nfltickets.com a scam?

[jdoggivjc]

http://denver.cbslocal.com/2017/04/30/denver-broncos-season-tickets-revoked/

Basically in the linked story, several people who bought season tickets sold all of the tickets online, and when the team found out they revoked the right to renew the season tickets. Sucks for the guy in the story, because if his story is true, he had a lot of extenuating circumstances that prevented him from going to games.

Sounds reasonable, right?

Well, this was discussed during the Detroit drive home time radio show last night. It seems similar things have happened to Lions fans - except fans were banned from renewing their tickets because they sold a week or two worth of their season tickets. When they called in to appeal - assuming they were actually able to get ahold of someone, stayed on the call being transferred several different times, or bothered calling back, Lions reps said they had been red flagged for being a ticket broker because they sold their tickets on nfltickets.com, even if they only did it once or twice, and that breaks their rules and they won't be allowed to renew their tickets. Oh - and "no showing" isn't the answe, either - another caller did that several times and had his tickets revoked. The justification? YOU bought the tickets, we expect YOU to show up for the games. Someone else called in and said the same thing is also happening in Green Bay, so it's likely it's happening everywhere.

So basically you cannot watch an NFL game, whether on TV or in person, without being force fed ads by the NFL for nfltickets.com. Then a fan and goes and sells a couple of tickets for games (s)he cannot attend. Then the teams get a report of who used the NFL's service to sell tickets, flags them for being a ticket broker, then bans them from renewing their tickets. Classy.

And people wonder why Roger Goodell is as hated as he is and the NFL is quickly becoming one of the most reviled pro sports leagues.

 

[MrTippet]

I have Vikings Tickets and had to buy a seat license so I'd like to see them try to pull that on me. I did sell a few of my seats last year but they were on the officially allowed NFL ticket exchange (mainly because it's super easy to setup even if it has high fees). My guess is they are trying to strong arm people into using NFL Ticket Exchange (Ticket Master). Wouldn't be surprised if Ticket Master was actually behind this or pressuring the teams.

 

[stormchaser2014]

I have Vikings Tickets and had to buy a seat license so I'd like to see them try to pull that on me. I did sell a few of my seats last year but they were on the officially allowed NFL ticket exchange (mainly because it's super easy to setup even if it has high fees). My guess is they are trying to strong arm people into using NFL Ticket Exchange (Ticket Master). Wouldn't be surprised if Ticket Master was actually behind this or pressuring the teams.

That's a scam right there.

 

[ArgentCy]

More evidence that football and sports hit there peak with the economy. These teams are acting extremely arrogantly and will suffer the consequences. Do they think they have a never ending waiting list for season tickets?

 

[3GenClone]

I have Vikings Tickets and had to buy a seat license so I'd like to see them try to pull that on me. I did sell a few of my seats last year but they were on the officially allowed NFL ticket exchange (mainly because it's super easy to setup even if it has high fees). My guess is they are trying to strong arm people into using NFL Ticket Exchange (Ticket Master). Wouldn't be surprised if Ticket Master was actually behind this or pressuring the teams.

This would be my guess, as they make 10 or 15% commission on every ticket sold through "NFL Ticket Exchange" and I'm sure the NFL gets a decent portion of that. Double-dipping on ticket sales.

2. Is there a commission when selling my tickets? If so, how much?
It is completely free to list tickets for sale! NFL Ticket Exchange by Ticketmaster receives a commission on the total ticket sale. The commission amount will be either 10% or 15%. At the time of listing your tickets for sale, you will be notified of the exact commission value prior to the posting of your tickets. No charges will be incurred unless and until a sale is made. Your payment will reflect the deducted commission amount. Be sure to keep this in mind when pricing your tickets at a specific price. This commission is subject to change at any time.

 

[madguy30]

More evidence that football and sports hit there peak with the economy. These teams are acting extremely arrogantly and will suffer the consequences. Do they think they have a never ending waiting list for season tickets?

Add in that watching on a big HD TV in the comfort of home is much easier than what can literally be a day's commitment just to attend a sporting event.

 

[SCyclone]

More evidence that football and sports hit there peak with the economy. These teams are acting extremely arrogantly and will suffer the consequences. Do they think they have a never ending waiting list for season tickets?

My name is on the waiting list for Green Bay Packer season tickets. As of last year, there are only 55,000+ names ahead of me.

 

[CtownCyclone]

More evidence that football and sports hit there peak with the economy. These teams are acting extremely arrogantly and will suffer the consequences. Do they think they have a never ending waiting list for season tickets?

Apparently there's a list 75,000 names long waiting for Broncos tickets.

 

[Sigmapolis]

Apparently there's a list 75,000 names long waiting for Broncos tickets.

I have never understood why teams do this.

