Single Game Price Hikes?

[Louisville 112]

mlive snapshots

Classy, real classy, Red Wings. Increase ticket prices because you can while spinning a supposed concession to cash-strapped fans, stick price increases to those who can't afford to put out for season-ticket packages, and quietly introduce variable, "premium" game pricing on a basis that's unknown to the single-game customer until he or she heads to Ticketmaster and finds out that they've got to shell out an extra $20-85 per ticket. Nice job.

I haven't seen this discussed much and I tried searching for any related topics. What I have seen discussed around here is about other teams adding premiums to their games because the Wings are in town. What about this team's single game increases?

This is kinda bulls***, I love my Wings but usually I can only afford to go to about one or two games a year in Detroit. I really wanted to see the Rangers in October but $35 to $95 for an upper bowl seat? So does that come with a blow job too?

Seriously though, the worst part is the Wings saying they reduced prices but only if your already dropping the hundreds or thousands for season tickets. If the Wings organization wants more suits in their building then that's what they'll get. I'm sick of being left out in the rain, just because I don't have the pocketbook to say otherwise. Not to mention, I don't live in Detroit, so even if I could afford half a season, it wouldn't make sense (nor would I have the time) to drive across the ******* state every week. I for one can't wait to hear the crickets at the Joe again, even after a Stanley Cup winning season.

Whatever, at least this poor college student has DVR now. Sorry for the ranting.

*edit*

I also wanted to add this link ....recent team practice photos if you haven't seen them.

Edited September 14, 2008 by Louisville

[maltbymaniac 13]

i feel the same way and im only 20 mins away from the joe. im counting on the 9 dollar tickets again,i just stand up at the top of the isle and im good to go.

nice pics!

Edited September 14, 2008 by maltbymaniac

[Yreland 0]

I have to agree that this is some serious BS on the wings part. I managed to get a ticket for opening night, for and extra $20 on top of the new standing room price of $30, for a grand total of $50. Then add in the "convenience" fees as well and it is costing me $60.60 just to stand at the game. The variable pricing seems to have no rhyme or reason, some weekend games are normal price and some are more expensive. We had season tix for a season and it was fun but not worth it as we live in the Kzoo area as well. With the extra perks that they have now season tix are a little better, but the Wings problems of empty seats will remain. A Stanley Cup is unfortunately not the cure they are hoping it will be.

[lfd250 1]

Where did you see $95 for upper bowl? yes ticket prices went up, did you think they weren't going to? They raised the lower bowl which most companies buy up anyway so no biggie there. They split up the 44 and 28 and made a $33. So some are cheaper and some are more expensive. Mostly a $4 increase for the tickets people can buy, not the lower bowl corp. Ahh I see how you get the $95 after ticketmaster BS.

Edited September 14, 2008 by lfd250

[Louisville 112]

Where did you see $95 for upper bowl?

I was referring to Malik's to post on Mlive, and that was referring to when the Rangers are in town. Perhaps you should actually read the link.

Ok, I'm being an a-hole sorry

Edited September 14, 2008 by Louisville

[Yreland 0]

Executive Level (Lower Bowl)

US $125.00 - US $235.00

Arena Level (Upper Bowl)

US $30.00 - US $125.00

Standing Room Only (Designated Areas)

US $50.00

This is from Ticketmaster's page for the Home Opener, where you can see that upper bowl can be as high as $125 ( for the first row). For the Rangers uppers are $95. Variable pricing can lick my taint.

[CenterIce 83]

Nevermind.

Edited September 15, 2008 by CenterIce

[Smithers 0]

50 dollars for STANDING ROOM...

******* HELL!!!

[seeinred 1,488]

It's good business. If people are gonna pay it, then they'd be stupid not to price the tickets that high.

[uk_redwing 495]

It's good business. If people are gonna pay it, then they'd be stupid not to price the tickets that high.

But people DONT pay it; hence the large numbers of empty seats at the joe for every game last season.

[seeinred 1,488]

But people DONT pay it; hence the large numbers of empty seats at the joe for every game last season.

