The different approach to the ticket sales between Whitecaps and Sounders

[RL RCD]

Hang tight RL.. If the Caps end up hosting LA first round, I may have a pair of tickets to offer you... at a Sicoli price of course

With all due respect, you are completely missing the point why I started this thread. Anyway, go ahead, have your fun!

If I were Whitecaps executive I'd rather try to have 50,000 in the building with average ticket price of $20 (so $1,000,000 revenue or a little bit more to cover the additional expenses for security, etc.) than 20,000 with average ticket price of $50 (obviously the same revenue). But, that is me. Obviously Whitecaps will rather create "an intimate soccer atmosphere" for 20,000 and keep the ticket prices at this current price level (or possibly even increase them).

 

[mtkb]

clearly they dont get much of a cut off the $10 beer sales...

 

[Luch]

With all due respect, you are completely missing the point why I started this thread. Anyway, go ahead, have your fun!

If I were Whitecaps executive I'd rather try to have 50,000 in the building with average ticket price of $20 (so $1,000,000 revenue or a little bit more to cover the additional expenses for security, etc.) than 20,000 with average ticket price of $50 (obviously the same revenue). But, that is me. Obviously Whitecaps will rather create "an intimate soccer atmosphere" for 20,000 and keep the ticket prices at this current price level (or possibly even increase them).

IMO, the lower bowl should only be fully open when that magic 21,000 number is "sold out" on a continuous basis for regular season matches. Open the full lower bowl for playoffs. Calling the 21,000 a sell out is "ghey". Open the upper bowl the next time the Caps host Soccer Bowl... it's been too long.

 

[utah]

I would assume that Whitecaps only rented half the building? And still had 1 million in tickets.
How much more would it of cost to rent the whole stadium and still only have 1 million in tickets??
I am sure they learned something the last time they tried to fill the stadium when Becks was here....

Not to mention advertising..

 

[akslop]

I gotta an idea to solve this problem.

Why not just build a soccer specific stadium. I know where there is a chunk of land on the water front downtown that would be perfect for it.

 

[Regs]

That would be a great idea but totally dependent on whether it seats 21K or 27K

 

[akslop]

That would be a great idea but totally dependent on whether it seats 21K or 27K

lets compromise and meet in the middle.. Bring your avatar!

 

[RL RCD]

IMO, the lower bowl should only be fully open when that magic 21,000 number is "sold out" on a continuous basis for regular season matches. Open the full lower bowl for playoffs. Calling the 21,000 a sell out is "ghey". Open the upper bowl the next time the Caps host Soccer Bowl... it's been too long.

View attachment 8999

Bobaduzzi said yesterday that Whitecaps are not opening the full lower bowl even for the playoffs so there you go with the idea to do it for playoffs.

The magic 21,000 (as you called it) is just a marketing tool for Whitecaps and a creation of an artificial demand. If they managed to have 21,000 only two or three times this year it tells me that there is no interest in this city for Whitecaps at their current price structure.

So, what is the Whitecaps goal? To be around that 21,000 number or to do something to go to 27,000 then 35,000, 45,000 and eventually 55,000. Every team in the World dreams about playing in front of the full stadium and their marketing strategy will gear toward that goal. Here in Vancouver, with Whitecaps, we have it completely upside down.

If Whitecaps had a stadium that has a capacity of 21,000 seats I really would not say a word (who can complain about Canucks and their outrageous ticket prices when there is only 18,422 seats in Rogers Arena and when there is a waiting list for season tickets that holds probably several thousand names - in this case it is simply a demand that drives the price up along with a very good team and attractive league where you can watch the best hockey players in the World).
So, again, if Whitecaps had 21,000 seat stadium, of course, the real demand would take a place and fans would have to buy season tickets to secure their seats. But, creating an artificial demand is totally disrespectful toward their fans. Toronto FC did it to their fans with the high season ticket prices and now they have some serious issues with the attendance.

 

[RL RCD]

Also, almost forgot to mention something I feel it is very important. When John Furlong was hired his first words were that he was basically hired to put people in all those seats at BC Place Stadium (and he was referring to all seats). A few months later he is literally repeating everything Bobaduzzi is saying (21,000 and the "intimate soccer atmosphere" , etc.).

