Fans being priced out a problem everywhere

[Flipside]

early 80s, a great friend used to sleep out multiple nights at some place in Manchester CT, for our concert tickets at the HCC (Rolling Stones, Prince, the list goes on). I'd bring him food & drink 2-3x/day. Tickets were cheap, but the barrier to entry for primo events was exorbitant.

These days, with a connected device and a bit of patience, one can rise above the noise around ticket prices. No matter the event, prices dip on game day. If you can get to the stadium, you will get in, often at or below face value. This applies to Final Fours too, been the last 3 years.

One egregious example: after we lost in the Big East last year, in a deep state of depression, changed my ticket home to FL, and made a pit stop in Charlotte.

Here's what tickets cost on game day.

 

[beerfan]

I am a semi-major donor. This is why I started this thread. Even donating at an astronomical level, I feel I am being priced out. I got invited to an away trip to a football game, and at a pre-dinner, I was at a table with a Coke rep who had never been to a football game and really was not interested in going and just wanted to check out the college town. e

I get it, welcome to the new college athletics. perhaps now I can retire somewhere warm and not have to complain about staying here for baskeball like my mother did.

 

[dog bone]

I had a forever fixed price cell phone plan with TMobile. Guess what? Lying and cheating has become tolerated and acceptable across the board.

But Billy Bob Thornton says TMobile served up a helping of wupass and TMobile now has the best network

 

[superjohn]

Prices didn't go up over 300% because of the market. Businesses have simply gotten much better at manipulating it.

(You could argue that manipulating the market is part of the market, but for the purposes of this discussion it would be disingenuous to act like these events are priced in the same way they were 30 years ago. It'd be like if a handful of people started hoarding all the tomatoes at the grocery store so they could re-sell them; technically, the market is getting more expensive, but in reality it's just an elaborate con to artificially inflate the price and extort people who don't know what life is without tomatoes. Same BS that every business gets away with nowadays because of our attachment to "capitalism.")

The market is what people will pay and people are willing to pay a tremendous amount to attend sporting events and concerts. It's considered a luxury and shouldn't be compared to grocery store prices, everyone needs to eat.

 

[mussels]

I became enraged when the cost of a Knicks ticket went up to $7.50. Haven’t been since.

My understanding is that they cost a lot more now despite my absence. We can only do what we can.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

The silver lining is that I can now watch a 4K broadcast on my 75” TV. The difference in experience between live and at home now is MONUMENTALLY less than what it used to be.

 

[thekollieman]

The silver lining is that I can now watch a 4K broadcast on my 75” TV. The difference in experience between live and at home now is MONUMENTALLY less than what it used to be.

To me the advantages of a live game are 1) the energy of the crowd and 2) sharing an experience with a friend or whomever you go with. Those are great, but strictly as a fan viewing the game, TV beats live from any seat in any venue.

 

[Hoophound]

To me the advantages of a live game are 1) the energy of the crowd and 2) sharing an experience with a friend or whomever you go with. Those are great, but strictly as a fan viewing the game, TV beats live from any seat in any venue.

Yeah, it’s really the whole thing. Lunch and drinks before, going out after etc. The event is only half of it. I really enjoyed game days with my friends, especially in my 20’s. We had a lot of great days built around games.

Now, I’m not sure why people over 40 would even want to pay big bucks for seats. I only want to do it once in a while and that’s only to let one of my kids experience it or because I miss campus or something. I find football games to be a better in person event anyway. That was especially true when we were good. Basketball on a cold winter night isn’t all that to me anymore. I like TV for it. I’m glad people are filling the building though.

 

[thekollieman]

Yeah, it’s really the whole thing. Lunch and drinks before, going out after etc. The event is only half of it. I really enjoyed game days with my friends, especially in my 20’s. We had a lot of great days built around games.

Now, I’m not sure why people over 40 would even want to pay big bucks for seats. I only want to do it once in a while and that’s only to let one of my kids experience it or because I miss campus or something. I find football games to be a better in person event anyway. That was especially true when we were good. Basketball on a cold winter night isn’t all that to me anymore. I like TV for it. I’m glad people are filling the building though.

