90 replies to this topic

[OverPowerYou]

Why are season tickets increasing? I thought terry was going to drill more oil if he needed money. Maybe he will attach $20 bills on the back of each ticket.

[X. Benedict]

More than the tix going up, I'm surprised they are putting an end to the great inter-period smoke walk.

I once told a friend once I'd step outside with him while he grabbed a smoke and I ended up in the
Sports Fan's version of the Baatan Death March. My lungs are still clearing out.

[d4rksabre]

OverPowerYou, on 25 April 2012 - 04:21 PM, said:

Why are season tickets increasing? I thought terry was going to drill more oil if he needed money. Maybe he will attach $20 bills on the back of each ticket.

Well that oil drilling money is actually going towards his private army that he'll eventually need to control the riots in the streets of Buffalo when the economy collapses. Buffalo will be the last bastion of freedom in a post apocalyptic world.

Terry run Bartertown.

X. Benedict, on 25 April 2012 - 04:21 PM, said:

More than the tix going up, I'm surprised they are putting an end to the great inter-period smoke walk.

I once told a friend once I'd step outside with him while he grabbed a smoke and I ended up in the
Sports Fan's version of the Baatan Death March. My lungs are still clearing out.

People will just have to come to Amerks games where they'll still allow it.

[Fire Lindy Ruff NOW]

i dont go to games anymore anyway.

[fan2456]

spndnchz, on 25 April 2012 - 04:04 PM, said:

I'm telling you both.  Check that little PM thingy at the top.

Now, who's got seasons and who's renewing?

By my count pretty cheap entertainment.

Got um and will renew. I went through the waiting list thing once.  I was number 2456 on list after 1975 season and didn't get them until 1981.  My son would shoot me if I gave them up.

[Arcsabresfan41]

Just got home, and I'm glad I picked this thread to start with

[Eleven]

OverPowerYou, on 25 April 2012 - 04:21 PM, said:

Why are season tickets increasing? I thought terry was going to drill more oil if he needed money. Maybe he will attach $20 bills on the back of each ticket.

I think, maybe, if you go back to the first page of the thread (and even that depends on your settings, I'm on 40 or 50 per page), you'll see the theory that the Sabs had to do it to keep in the NHL revenue-sharing range.

Even if that's the case, and it well may be, sports tix are ridiculous.  I pay $51 or so per seat, which is nutty enough (I share the seats).  Then the tix come in the mail, and they have face values of $70 - $210.  Also nuts.  And there's no way I ever can sell off seats for those numbers on nights I can't go, of course, because everyone in the world is onto the fact that face-value tix prices in the 100s are completely inflated.  When I can't go, I usually sell at a small loss.

All of that said, it's still completely crazy that tickets are so expensive.  It really is.  Think about (1) how badly we need our entertainers (not that badly!), and then think (2) about how much they are paid, and THEN, think (3) about what you pay to see them.  And I mean entertainers regardless of genre.  It really is something else.  

I'm not screwing around, here.  It's not that long ago that buying a great book and a sixer was a night of fun for $15.  It's not long ago that a date was a beer and a day at the National Zoo.  I remember being a broke 20-something so, so well.  And I don't think it's right that tix cost what they do, especially with the disparity between season tix price and face price.

I'm kind of fortunate in some ways, I can afford the increase, and I'll pay it.  But it's still BS.  If I were lucky enough to have kids, I'd be paying for music and gymnastics and soccer, instead, but I'm not that fortunate in other ways, and I have none. My many friends who do have families?  Priced out of games--even for the odd guys' night out, they're not able to get a set of four or six.  A lot of good fans are getting priced out of a lot of games.  And I don't think for a minute that the Sabres are leading the charge; they are following it.  But still, it's BS.

Wow, I've exploded all over the place on this one, no?  Anyway.  Go Sabs.  I'll be there next year.  But I'll be pissed about entertainment ticket prices, including hockey, nevertheless.

[weave]

Eleven, on 25 April 2012 - 07:49 PM, said:

I think, maybe, if you go back to the first page of the thread (and even that depends on your settings, I'm on 40 or 50 per page), you'll see the theory that the Sabs had to do it to keep in the NHL revenue-sharing range.

