"Sox Management Owes More To Fans..."

[hawkjt]

Pricing is a huge problem,clearly. The Good News? At least Sox telecasts are up 10% from last year,and radio ratings up 26%,so there are some Sox fans out there anyway.

I live on the NW side ,and I seem to see more Sox hats than Cub hats around here. Big in the latin community,I think.

Brooks needs to think about that 90 dollar bleacher seat....that is ridiculous.

Now, Cub tickets are even more expensive,and I find myself marveling that they have any fans in their place at those prices.

Honestly, I think they should just not comment on attendance,and lower prices...and let nature take its course. Commenting seems to just piss off more fans. Many Sox fans on here will be pissed if they add at the trade deadline,as they prefer that Kenny sell anyway. He will enrage some Sox fans no matter what he does.

[central44]

I was watching Chicago Tribune Live a few weeks back (yeah I know, sue me) and I remember they were discussing this. Teddy Greenstein compared the Sox situation to the Tribune, saying that people approached him on the street about doing more in depth college football coverage, and he would always say that they didn't have the money, and if people wanted that they should buy more papers and that "they had no comeback for that."

...This has absolutley nothing to do with the thread, I just thought it was stupid when I heard it and have been waiting weeks to express that sentiment.

But really. This is a business, and the fans don't owe them a damn thing--especially in a two-team market. If we wanted (and i'm not advocating this, but hypothetically) we could all jump ship and become Cub fans.

If they want to be cheap, or price fans out, or alienate the fans (personally, I have never p***** on a statue, but that's just me), then they'll get what they deserve with the half-empty stadium. It's not our job to support the team, it's THEIR job to put together a team worth supporting. The fans will come if given a reason to. Right now, between the inconsistency and overpriced seats, that reason hasn't been strong enough.

The best owners in pro sports are the ones who don't treat it as a business, but as a hobby. They're the ones who aren't afraid to lose money because they do it for fun, and wanting to see a winner. And i'm willing to bet that they do just fine with regard to turning a profit.

Mod edit: DO NOT self-censor or attempt to get around the language filters. Type the word you mean and let the filters do their job.

[hawkjt]

Some Sox fans will not come out until they actually clinch,and then they would say ''why bother,its over''.

Even in the 2005,when they wire to wire, some fans did not jump on board,because they always doubted that they could hold on all the way.

2006 is the only year where fans showed up early,it seems to me.

Isn't there a ban on attendance threads on here anymore? Just wondering?

[thomas35forever]

Brooks really does need to do something about ticket prices if that ship hasn't sailed yet. If he doesn't and the Sox are contending well into September with the same number of people in the seats, it'll be time to head in a different direction. He's not doing himself any favors right now keeping prices as they are. I mean, premier prices for Milwaukee? Seriously? That's like having them for the Dodgers series a couple of years back. This is NOT the way to fill up the ballpark in a bad economy. Things aren't much better in St. Louis (having just been there last week), but they still have much lower prices for even good seats in the place. Why can't Brooks take a clue from them? It's gotta be one reason Busch Stadium comes close to a sellout every night.

[LITTLE NELL]

90 ****ing dollars for a ****ing bleacher seat says it all.
Boyer said he didn't feel comfortable lowering prices for the Cub series, how can he feel comfortable charging the prices they do for tickets and parking?

[amsteel]

If the Sox somehow win the division with around 85 wins and lose the LDS in 3-4 games, is attendance really gonna be up that much next year?

[MtGrnwdSoxFan]

Originally Posted by amsteel

If the Sox somehow win the division with around 85 wins and lose the LDS in 3-4 games, is attendance really gonna be up that much next year?

No, but you can bet the prices will be.

[SOXfnNlansing]

I would have bought 4 tickets each to the first 2 games if they were weekend games. Price would not have been an issue. The Sox killed the golden goose by scheduling the games during the week. I'm glad they didn't sell out.

[roylestillman]

Maddening article. The Brooks quote was the topper.

Let's take a look at a lower box seat for Monday night. A "Regular Game" ticket would have been $40. (actually $20 with the Monday discount.) Because it's the Cubs it is a Premier game and listed under my handy ticket pricing matrix as $54. I bought six tickets a couple of months ago through the Sox for $79 each. The day before the game the Sox site listed those seats for $104.