That's why they only jack it up for certain games though.

And I'd wager a fair sum of money that they have their tickets priced to maximize revenue, not to maximize attendance.

Edited September 15, 2008 by SeeinRed

[DaKineMaui 8]

50 dollars for STANDING ROOM...

******* HELL!!!

I was gonna give a "I remember when....." thingy....but you summed it up nicely.

That's why they only jack it up for certain games though.

And I'd wager a fair sum of money that they have their tickets priced to maximize revenue, not to maximize attendance.

It could be argued that they are one, and the same. Their nut, is their nut.

If the Joe isn't filled to the rafters - do they send Johnny home? Do they send ANY employees home for the night? Maybe turn out some lights? Close some consession stands? Skip cleaning the Men's washrooms (woops - sorry). Park cars 2 to a space and lease out the rest of the spots to some other venue real quick?

It costs $X amount to display an NHL homegame to 10,000 fans at the JLA.

It costs $X amount to display an NHL homegame to 20,000 fans at the JLA.

$X is a fixed cost.

I'd like to fill up that empty seat for 5% less on the face value of a ticket and then watch the fan burn through that $100 bill he brought with him.

Toronto Blue Jays did this for one game years back......I'll look it up.

aloha

EDIT:::::::::::::::::::::

Tags. I'm it.

Edited September 15, 2008 by DaKineMaui

[Doggy 130]

As SR said, it's pretty simple. If demand outweighs supply, the prices will remain high. Why wouldn't they? It's capitalism.

If enough people stop going, ticket prices will go down, but the volume of ticket sales is more than adequate for the organisation to turn a profit every game. Empty seats or not, the sales are still there.

Edited September 15, 2008 by Doggy

[toby91_ca 620]

As someone already pointed out, they can still likely make more money selling at higher prices, even if the rink isn't full.

10 tickets at $10 each is better than selling 15 tickets $6 each. I understand that it goes beyond ticket sales (concessions, parking, etc.), but I'm sure the team's management understands this as well and takes everything into consideration before they decide what the optimal pricing is for their tickets.

You also need to consider what revenues actually end up with the team vs. some other entity.

[Opie 308]

Another factor is the opinion of an Org that is the winningest the past 20 years but can't sell out their own building.

Regardless of whether that is economy or what, that looks negative.

10 tickets at $10 = 100

15 tickets at $6 = $90 + 5 more hot dogs + 5 more beers/cokes + another car or two parking + 2 more popcorns + one more foam finger + 10 more chuck-a-pucks.

As stated yest other things go into consideration, but a half empty lower bowl at $125 a piece is not going to be made up for by charging $50 for standing room only, the tickets that are actually selling currently.

Plus then you have Minnesota selling out every night barely making it to the playoffs, while the Wings can't sell out a building any more.

[rdwngnut 0]

The Wings hired a company this summer to look at their ticket sales and pricing from a letter we received with our invoices or some other time. That is one reason they dropped some of the ticket prices and raised some tickets. I am sure they had enough reasons to do what they did. Point being, they sold out the home opener even if the prices were higher for the box office pricing. When picking games to go to, people look at the who they are playing so chances are they will sell out those games or come closer to capacity.

[Louisville 112]

I see where you guys are coming from, and where the Wings are coming from. It's just frustrating for a hardcore fan who doesn't get to see his Wings enough and to experience it with other fans.

I suppose I'm stuck with the assholes at the United Center.

[Echolalia 2,961]

How about instead of buying a $150 dollar ticket, plus $20 bucks for food, plus $20 bucks for parking, plus $10-50 bucks for gas depending on where you live, you throw it towards an HDTV, and refuse to go to a single game this year. Four or five games would just about cover the cost completely, and you would be boycotting high prices and force the Wings' into a financial loss (assuming enough people can't afford tickets or boycott), hopefully lowering prices for next year.

I can only afford one game a year, and I'm sure as hell not dishing out the extra bucks this year. I'll treat my girlfriend to a night on the town instead. I'll get more bang for my buck that way. Pun intended.