Even if that's the case, and it well may be, sports tix are ridiculous.  I pay $51 or so per seat, which is nutty enough (I share the seats).  Then the tix come in the mail, and they have face values of $70 - $210.  Also nuts.  And there's no way I ever can sell off seats for those numbers on nights I can't go, of course, because everyone in the world is onto the fact that face-value tix prices in the 100s are completely inflated.  When I can't go, I usually sell at a small loss.

All of that said, it's still completely crazy that tickets are so expensive.  It really is.  Think about (1) how badly we need our entertainers (not that badly!), and then think (2) about how much they are paid, and THEN, think (3) about what you pay to see them.  And I mean entertainers regardless of genre.  It really is something else.  

I'm not screwing around, here.  It's not that long ago that buying a great book and a sixer was a night of fun for $15.  It's not long ago that a date was a beer and a day at the National Zoo.  I remember being a broke 20-something so, so well.  And I don't think it's right that tix cost what they do, especially with the disparity between season tix price and face price.

I'm kind of fortunate in some ways, I can afford the increase, and I'll pay it.  But it's still BS.  If I were lucky enough to have kids, I'd be paying for music and gymnastics and soccer, instead, but I'm not that fortunate in other ways, and I have none. My many friends who do have families?  Priced out of games--even for the odd guys' night out, they're not able to get a set of four or six.  A lot of good fans are getting priced out of a lot of games.  And I don't think for a minute that the Sabres are leading the charge; they are following it.  But still, it's BS.

Wow, I've exploded all over the place on this one, no?  Anyway.  Go Sabs.  I'll be there next year.  But I'll be pissed about entertainment ticket prices, including hockey, nevertheless.

I won't go to major league sporting events because I don't get enough value out of the prices.  But really, I can't get upset about it.  It is mostly demand driven.  People still snap the tix up.  I know if I have a product in high demand I am going to charge the highest price that sells me out of my product.  Your product is priced too high only when you have unsold product.

[TrueBluePhD]

Eleven, you're definitely not wrong.  The only consolation I take is that watching games at home or a friend's house is so much better now with the advent of HD and huge TVs.  I'm a total geek and love watching things that the camera doesn't catch in sports, but for most people I think watching at home in HD is at least as good, if not better, than the entire hassle of going out anyway (think about it:  getting a driver, however far you live away, getting food, dealing with any potentially obnoxious people, etc etc etc).  I personally know some die-hards who want to go to games but just can't afford it anymore, but at the same time, I really think a lot of people would be just as happy sitting at home (this would be a very interesting research topic...wonder if any scientific studies have polled people about it?).

And honestly I find movies to be even more ridiculous, especially with things going 3D and charging more for that.  I want to go to a prime time show and it costs $20 for me and a date?  Good lord....I can just get Netflix or Blockbuster for $10 a month and watch as many movies as I want.  I can probably count on one hand the number of movies in the past 2 years I've really cared about seeing in a theater....again, HD and home theater systems change the dynamic.

[Eleven]

TrueBlue--exactly, and thanks for providing the examples for non-sports entertainment.  We pay our entertainers, and the producers of those entertainers (whether they be movie producers, team owners, band managers, whatever), WAY too much.  Are they highly skilled?  Definitely.  Amazingly skilled, in some cases.  But still, the compensation is ridiculous.

Weave, supply-and-demand, I know, I know.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

Good rant Eleven. Tickets are now a luxury, they used to be a treat.

They are raising the price 12% in their biggest margin sections. I would like to know how many of their patrons will see a 12% increase in wages this year?

[Eleven]

Ghost of Dwight Drane, on 25 April 2012 - 08:20 PM, said:

Good rant Eleven. Tickets are now a luxury, they used to be a treat.

They are raising the price 12% in their biggest margin sections. I would like to know how many of their patrons will see a 12% increase in wages this year?

Let's assume for the moment that I do see a 12% income increase next year.  

Why, if I did, would that justify a 12% increase in what I pay for any kind of entertainment, including hockey?

Edited by Eleven, 25 April 2012 - 08:26 PM.

[TrueBluePhD]

Ghost of Dwight Drane, on 25 April 2012 - 08:20 PM, said:

Good rant Eleven. Tickets are now a luxury, they used to be a treat.