Let's not forget that Whitecaps hired Paul Barber initially. Literally grabbed him from Tottenham Hotspur. We should at least agree that Barber certainly knows a lot more about the ticket sales and how to run a big soccer club than any other Whitecaps executive. Barber is gone after a year. What does that tell us? And now we have also this non-sense about keeping the number of 21,000 available seats even for the play-off!!!??? Furlong obviusly learned how to keep his job. The only question is what he is going to do to put people in all those empty seats? That is why he was hired, isn't it?

 

[STD]

This is getting silly now and I can't believe I am responding. Apparently Barber had a lot to do with the pricing of the tickets you are so unhappy with in the first place and unless they plan on rolling prices back they are stuck with those prices. When you start rolling prices back it sends a message to your sponsors that is not exactly a good one. Secondly as a season ticket holder I prefer this year when my tickets have actual value unlike last year where you could walk up a buy tickets off of scalpers for $5 for most games. If ticket sales continue to go down then they will have to adjust but if they stabilize and begin to increase they will mantain and you will see increases. We get that you are not happy with the prices then call them and tell them or don't go. It's pretty simple.

 

[Regs]

Impact introduce Nesta, reduce ticket prices - sportsnet.ca

 

[RL RCD]

Apparently Barber had a lot to do with the pricing of the tickets... We get that you are not happy with the prices then call them and tell them or don't go. It's pretty simple.

As I mentioned before, I do respect the fact that there are 20,000 people (at every game) who are basically telling me that I am wrong. I would never say that those 20,000 are making a mistake because they found a value in their season tickets which is very respectful (and the product this season is quite good). Beside that, I am a walk-in soccer fan who watches 4-5 games during the season so you cannot just tell me "Do not go!".

But, STD, I am not the only one who is upset with the fact that the team is announcing a sell-out at 21,000 in a stadium with 55,000 seats (27,000 in the lower bowl so 6,000 available in the lower bowl alone).
So, when you have friends from Europe (or any other place), they want to watch a soccer game and then they cannot do it because, oh, well, it is a sell-out at 21,000 I assume you'd get quite upset too!

It could have happened to you too although you are a season ticket holder. What would you say if you tried to buy additional 4 tickets and you could not do it although 34,000 available seats are right there staring into your face!

Or, if you had to pay $100/ticket to a scalpel for a ticket with a face value of $20 because Whitecaps are playing this ridiculous game with their fans (whether you accept that argument or not, unfortunately, that is a fact).
Yes, man, you would change your tune in a heartbeat. So, please, give me a break and do not criticize me for starting this thread - it is just not fair. I could also tell you: "If you do not like this thread, do not read it. It is pretty simply" but I am not going to do that.

Believe it or not, my intention is not just to criticize. I watched a lot of games among 80,000 or 90,000 people. It is a completely different feeling; there is nothing better for a soccer fan than watching the game when the stadium is at its capacity.
Whenever I am at Whitecaps' game I always look at the upper bowl and it just seems wrong for me seeing those "curtains" trying to cover 28,000 seats so I really do not buy that stupid "soccer intimate atmosphere" story.

So, that is why I am pointing out all this here openly. I watched several soccer games in Seattle at Quest (now CenturyLink) so regularly they send me some offers (and I posted one when I started this thread).
They are offering $15/ticket for 3 highly anticipated games. What is wrong if I posted that fact here?
Would Whitecaps season ticket holders be upset if Whitecaps offered such a package? It looks to me you would so it immediately tells you a story that the season ticket prices are too high here in Vancouver when another team, close by, offers such deals to their walk-in fans.
So you, as a season ticket holder, should make more pressure and call Whitecaps before I do. As a season ticket holder you have every right to point out everything you may think could and should be better.

