" ticket. TCS and Palace had an outstanding point. Think back to opening season MLS attendance numbers. LA and Metros had huge numbers. If all MLS teams had been playing in 20K stadiums, probably half would have been turning away fans (and really encouraging the others to buy season tickets). MLS would be a very different story today if that is how it had started.

 

Good point JoeW. I read that article and I agree with TCS and Palace. Too bad DCU doesn't have a SSS. This would be the prefect time for a SSS (Just think of the atmosphere for a game like this in a pack stadium, DAMN). I don't have a specific team yet but I'm a huge soccer fan. I usually watch a game here and there in the past but I really got into MLS at the end of last season, Now I'm a fan for life. Can't wait for the season to start. good luck to DCU.


Lets' GO MLS (all the way to top)