They are raising the price 12% in their biggest margin sections. I would like to know how many of their patrons will see a 12% increase in wages this year?

Considering that median household income, once adjusted for inflation, has been stagnant since the 70s....I'm going to go with those who get boxes and 200-level seats, and maybe some 100-level seats.

Eleven, on 25 April 2012 - 08:26 PM, said:

Let's assume for the moment that I do see a 12% income increase next year.  

Why, if I did, would that justify a 12% increase in what I pay for any kind of entertainment, including hockey?

I guess it really depends on the person.  Some people will pay it, while I'm sure others will say to hell with it and do some work on the house, or put it towards a new car, or a vacation, or whatever.

[OverPowerYou]

Eleven, on 25 April 2012 - 07:49 PM, said:

I think, maybe, if you go back to the first page of the thread (and even that depends on your settings, I'm on 40 or 50 per page), you'll see the theory that the Sabs had to do it to keep in the NHL revenue-sharing range.

It was just an attempt at a punny joke on my part. I was semi-joking.

[Taro T]

weave, on 25 April 2012 - 07:57 PM, said:

I won't go to major league sporting events because I don't get enough value out of the prices.  But really, I can't get upset about it.  It is mostly demand driven.  People still snap the tix up.  I know if I have a product in high demand I am going to charge the highest price that sells me out of my product.  Your product is priced too high only when you have unsold product.

And the advent of StubHub and Craig's List and the like drive demand for season tix as well.  A lot of people get seasons expecting to only go to a few games and make money.  I think a lot of people find out that they don't make as much back as they expected, but that potential to make a few bucks off the game tends to raise demand that much more.

It used to be only 'scalpers' would buy the tix expecting to make money off them.  Nowadays, everybody's a scalper and they don't even have to leave the living room.

[Bmwolf21]

Eleven, on 25 April 2012 - 07:49 PM, said:

I think, maybe, if you go back to the first page of the thread (and even that depends on your settings, I'm on 40 or 50 per page), you'll see the theory that the Sabs had to do it to keep in the NHL revenue-sharing range.

Even if that's the case, and it well may be, sports tix are ridiculous.  I pay $51 or so per seat, which is nutty enough (I share the seats).  Then the tix come in the mail, and they have face values of $70 - $210.  Also nuts.  And there's no way I ever can sell off seats for those numbers on nights I can't go, of course, because everyone in the world is onto the fact that face-value tix prices in the 100s are completely inflated.  When I can't go, I usually sell at a small loss.

All of that said, it's still completely crazy that tickets are so expensive.  It really is.  Think about (1) how badly we need our entertainers (not that badly!), and then think (2) about how much they are paid, and THEN, think (3) about what you pay to see them.  And I mean entertainers regardless of genre.  It really is something else.  

I'm not screwing around, here.  It's not that long ago that buying a great book and a sixer was a night of fun for $15.  It's not long ago that a date was a beer and a day at the National Zoo.  I remember being a broke 20-something so, so well.  And I don't think it's right that tix cost what they do, especially with the disparity between season tix price and face price.

I'm kind of fortunate in some ways, I can afford the increase, and I'll pay it.  But it's still BS.  If I were lucky enough to have kids, I'd be paying for music and gymnastics and soccer, instead, but I'm not that fortunate in other ways, and I have none. My many friends who do have families?  Priced out of games--even for the odd guys' night out, they're not able to get a set of four or six.  A lot of good fans are getting priced out of a lot of games.  And I don't think for a minute that the Sabres are leading the charge; they are following it.  But still, it's BS.

Wow, I've exploded all over the place on this one, no?  Anyway.  Go Sabs.  I'll be there next year.  But I'll be pissed about entertainment ticket prices, including hockey, nevertheless.

My uncle, who grew up in Niagara Falls and now lives in Sacramento, was in town around Thanksgiving with his son and grandson.  He bought tickets on the secondary market and paid a ton of money for all three of them to go to the game against the Caps.  There is no way I could pay what he did.  I want to take my son to a Sabres game this year, but I'll have to save up and/or watch StubHub, Craigslist, etc., and try to edit SCOOP ###### up a deal at the last minute.