Brooks claims that it's just like the airlines price their tickets. Great plan, given that almost every airline has gone into bankruptcy over the last couple of decades. At least I get a free Coke during the flight

[Steelrod]

Originally Posted by SOXfnNlansing

I would have bought 4 tickets each to the first 2 games if they were weekend games. Price would not have been an issue. The Sox killed the golden goose by scheduling the games during the week. I'm glad they didn't sell out.

You don't really think that the Sox schedule their games, do you? Can't imagine that thay'd desire 9 home games in July, now that school is over for the summer.

[Jollyroger2]

Originally Posted by mbwhitesox

Ticket prices ARE too high. I'm in my mid 20s and in grad school. Recently I met a girl who is also a Sox fan and thought it would be fun to take her to a game. I looked into this upcoming series against the Brewers and UD tickets are $45 each! With Ticketmaster fees that's nearly $100 before you even get in the door...for the upper deck! Even seats in the lousy sections of the UD were $35 apiece. God forbid you want to get a few beers or something to eat - it really adds up fast. I know Milwaukee doesn't come into town very often so maybe that's some of the reason for the high prices, but still...

For my money I'd rather just go out to dinner or to a bar or something. Baseball is fun and I love going to games but personally the Sox have priced me out.

Unrelated, but I was watching the Nats game on MLB.tv tonight and the announcers talked about a pretty cool ticket promotion they had - buy 3 games and get a free New Era cap (http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/...eting/flex.jsp). Out of curiosity I looked into it and they had decent tickets available for about $25 each. I wish the Sox would do something like that, seems like a great way to get people wearing your team gear and sell tickets for games in the later months of the season.

The Nationals have some very good ticket options, not bad with the team in first and some high profile players on the roster.

[doublem23]

So, percieved threat of relatively non-existant violence is the new, cool scapegoat for why Sox fans can't be bothered to show up at the park?

OK.

I also love how you guys think Brooks is the guy who actually sets the ticket prices.

[balke]

Wouldn't you want 40,000 fans buying 35 dollar tickets with the hope they buy jerseys/drinks/food and whatever else once inside? I would think that would be better than 20,000 fans buying $100 tickets.

I don't believe price is the only thing keeping Sox fans out though. I don't get the results of where they are now compared to the support they get. Then again I say the same thing about the Rays year after year.

Just looked - more people are coming out to see the Astros right now than the Sox. Sox are just ahead of Tampa Bay. 4th to last in the league.

[TomBradley72]

I think Brooks got off to a great start as the marketing guy for the Sox- creative commercials, ad campaigns, promotions, etc.

But he now comes across as out of new and creative ideas and pretty stubborn:

1. It's now almost July- and I'm still seeing Robin Ventura's grand slam in 1991 followed by Robin standing in an empty stadium in the offseason? Really? That's the best you can do with an exciting and likeable team in 1st place? (How about "Let Go White Sox" playing over highlights of Humer's perfect game? Viciedo's diving catch on Opening Day? Dunn on pace for 50+ HRs? etc.)
2. The pricing is horrible- the corners of the 100 bowl might as well have tarps over the seats- it's just horrible- stop with the bull**** promos that expire at 2pm etc.- clean up and staiblize your pricing for your fans- be aggressive- get people in the seats- especially the 100 level that shows up on TV and highlights- all of these images of an empty stadium are killing you.
3. Adjust the stadium experience a little- fire up "Sweet Home Chicago" after a win- not the dead silence followed by a player being interviewed in an empty stadium as people leave- get a feeling of celebration and fun going after each win.

[dickallen15]

Originally Posted by Lip Man 1

I asked David tonight about the "violence" reference and he said it was included for two reasons, he said it's been a hot topic in Chicago this summer (I assume that there have been some incidents in the city the past few weeks) and because he said he was told it from fans that he was talking to at the game Wednesday.

I told him that it might be a small factor but that in my opinion the larger factors were, dynamic-pricing, mediocrity over the past six years, Ozzie ripping the fan base and Sox management doing nothing to rebuke those statements over the past few years and an off season of zero expectations with nothing done to excite the fan base.

Lip

I agree. There is always a carryover from the previous season. There was really nothing last year or during the offseason that generated any excitement, so pre sales and season tickets sales will be down. For attendance to boom, you will need in season ticket buying. Dynamic pricing doesn't lend itself toward that. They have priced out anyone wanting to jump on the bandwagon.