For sure. I coached middle school basketball and managed to parlay that into a nice deal on a block of tickets as a field trip for the team. That was priceless (although each kid had to pay like $30, so not literally). Other than something like that or going with my mom or someone else who I share a UConn bball bond with to a game, at this point I’d prefer to watch from home and not have to drive an hour each way lol.

 

[LIUCHusky]

Yeah, it’s really the whole thing. Lunch and drinks before, going out after etc. The event is only half of it. I really enjoyed game days with my friends, especially in my 20’s. We had a lot of great days built around games.

Now, I’m not sure why people over 40 would even want to pay big bucks for seats. I only want to do it once in a while and that’s only to let one of my kids experience it or because I miss campus or something. I find football games to be a better in person event anyway. That was especially true when we were good. Basketball on a cold winter night isn’t all that to me anymore. I like TV for it. I’m glad people are filling the building though.

As a season ticket holder for close to 60 years I hope to never lose the desire to see UConn games in person.

 

[ucp990411]

So long as Rick Barnes doesn't reach the Final 4 while coaching in Knoxville, I've got no complaints about Tennessee basketball.

Seems like you don’t have to worry about that

 

[Flipside]

... TV beats live from any seat in any venue.

depends on the arena, imho ... case in point MSG, check out the Chase Bridge (again, on game day when tickets usually can be had a pennies on the dollar) Madison Square Garden Chase Bridges - RateYourSeats.com

 

[rrskyjf]

With every team being able to pay players, you can't get Chris Mills for a thousand bucks any more. Yes, I know it was Kentucky who paid Mills. But he is a great indicator of player inflation.

Kentucky never paid Mills. Was a complete setup by a UCLA booster. How does a sealed Fed Ex envelope with cash just suddenly open up at the correct time?

 

[superjohn]

The silver lining is that I can now watch a 4K broadcast on my 75” TV. The difference in experience between live and at home now is MONUMENTALLY less than what it used to be.

Generally agree but it depends on the sport. If I lived in Connecticut I would probably get season tickets for men's basketball because I love the program so much and there's not much going on in Connecticut in the winter. I would also go to every Big East tournament, it's about as good as it gets in live sports. I only go to UConn vs. DePaul now and will make a trip to Milwaukee or hopefully Indy to see them play at Hinkle. Also praying for the Huskies to make the final four in Indy this season.

I like going to around 8-10 mlb games a season between the Cubs and White Sox because being at the ballpark and having a couple beers outside is always a good time when it's not sweltering and then we go out after. It's the one sport where I really enjoy being there but I watch very little of the game. Haven't even been to a single game this season though, have a couple Cubs games locked in for September but that's it.

NFL games in person stink as far as I'm concerned and I would never pay what they charge for them. Only times I've gone are when they're free and I would still rather watch at home or at a bar.

I used to go to a fair amount of regular season Bulls games when they were good but NBA regular season is only good if you're close to the action and I would never pay the prices now. Playoffs are too much money for me and the playoffs are a foreign concept to the Bulls these days anyways. I'm probably done going to any NBA games.

NHL and International Soccer are much better in person and I would pay a good amount to watch them even though I don't follow the sports.

I also remember tennis being awesome in person but those memories are from when I was a kid and went to the US Open early rounds, New Haven tennis center, indoor at the Civic Center and some qualifier events.

Big time college football is great in person for the pageantry/spectacle of it all but actually watching the game is better on TV, IMO. I've seen some good ones but not really hankering to do it again.

I've been to golf at Traveler's and Medinah but it was a lot of walking/jogging around and then being stuck in a mass of people with nowhere to go. I don't even like golf so I was wondering what I was doing there.

 

[thekollieman]

I

depends on the arena, imho ... case in point MSG, check out the Chase Bridge (again, on game day when tickets usually can be had a pennies on the dollar) Madison Square Garden Chase Bridges - RateYourSeats.com

View attachment 110933
View attachment 110934

I’m not saying that doesn’t seem like a sweet experience, but it does appear as if you need to lean over a plate of glass to get something approximating a broadcast view.

 

[Flipside]

I

I’m not saying that doesn’t seem like a sweet experience, but it does appear as if you need to lean over a plate of glass to get something approximating a broadcast view.