EDIT:  really?  another overzealous filter.

weave, on 25 April 2012 - 07:57 PM, said:

I won't go to major league sporting events because I don't get enough value out of the prices.  But really, I can't get upset about it.  It is mostly demand driven.  People still snap the tix up.  I know if I have a product in high demand I am going to charge the highest price that sells me out of my product.  Your product is priced too high only when you have unsold product.

There are a handful of AHL fans here in Cleveland who are irritated that Cleveland isn't on the short list for an NHL franchise if there is relocation or expansion.  A lot of us have tried to explain that there is no way they would get season tickets for a NHL team at anywhere near what they are paying for a season-ticket package for the Monsters.

Edited by Bmwolf21, 25 April 2012 - 09:59 PM.

[Drunkard]

I can't believe it took until X Benedict's post #42 for someone to bring up the smoking ban. Were there really that many people complaining about an outdoor smoking section at the arena? What a bunch of goddamn pussies. Were your tender pink lungs and delicate nostrils irritating by smoke for a whole 30 seconds while walking down a public sidewalk? I think the whole Chet and Muffy mantra is starting to rub off on the rest of the fans as well. No wonder the arena sounds like a library except right after goals, fights, and big hits.

[Fire Lindy Ruff NOW]

Drunkard, on 25 April 2012 - 10:09 PM, said:

I can't believe it took until X Benedict's post #42 for someone to bring up the smoking ban. Were there really that many people complaining about an outdoor smoking section at the arena? What a bunch of goddamn pussies. Were your tender pink lungs and delicate nostrils irritating by smoke for a whole 30 seconds while walking down a public sidewalk? I think the whole Chet and Muffy mantra is starting to rub off on the rest of the fans as well. No wonder the arena sounds like a library except right after goals, fights, and big hits.

GREAT POST BROTHER! i mean that really. im tired of the PG crap at sabres games.

[Eleven]

Drunkard, on 25 April 2012 - 10:09 PM, said:

I can't believe it took until X Benedict's post #42 for someone to bring up the smoking ban. Were there really that many people complaining about an outdoor smoking section at the arena? What a bunch of goddamn pussies. Were your tender pink lungs and delicate nostrils irritating by smoke for a whole 30 seconds while walking down a public sidewalk? I think the whole Chet and Muffy mantra is starting to rub off on the rest of the fans as well. No wonder the arena sounds like a library except right after goals, fights, and big hits.

It's not even a public sidewalk during the game.  It's a little corral off to the side of the Arena.  There's no way that anyone enters that area unless they are (a) smoking or (b) voluntarily accompanying a smoker.

This is stupid, too.  It protects no one except for a couple of security guards (who usually are smoking themselves).  And, of course, more people will smoke in bathrooms and stairwells as a result.  Stupid.

[inkman]

d4rksabre, on 25 April 2012 - 03:00 PM, said:

I don't talk with people who use the word 'bro'.

What if they are referring to a manssiere?

[Eleven]

inkman, on 25 April 2012 - 11:11 PM, said:

What if they are referring to a manssiere?

d4rk, he does have a point.  What, exactly, do you have against upper-body intimate menswear?

[d4rksabre]

Drunkard, on 25 April 2012 - 10:09 PM, said:

I can't believe it took until X Benedict's post #42 for someone to bring up the smoking ban. Were there really that many people complaining about an outdoor smoking section at the arena? What a bunch of goddamn pussies. Were your tender pink lungs and delicate nostrils irritating by smoke for a whole 30 seconds while walking down a public sidewalk? I think the whole Chet and Muffy mantra is starting to rub off on the rest of the fans as well. No wonder the arena sounds like a library except right after goals, fights, and big hits.

Excellent usage of Chet and Muffy stereotype. And I completely agree. Pegula has decided to take "healthy changes everything" from suggestion to demand.

Eleven, on 25 April 2012 - 11:15 PM, said:

d4rk, he does have a point.  What, exactly, do you have against upper-body intimate menswear?

You guys know full well that I am not in the target demographic for male anti-gravitational aids.

[weave]

Taro T, on 25 April 2012 - 08:54 PM, said:

And the advent of StubHub and Craig's List and the like drive demand for season tix as well.  A lot of people get seasons expecting to only go to a few games and make money.  I think a lot of people find out that they don't make as much back as they expected, but that potential to make a few bucks off the game tends to raise demand that much more.