Re Barber: I heard those stories how he set up the season ticket prices and so on. You know very well that something like that was never confirmed. Yes, one of his responsibilities was marketing but, man, I simply cannot believe that the guy comes from Europe, well respected league. a famous soccer club and then he copies North American season ticket sale strategy!? I'd rather buy a story that he had to back up somebody's plan (already in place) and maybe he did not like it from the beginning. After a year he is gone but really he is not somebody I should focus my attention to so I aplogize for even mentioning him (but seemed strange to me that he is gone and Furlong is repeating the same story to defend the strategy to keep the capacity at 21,000 although he was hired to put people into the seats at BC Place Stadium. Coincidence!? Maybe.

 

[johnnybluenose]

RL RCD, I don't think anyone is annoyed that you have an opinion some agree and some disagree with, it's the posting of an 8000 word diatribe every 12 hours on the same rant saying the same thing over and over that's annoying everyone.

We get it, you were frozen out for one game when you had eurosnob relatives in from out of town and you wanted to compare VWFC to Real Madrid and it left a sour taste in your mouth. You don't understand why they don't open seats up for big games but you also probably don't understand the potential pitfalls of any of the following:
1) Staffing increase costs and such for opening up any amount of additional tickets
2) Potential additional emergency services staff (Police, Ambulance, etc) that would accompany an addition x-thousand people
3) Potential for random hooligan quotient that could accompany a "low cost" upper bowl ticket
4) The potential for bad pub and or pissed off fans in Beckham hadn't played (well outside the control of Lennard Bobbaduzzi and co)

etc etc etc.

Can this horse go to the glue factory now that it's been more than tenderized?

 

[Regs]

hmmm...

 

[RL RCD]

RL RCD, I don't think anyone is annoyed that you have an opinion some agree and some disagree with, it's the posting of an 8000 word diatribe every 12 hours on the same rant saying the same thing over and over that's annoying everyone.

We get it, you were frozen out for one game when you had eurosnob relatives in from out of town and you wanted to compare VWFC to Real Madrid and it left a sour taste in your mouth. You don't understand why they don't open seats up for big games but you also probably don't understand the potential pitfalls of any of the following:
1) Staffing increase costs and such for opening up any amount of additional tickets
2) Potential additional emergency services staff (Police, Ambulance, etc) that would accompany an addition x-thousand people
3) Potential for random hooligan quotient that could accompany a "low cost" upper bowl ticket
4) The potential for bad pub and or pissed off fans in Beckham hadn't played (well outside the control of Lennard Bobbaduzzi and co)

etc etc etc.

Can this horse go to the glue factory now that it's been more than tenderized?

No problem JB, I’ll try to refrain from posting long comments; I can see how it can annoy a lot of people (or everyone, as you said). My main intention (by starting this thread) was to show how some other clubs do it (in light of the limitations Whitecaps artificially impose). Also, I found it interesting that Real Madrid fans pay less for the cheapest season tickets than Whitecaps fans although we have here 34,000 empty seats.

I apologize to all those who were annoyed by my long comments.

 

[utah]

Just a question...did any other teams already in a soccer specific stadium switch to a larger venue during this years league play to accomodate the Galaxy?? I couldn`t find any..

 

[cascadesoccer]

No but i'm surprised that MLS chose PPL Park with a capacity of 20,000 and didn't upgrade to Lincoln Financial Field (home of the Eagles) capacity of 68,532, for the MLS Allstar Game, which had Beckham and few other house hold names on the menu.

 

[mtkb]

RL I wasnt annoyed at all... In fact, I completely agree with you... Seems there are a lot of TTP'ers that dont like you exposing the fact that, as season ticket holders, the Whitecaps continue to bend them over the barrel sans lube...

 

[cascadesoccer]

If the Caps could get 50,000 people to every game that would be unreal, and if people wouldn't want that, they're foolish. But don't you think that if season ticket holders thought they were being bent over with out lube, they would still be season ticket holders? Then again, this is Vancouver, PLAN THE PARADE!!!

 

[RL RCD]

RL I wasnt annoyed at all... In fact, I completely agree with you... Seems there are a lot of TTP'ers that dont like you exposing the fact that, as season ticket holders, the Whitecaps continue to bend them over the barrel sans lube...

mtkb, thank you!