Here's a better pic

 

[thekollieman]

Here's a better pic

View attachment 110935

Hard to argue with that.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

Generally agree but it depends on the sport. If I lived in Connecticut I would probably get season tickets for men's basketball because I love the program so much and there's not much going on in Connecticut in the winter. I would also go to every Big East tournament, it's about as good as it gets in live sports. I only go to UConn vs. DePaul now and will make a trip to Milwaukee or hopefully Indy to see them play at Hinkle. Also praying for the Huskies to make the final four in Indy this season.

I like going to around 8-10 mlb games a season between the Cubs and White Sox because being at the ballpark and having a couple beers outside is always a good time when it's not sweltering and then we go out after. It's the one sport where I really enjoy being there but I watch very little of the game. Haven't even been to a single game this season though, have a couple Cubs games locked in for September but that's it.

NFL games in person stink as far as I'm concerned and I would never pay what they charge for them. Only times I've gone are when they're free and I would still rather watch at home or at a bar.

I used to go to a fair amount of regular season Bulls games when they were good but NBA regular season is only good if you're close to the action and I would never pay the prices now. Playoffs are too much money for me and the playoffs are a foreign concept to the Bulls these days anyways. I'm probably done going to any NBA games.

NHL and International Soccer are much better in person and I would pay a good amount to watch them even though I don't follow the sports.

I also remember tennis being awesome in person but those memories are from when I was a kid and went to the US Open early rounds, New Haven tennis center, indoor at the Civic Center and some qualifier events.

Big time college football is great in person for the pageantry/spectacle of it all but actually watching the game is better on TV, IMO. I've seen some good ones but not really hankering to do it again.

I've been to golf at Traveler's and Medinah but it was a lot of walking/jogging around and then being stuck in a mass of people with nowhere to go. I don't even like golf so I was wondering what I was doing there.

Just to be clear, I’m not saying sports are better on TV than in person, just that the dropoff is far less than it’s ever been.

 

[champs99and04]

The market is what people will pay and people are willing to pay a tremendous amount to attend sporting events and concerts. It's considered a luxury and shouldn't be compared to grocery store prices, everyone needs to eat.

Yes, but markets can vary significantly based on restrictions and regulations. There currently are none in the sports ticketing business. Whether there should be, I don't know.

But even if you discard the food analogy, my point is that the market for sports or concert tickets isn't really comparable to any other market because in every other market, there are no restrictions on how many people can consume the product. If everyone decides they want a pair of Levi's jeans, the company simply makes more of them. With a venue like Fenway or MSG, there is a finite number of people that can consume a given event.

It's the pricing structure that's changed. Whereas in previous generations, die-hard fans could camp out for hours or even days at a time to secure tickets, they're now reduced to refreshing the page every 15 seconds to compete with bots and ticket brokers looking to make a quick buck. And once those kinds of things begin to infiltrate the process, it's no longer an accurate reflection of basic supply and demand IMO.

 

[ConnZag3]

Yes, but markets can vary significantly based on restrictions and regulations. There currently are none in the sports ticketing business. Whether there should be, I don't know.

But even if you discard the food analogy, my point is that the market for sports or concert tickets isn't really comparable to any other market because in every other market, there are no restrictions on how many people can consume the product. If everyone decides they want a pair of Levi's jeans, the company simply makes more of them. With a venue like Fenway or MSG, there is a finite number of people that can consume a given event.

It's the pricing structure that's changed. Whereas in previous generations, die-hard fans could camp out for hours or even days at a time to secure tickets, they're now reduced to refreshing the page every 15 seconds to compete with bots and ticket brokers looking to make a quick buck. And once those kinds of things begin to infiltrate the process, it's no longer an accurate reflection of basic supply and demand IMO.

The last paragraph here is spot on. Tickets these days are both too scarce and too available at the same time. There's basically only 1 source still for an official ticket at a given "face value", but unless you buy tickets regularly across different leagues, sports, and cities, it's nearly impossible to keep track if the official tickets are through Ticketmaster or Paciolan or Seatgeek or some other new sites that seemingly pops up at random. The volume of third-party resellers these days means there's almost always a ticket available for a given game, it's just a matter of what value someone places on that ticket.