It used to be only 'scalpers' would buy the tix expecting to make money off them.  Nowadays, everybody's a scalper and they don't even have to leave the living room.

Good point.  Services like Stub Hub have created extra demand for tix, allowing prices to go higher than they would have otherwise.

[Drunkard]

Eleven, on 25 April 2012 - 11:01 PM, said:

It's not even a public sidewalk during the game.  It's a little corral off to the side of the Arena.  There's no way that anyone enters that area unless they are (a) smoking or (b) voluntarily accompanying a smoker.

This is stupid, too.  It protects no one except for a couple of security guards (who usually are smoking themselves).  And, of course, more people will smoke in bathrooms and stairwells as a result.  Stupid.

I've been to a couple of games at HSBC while vacationing up in Buffalo but it's been a few years. I just think it's absurd when smokers were already forced to go outside to begin with. I guess smokers will have to run across the street and smoke next to the hot dog vendors or in the parking lot now.

[fan2456]

weave, on 26 April 2012 - 06:01 AM, said:

Good point.  Services like Stub Hub have created extra demand for tix, allowing prices to go higher than they would have otherwise.

Iv's sold some of my tiks on stubhub(not a lot) , and always for less than the Sabres' single game price to get them to move.  On week night games against less attractive teams I've lost money, unless I factor in my parking spot cost. I work Tuesday evenings so I am force to move those.  Still the stubhub system is linked directly to "my sabres tickets", and I am sure the Sabres can monitor ticket movement.

[weave]

fan2456, on 26 April 2012 - 07:14 AM, said:

Iv's sold some of my tiks on stubhub(not a lot) , and always for less than the Sabres' single game price to get them to move.  On week night games against less attractive teams I've lost money, unless I factor in my parking spot cost. I work Tuesday evenings so I am force to move those.  Still the stubhub system is linked directly to "my sabres tickets", and I am sure the Sabres can monitor ticket movement.

I guess where I was going with that thought was, services like stub hub have increased the size of the market for tix, thereby increasing demand.

[Spndnchz]

weave, on 26 April 2012 - 08:12 AM, said:

I guess where I was going with that thought was, services like stub hub have increased the size of the market for tix, thereby increasing demand.

They may have increased the availability of the tickets but I don't think that affects demand at all.  It's the same supply of tickets if not more supply because STH's are selling regular season games (is this why the FNC is quieter?).  That would only decrease prices for the tickets given demand stays the same.  Demand for tickets hasn't gone up that much.  When the team plays well, demand goes up, supply is always the same and prices increase in the secondary markets.  Selling a few games back in 06-07 got my season ticket price down to about $14 a game.  That wasn't the case the last few years.

[Taro T]

spndnchz, on 26 April 2012 - 08:21 AM, said:

They may have increased the availability of the tickets but I don't think that affects demand at all.  It's the same supply of tickets if not more supply because STH's are selling regular season games (is this why the FNC is quieter?).  That would only decrease prices for the tickets given demand stays the same.  Demand for tickets hasn't gone up that much.  When the team plays well, demand goes up, supply is always the same and prices increase in the secondary markets.  Selling a few games back in 06-07 got my season ticket price down to about $14 a game.  That wasn't the case the last few years.

It's more demand for seasons as people previously bought seasons only after they decided they wanted to go to all the games or had put together a group that wanted to split seasons.  People didn't buy seasons with the expectation that they'd readily and easily sell games they couldn't get to.

Now, whether people can make money off them or not, people figure they'll sell what they don't want to / can't use if they get seasons and will enjoy the perks of having seasons with reduced headaches.

And I would expect that overall demand is up slightly due to eased availability.  People that are coming in for the holidays or whatever know they can find tix online and will go to games that they wouldn't even have thought about trying to go to back when you had to go to the box office or ticketmaster to get ducats.  Every game but 1 was sold out this season.  Back in the mid-90's, if they'd've had this poor a season they might have sold out 1/2 the games.