Increases prices until there is no longer a waiting list.

 

[jdoggivjc]

I have Vikings Tickets and had to buy a seat license so I'd like to see them try to pull that on me. I did sell a few of my seats last year but they were on the officially allowed NFL ticket exchange (mainly because it's super easy to setup even if it has high fees). My guess is they are trying to strong arm people into using NFL Ticket Exchange (Ticket Master). Wouldn't be surprised if Ticket Master was actually behind this or pressuring the teams.

Except, as I stated, fans are getting banned for selling their tickets on NFL ticket exchange (that's what I meant to call it but I goofed). How does the NFL tell season ticket holders to sell tickets they can't use on their site, only for the teams to use this against the fans and ban them from renewing their season tickets?

 

[VeloClone]

I have never understood why teams do this.

Increases prices until there is no longer a waiting list.

Those prices may end up being quite high to weed out a 55,000 or 75,000 name list. There would likely be a huge PR and political price to pay for that.

From a PR perspective fans who are priced - especially drastically priced - out of holding tickets or even buying a single game ticket are often a little salty and can swear off a team. There is a lot of money in television rights and team logo gear. It takes fans willing to watch and spend to continue to make that money.

There are often referenda to help build new or replacement stadia. Often politicians are asked to vote for helping fund a stadium. They already get a lot of pressure not to because of "billionaire owners" and "millionaire players". The only thing they can hang their hat on is the ability of "everyman" to go see a game once in a while. If they jack the price so high that a case can't even be made for that they will have a lot less cooperation on trying to build a stadium ever again.

On top of that there is a bit of marketing from a few different angles in the waiting list. A waiting list is a way of building the brand of a team. Having a waiting list builds excitement and attracts bandwagon fans. In addition a lot of people like the idea of having season tickets but are a little more reluctant when it comes time to actually pull the trigger. With a waiting list even if the team has been suffering through a decade long drought people whose name come up really have to think hard about turning them down since there is no telling how long before they will get the opportunity again. It is an effective tool for keeping the stadium sold out even when the team sucks.

 

[Sigmapolis]

Those prices may end up being quite high to weed out a 55,000 or 75,000 name list. There would likely be a huge PR and political price to pay for that.

From a PR perspective fans who are priced - especially drastically priced - out of holding tickets or even buying a single game ticket are often a little salty and can swear off a team. There is a lot of money in television rights and team logo gear. It takes fans willing to watch and spend to continue to make that money.

There are often referenda to help build new or replacement stadia. Often politicians are asked to vote for helping fund a stadium. They already get a lot of pressure not to because of "billionaire owners" and "millionaire players". The only thing they can hang their hat on is the ability of "everyman" to go see a game once in a while. If they jack the price so high that a case can't even be made for that they will have a lot less cooperation on trying to build a stadium ever again.

You make the stadium experience sound like a "loss leader" or like advertising for the television project and memorabilia. Kind of like how the print version of Playboy was losing money but served as advertisement for their brand and licensing.

If your concern is the "every man" who brings eyeballs to the television and buys jerseys and votes, why not do something like this...

-- no more stadiums, make it a pure television sport
-- this is already priced out well beyond the range of John Q. Public anyways
-- no more $2.0 billion facilities and public relations or political nightmares
-- no more security worries or operational costs, as well
-- use the controlled environment to give the best TV experience possible

= PROFIT

If there was a sport that was made just to be on television, this is it.

 

[stormchaser2014]

Apparently there's a list 75,000 names long waiting for Broncos tickets.

Packers waiting list is like 30 years.

 

[VeloClone]

You make the stadium experience sound like a "loss leader" or like advertising for the television project and memorabilia. Kind of like how the print version of Playboy was losing money but served as advertisement for their brand and licensing.

If your concern is the "every man" who brings eyeballs to the television and buys jerseys and votes, why not do something like this...

-- no more stadiums, make it a pure television sport
-- this is already priced out well beyond the range of John Q. Public anyways
-- no more $2.0 billion facilities and public relations or political nightmares
-- no more security worries or operational costs, as well
-- use the controlled environment to give the best TV experience possible

= PROFIT

If there was a sport that was made just to be on television, this is it.

Loss leader? Which team is losing money by selling out their stadium at the current ticket prices?

I'm not concerned about "every man" at all. You asked why owners do this.

Hey, you can gouge the **** out of people when you are doing well, but it will ultimately bite you in the ass when it isn't going so well for you. With the draft in pro sports every team in the end will have their day at the bottom. The economics are huge but only part of the equation.

You have an interesting idea. I believe the stadium experience is part of what keeps the rabid fan rabid, though. They get recharged by a live game even if they only go to one a season or one every few years. It is easier to get caught up in a game at home if you can remember the experience of watching that team live.