For someone like me who travels regularly out of state for games, I have to be more willing to pay a face value price to secure a ticket to a game that serves as the main reason I'd be traveling somewhere to know I have a ticket at a price I'm comfortable with and not speculate on the secondary market. For others who live locally to their favorite team and can drive 20 minutes or take a 30 minute train ride to scalp or hang out at the venue until the game is nearly starting to watch secondary prices drop dramatically, their acceptable price is probably much lower.

I completely agree that ticket prices are crazy these days, but unfortunately there's plenty of people (myself included) willing to still pay the asking prices for the games I want to attend.

 

[Flipside]

Just to be clear, I’m not saying sports are better on TV than in person, just that the dropoff is far less than it’s even been.

to me, games are much better on TV (commentary, replays, etc.)

I go to the games for the friend meetups and surprise reunions ... e.g. Boston 2024, bumped in to a childhood friend (not seen in decades) and his wife during the pregame party ... arranged to meetup during halftime - we were having such a great time catching up out at a concourse bar, we missed 1/2 of the 30-0 second half run, ha

 

[Flipside]

I am a semi-major donor ...

If no one has said it before, thank you for supporing the program, it takes a village

 

[Viet Vet]

The market is what people will pay and people are willing to pay a tremendous amount to attend sporting events and concerts. It's considered a luxury and shouldn't be compared to grocery store prices, everyone needs to eat.

Bingo! Too many people conflate “wants” and “needs”.

 

[mjmoney23]

This started maybe 10 years or so ago when ticketmaster created "platinum" seats which are seats from the box office as resale prices. It did not seem as egregious at the time as they were there but it wasn't many. Also around this time, dynamic pricing became a thing and that raised prices significantly putting face value from the box office closer to resale prices. They would lower if the event wasnt selling, as i have seen first hand with concert and WWE tickets. From here it has morphed to in some cases sections being labeled as platinum from the on-sale. Comparing Husky home game tickets to other sports and events is a bit difficult as the model is completely different, but the big picture os the same as they also coat more than before. The sticking point is that the prices have gone up a lot, but if you have season tickets you do not need to deal with the platinum nonsense as you do for other events. The game in Boston will be interesting in terms of how many seats are sold. I find the get in price of $103 to be too high. Last year vs Gonzaga at MSG, we were in for under $100 a ticket, that is the barometer I am using. I can see a promotion closer to game time with those prices to move seats.

The big takeaways from ticket sales I think are pretty clear cut:
-Many concerts and sporting event tickets were actually being sold for less than they commanded previously. This goes back to the point someone made earlier about waiting to camp out for tickets the day before they went on sale. Those tickets could be resold for multiple times face value in many instances showing the promoter left alot of meat on the bone in terms of the box office price. Ticketmaster wised up and adjusted accordingly. Smart business, awful for the consumer.
-Since 2020-2021, people seem more eager to go to events. To me that level of engagement has not dropped back to pre-2020 levels, thus keeping prices up.
-One segment I look at is WWE for tickets. They traditionally were a great value for a family to go to, outside of major shows which would be expected to me more expensive. The prices for a seat now are more in line with concerts. You may get lucky and get a deal closer to the event, but overall you are paying a lot more. Wrestling is unique as it's a cyclical business and business is hot at the moment. We will see when the business has a cooling off period how tickets move.

Can we also talk about the ridiculous consession prices? The worst 2 venues for a beer are Gampel and the what, $12 or $14, 16 oz Miller Lites? This was outdone by the Meadows where 2 beers was $43 with tax. Then again, there were folks with lines of cans under their seats so price meets demand.

 

[NJHusky]

to me, games are much better on TV (commentary, replays, etc.)

I go to the games for the friend meetups and surprise reunions ... e.g. Boston 2024, bumped in to a childhood friend (not seen in decades) and his wife during the pregame party ... arranged to meetup during halftime - we were having such a great time catching up out at a concourse bar, we missed 1/2 of the 30-0 second half run, ha

So it’s your fault we didn’t best Flórida last year. You need to be sure to drink with your buddy at all future Ncaa games to sustain those scoring streaks !!