This team got a waiting list for STH's in the summer of '06.  No matter how dreary the record has been since, that waiting list hasn't gone away.  There wasn't a waiting list in '99 after the run to the Finals.  What's the difference between then and now or better yet, then and '08?  Variable pricing and Stub Hub are the 2 that immediately spring to mind.

The Bills have had a much bigger STH base (relative to their historical STH base for comparable quality level teams) in the Stub Hub era as well.

[weehawk]

From Carolina country...

They raised our season tix this year too, but then expanded the amount of uber-cheap seats. On the side where the Canes shoot twice, tix in the upper bowl behind the net went from $13 to $17.

On the opposite side of the arena they made almost a third of the upper bowl $9.99 a ticket. While I prefer to be on the end where the home team shoots twice, I dont care that much to pay an extra $7 a ticket for the privledge. We're going with the $9.99 seats. I get a pair of full season tickets with parking for $1100 and get to pay for it interest-free over 8 months. Sure the Canes suck right now (but so do the Sabres, so I'm really unhappy). I just want to watch live NHL and I get to do it for what has to be one of the lowest prices in the league.

Fans in BUF are getting mildly raped. However, the team has no problem filling the FNC. With such a rabid fan base, the Sabres wont miss a beat if folks decide to stay home and watch on TV. Someone else will take your tix. When I had Sabres season tix in '05, I think they were about $15 a ticket. Now you cant get into the building for less than $25.

[weave]

spndnchz, on 26 April 2012 - 08:21 AM, said:

They may have increased the availability of the tickets but I don't think that affects demand at all.  It's the same supply of tickets if not more supply because STH's are selling regular season games (is this why the FNC is quieter?).  That would only decrease prices for the tickets given demand stays the same.  Demand for tickets hasn't gone up that much.  When the team plays well, demand goes up, supply is always the same and prices increase in the secondary markets.  Selling a few games back in 06-07 got my season ticket price down to about $14 a game.  That wasn't the case the last few years.

Taro T, on 26 April 2012 - 08:54 AM, said:

It's more demand for seasons as people previously bought seasons only after they decided they wanted to go to all the games or had put together a group that wanted to split seasons.  People didn't buy seasons with the expectation that they'd readily and easily sell games they couldn't get to.

Now, whether people can make money off them or not, people figure they'll sell what they don't want to / can't use if they get seasons and will enjoy the perks of having seasons with reduced headaches.

And I would expect that overall demand is up slightly due to eased availability.  People that are coming in for the holidays or whatever know they can find tix online and will go to games that they wouldn't even have thought about trying to go to back when you had to go to the box office or ticketmaster to get ducats.  Every game but 1 was sold out this season.  Back in the mid-90's, if they'd've had this poor a season they might have sold out 1/2 the games.

This team got a waiting list for STH's in the summer of '06.  No matter how dreary the record has been since, that waiting list hasn't gone away.  There wasn't a waiting list in '99 after the run to the Finals.  What's the difference between then and now or better yet, then and '08?  Variable pricing and Stub Hub are the 2 that immediately spring to mind.

The Bills have had a much bigger STH base (relative to their historical STH base for comparable quality level teams) in the Stub Hub era as well.

Taro pretty much summed it up.  Easier access to tix = increased market.  And an easier market for season tix holders to sell their "surplus" means more season tix being sold.  Stubhub and other services like it have definitely increases the market for event tickets.

[fan2456]

Taro T, on 26 April 2012 - 08:54 AM, said:

It's more demand for seasons as people previously bought seasons only after they decided they wanted to go to all the games or had put together a group that wanted to split seasons.  People didn't buy seasons with the expectation that they'd readily and easily sell games they couldn't get to.

Now, whether people can make money off them or not, people figure they'll sell what they don't want to / can't use if they get seasons and will enjoy the perks of having seasons with reduced headaches.

And I would expect that overall demand is up slightly due to eased availability.  People that are coming in for the holidays or whatever know they can find tix online and will go to games that they wouldn't even have thought about trying to go to back when you had to go to the box office or ticketmaster to get ducats.  Every game but 1 was sold out this season.  sonBack in the mid-90's, if they'd've had this poor a sea they might have sold out 1/2 the games.

This team got a waiting list for STH's in the summer of '06.  No matter how dreary the record has been since, that waiting list hasn't gone away.  There wasn't a waiting list in '99 after the run to the Finals.  What's the difference between then and now or better yet, then and '08?  Variable pricing and Stub Hub are the 2 that immediately spring to mind.

The Bills have had a much bigger STH base (relative to their historical STH base for comparable quality level teams) in the Stub Hub era as well.

Pre-lockout also.  It was tough to give aways tix at times in both those eras.  All you say here is correct.  Until there isn't a demand for the tickets, the Sabres have no inducement to hold the line.  Tom G. lowered ticket prices for a reason when he took over.  People were not going. Weave already stated supply and demand.  I like the ease of moving tix with stubhub when I can't go or a freiend doesn't want them.  There were a lot of off years since 1981 when it was tough to drum up interest. in tickets.

[Suffer_enuff]

fan2456, on 26 April 2012 - 09:55 AM, said:

Pre-lockout also.  It was tough to give aways tix at times in both those eras.  All you say here is correct.  Until there isn't a demand for the tickets, the Sabres have no inducement to hold the line.  Tom G. lowered ticket prices for a reason when he took over.  People were not going. Weave already stated supply and demand.  I like the ease of moving tix with stubhub when I can't go or a freiend doesn't want them.  There were a lot of off years since 1981 when it was tough to drum up interest. in tickets.

If the team doesn't play any better than it did this season, I think you'll see the attendance numbers drop next year.  I'd love to go to games (and I even work downtown, so I could take the train), but seats are getting pricey.  I long for the old days at the Aud - orange seats were $5.  These days, lunch costs more than that.....  

[nucci]

Fire Lindy Ruff NOW, on 25 April 2012 - 03:54 PM, said:

just standing up for myself cause this dude likes to piss people off for no reason. grow up dude.

Just ignore him.

[LTS]

spndnchz, on 25 April 2012 - 03:24 PM, said:

It's going to cost me another 2 bucks to go to a game. ######. He just wants more money to hire a decent attorney for Benson.

What's he got to do with this?



In other news.  The United States has largely become a society who is willing to pay excessively for any diversions that pull them away from their miserable lives.  There is no justification for the expense that is sporting, movies, etc. in this country.  

But.. if people want to pay it, so be it.  It's their choice.  I'm all for free market economics.

[Spndnchz]

I hear they are adding more seats to 200 level at the FNC.

[Taro T]

spndnchz, on 26 April 2012 - 02:15 PM, said:

I hear they are adding more seats to 200 level at the FNC.

Doing away with that little piece of the 100 level at the shoot twice end?

[Spndnchz]

Taro T, on 26 April 2012 - 02:18 PM, said:

Doing away with that little piece of the 100 level at the shoot twice end?

I'm not sure but seems like the only available space.

[fan2456]

Sabre Dance, on 26 April 2012 - 11:12 AM, said:

If the team doesn't play any better than it did this season, I think you'll see the attendance numbers drop next year.  I'd love to go to games (and I even work downtown, so I could take the train), but seats are getting pricey.  I long for the old days at the Aud - orange seats were $5.  These days, lunch costs more than that.....  

  Yea, we straddled center ice in 2nd row blues at aud  when we moved to crossroads arena (original name for FNC for you kids on the board)   Aud tix were high twenties, arena seats would have been in the $60's. We were looking at over 100% increase in price, as those seats were 200 level.  They offered an option to move to shoot twice end zone at price close to our aud costs.  We couldn't afford the 200's and took the end zones.  Have sinced moved as they were cramped and couldn't get used to looking thru black netting when Rigas was too cheap to change to clear.  I was told they already had black for bandits and didn't want to spend the money and I moved to a section which put me back on the side and above the netting.   My seats moved up 11+% this year to over that $60.  I guess I should be happy that it took about 17 years to get to that $60 level.  Still it's frustrating.  I have trouble not looking at Black as an outsider who doesn't know hockey or Buffalo.  He's an attorney and was not a part of player evaluation in Pitt. Yea, Pegula was great and I was happy, but he kept Regier and Ruff.  At least the Knox's brought us a team, and in three instances hired the best person available in hockey as their GM:  Imlach, Bowman and Muckler.  All won cups as coaches.  It didn't work out, but you can't fault their choice!!!!! Terry did his homework, as per his pressers, and we have Ruff and Regier who have won nothing in 15 years.  I  have little confidence in either.

Still, as per my earlier posts, I'll bite the bullet and renew.  It is my favorite sport.  Although, my patience is wearing thin..( At least if I bought Shea's season tickets, I would see a top effort every night.)



Sorry,   My chance to vent LPF!!

Edited by fan2456, 26 April 2012 - 03:36 PM.

[Taro T]

fan2456, on 26 April 2012 - 03:09 PM, said:

Yea, we straddled center ice in 2nd row blues at aud  when we moved to crossroads arena (original name for FNC for you kids on the board)   Aud tix were high twenties, arena seats would have been in the $60's. We were looking at over 100% increase in price, as those seats were 200 level.  They offered an option to move to shoot twice end zone at price close to our aud costs.  We couldn't afford the 200's and took the end zones.  Have sinced moved as they were cramped and couldn't get used to looking thru black netting when Rigas was too cheap to change to clear.  I was told they already had black for bandits and didn't want to spend the money and I moved to a section which put me back on the side and above the netting.   My seats moved up 11+% this year to over that $60.  I guess I should be happy that it took about 17 years to get to that $60 level.  Still it's frustrating.  I have trouble not looking at Black as an outsider who doesn't know hockey or Buffalo.  He's an attorney and was not a part of player evaluation in Pitt. Yea, Pegula was great and I was happy, but he kept Regier and Ruff.  At least the Knox's brought us a team, and in three instances hired the best person available in hockey as their GM:  Imlach, Bowman and Muckler.  All won cups as coaches.  It didn't work out, but you can't fault their choice!!!!! Terry did his homework, as per his pressers, and we have Ruff and Regier who have won nothing in 15 years.  I  have little confidence in either.

Still, as per my earlier posts, I'll bite the bullet and renew.  It is my favorite sport.  Although, my patience is wearing thin..( At least if I bought Shea's season tickets, I would see a top effort every night.)



Sorry,   My chance to vent LPF!!

Imlach was an excellent choice.

Bowman would have been an excellent choice as coach.  Unfortunately he was also made GM and that was the job he wanted.  He also wanted to show the world that he was smarter than everyone else while in that job - Jiri friggin' Dudacek with his 1st pick for the Sabres?!?!  I can see wasting a pick and hoping he'd eventually show up if it's a 10th rounder (heck, if you're worried someone will grab him ahead of you use your 8th rounder), but wasting a #1?!?  Are you friggin' kidding me?!?

Muckler was a reasonable choice but wasn't as good as he was expected to be.  He was awful with an unlimited budget, put together a solid team when forced to stay within a budget (and not bring in old Euler retreads) and was lucky enough to not lose Hasek when he exposed him in expansion but never would have realized what he had if Fuhr didn't get hurt.  Yes, that same Grant Fuhr that was brought in (at high cost) AFTER Dom was already on the team.

They also hired Gerry Meehan.  I'd say 2 of their 4 decisions couldn't have been faulted at the time of the decision.  (I don't include Anderson, he was just filling time until they could find somebody they wanted.)

[fan2456]

Okay, I'll respect your opinion.  How about DR?  I knew about Meehan which was a fiasco, and Anderson was interim.  That is why I said three. I would argue that Bowman was a sound choice based on credentials and organization.  He had many more credentials  than DR when he was hired.  Who did DR work under in Long Island?  I know when Darcy was there, the the cup days were long gone.  Was it that shame Milbury?  I think so. So, I still have to ask, what were Darcy's and Lindy's cup credentials when we chose to retain them?  Not trying to be argumentative, just objective

I think the Knox's were more in touch with the league when they made their choices.  Terry is a fan, like they were. He has more $.  He needs to make sound decisions.  Who was the better choice at the time than Bowman.  Believe me , I have said more than once that this was the only place that he didn't win.  And am not a big fan of his.  Still. you have to look at the other choices at that time.  Who would have been better?  The premier franchise and four consecutive cups.

As I said, none of the Knoxes choices turned out, but the three I cited came with cup credentials, not 13 years of no cups

Edited by fan2456, 26 April 2012 - 04:36 PM.