Looks like Jerry Jones wants to price regular fans out of the game

[Michael82]

If you want to watch Tony Romo throw a touchdown pass from a seat on the 50-yard line in the lower bowl of the new stadium, be prepared to shell out big bucks.

It will cost Dallas Cowboys season-ticket holders from $16,000 to $50,000 just for a personal seat license, which gives them the option to buy a $340 club seat ticket to see that play in 2009. That doesn't include parking -- $750 for a premier season parking pass -- or the beers and hot dogs during the game.

The NFL team announced Tuesday that it will begin contacting about 5,000 season-ticket holders with lower-bowl sideline seats about purchasing comparable club seats in the new stadium. Under construction in Arlington, the $1 billion, 85,000-seat stadium is expected to be ready for the 2009 season.

The 15,000 club seats -- in the lower three seating levels along the sidelines from end zone to end zone -- will have access to exclusive dining, lounge and bar areas, and will feature gourmet food and video walls for watching the game.

"This will be such a totally different experience than Texas Stadium, which was built 35 years ago for $35 million, to this stadium which is going to cost $1 billion," said Greg McElroy, senior vice president of sales and marketing for the Cowboys.........

For the 5,000 season-ticket holders in the lower bowl of Texas Stadium:

Brochures will be mailed out early next week explaining the purchase process.

The team will offer comparable tickets in the new stadium.

Tickets will cost $340 a ticket per game, or $3,400 for the 2009 season. The price does not include premium parking, which will cost an additional $750 per season.

Ticket holders will have to purchase a personal seat license, which gives them a 30-year option to buy a season ticket. For the 15,000 club seats, about half will have PSLs of $16,000 per seat. Others will be offered for about $35,000 and $50,000, depending on the seat location. The team will offer 30-year financing for the PSLs with an interest rate at about 8 percent.

"If any team could afford to do this, as far as market, fan support, etc., it's the Cowboys," Greenberg said.

http://www.star-telegram.com/330/story/315970.html

[PromoTheRobot]

The NFL expects regular fans to watch on TV and buy merchandise. Game tickets are for high-rollers only.

Having said that, I think it's only fair to have ticket buyers finance stadiums rather than taxpayers. BUT buying a seat license ought to secure you an ownership share in the facility, much like buying stock. You should own your seat and be free to sell it to anyone at any price, for any event held there. Anything less and you are getting screwed.

PTR

[Michael82]

The NFL expects regular fans to watch on TV and buy merchandise. Game tickets are for high-rollers only.

Having said that, I think it's only fair to have ticket buyers finance stadiums rather than taxpayers. BUT buying a seat license ought to secure you an ownership share in the facility, much like buying stock. You should own your seat and be free to sell it to anyone at any price, for any event held there. Anything less and you are getting screwed.

PTR

It's sad. The regular fans are the loyal ones and the ones that buy the stuff. If they can't go to games anymore, why would they want to spend all that money on the stuff? :scratch:

Also, I agree with you about having the ticket buyers finance the stadium, but Jerry Jones wants it both ways. According to the article, they have raised the tax a bit in that area to get the stadium and are paying $350 million towards it. :ill:

[Mr. Pink]

Hey...supply and demand.

If Jerry can get that per seat, more power to him.

After all this is a business and the objective is to make some money, right? At least from an owner's perspective.

[Historian]

Greed is bringing this whole country down...not just the NFL.

[rocketman]

At some point, even the "high-rollers" will recognize that it is not worth it to attend games at those prices. Why else would they be willing to finance the seat license over a thirty-year term?

Mark my words, this has future collapse written all over it.

Rocketman

[YardRat]

Why else would they be willing to finance the seat license over a thirty-year term?

Smart business. Jones has just elbowed his way into the banking industry via the NFL. 8% over thirty years is going to create a helluva lot more than 16k and if someone doesn't keep up the payments he just yanks the PSL, pockets the amortized interest, and re-sells it.

Just another nail in the coffin.

[Michael82]

At some point, even the "high-rollers" will recognize that it is not worth it to attend games at those prices. Why else would they be willing to finance the seat license over a thirty-year term?

Mark my words, this has future collapse written all over it.

Rocketman
Exactly! Good post! :bf1:

[Typ0]

the league wants poor people to stay home and watch the games on sunday ticket.

[don137]

It sounds like another form of investing for people like real estate or the stock market but only for the people with lots of money. The owners of these tickets could sell these tickets on stubhub and make a lot of money or resell the PSL in a few years at a higher or lower price (doubtful).
Here in Charlotte people in the lower section bought PSLs for something like 5K eleven years ago. They are now selling them for 20K. I bought my PSL two years ago in the upper deck at the 15 yard line for 2K each seat.They are now worth 3K a seat.

[hurls]

Hey...supply and demand.

If Jerry can get that per seat, more power to him.

After all this is a business and the objective is to make some money, right? At least from an owner's perspective.

You and Yardie have it right. It's all about business, and timing. When you have a 10-1 team, you can attract a lot more investors than say, when the Bills a few yrs back were trying to attract people to their upgraded suites and such. If the Bills were 10-1 and could seemingly get better, I don't think there'd be a hard time getting rid of box seats, much less talk of the Bills possibly moving. Greed is the root of all business, to blame Jones you must blame all CEO's of big business.

[Michael82]

the league wants poor people to stay home and watch the games on sunday ticket.
Good point, but even Sunday NFL ticket is getting too expensive. I think that the Jones, Snyders, and Krafts of this league are going to price all regular fans out of the game and chase them away. It's a shame too. :ill:

[hurls]

Good point, but even Sunday NFL ticket is getting too expensive. I think that the Jones, Snyders, and Krafts of this league are going to price all regular fans out of the game and chase them away. It's a shame too. :ill:


I was just talking to my Uncle tonight about the Sabres doing the same thing. No way an avg Joe can take 2-3 kids and a wife to a Sabres game like my Dad used to when I was younger. Unless you want to see the worst of the worst from the back row on a wintery Tuesday night.

[Mitchy moo]

Good point, but even Sunday NFL ticket is getting too expensive. I think that the Jones, Snyders, and Krafts of this league are going to price all regular fans out of the game and chase them away. It's a shame too. :ill:

They just want big spenders sitting there buying everything in sight, it's going to end up hurting the league. You never push out your best customers.

[Michael82]

They just want big spenders sitting there buying everything in sight, it's going to end up hurting the league. You never push out your best customers.
But they don't understand. The clientel that are buying those PSLs and spending the ridiuculous amounts of money for box seats, are wearing shirts and ties and don't even care about the game, they are just there to relax. They arent the one buying the hats, beer glasses, jerseys, tshirts and all that. The regular fans are.

[Wys Guy]

the league wants poor people to stay home and watch the games on sunday ticket.

They'd better begin coming up with a better product then. 90% of the games on Sundays these days SUCK!

[hurls]

the league wants poor people to stay home and watch the games on sunday ticket.


They called me w/ a survey on different packages they were considering, such as buying an "All AFC only" ticket, or "All AFC East" type deal, and how interested I'd be in different options. They never did that, correct? That would be perfect.

[Devin]

Hey...supply and demand.

If Jerry can get that per seat, more power to him.

After all this is a business and the objective is to make some money, right? At least from an owner's perspective.

You got it man, and I wont question his business sense at all. Jerry Jones will not only get his price but I suspect in another few years add another billion of worth to the Cowboys. That margin is simply going to keep growing.

*sigh*

[Jan Reimers]

Apparently, there are 15,000 club seats which will carry $16,000 to $50,000 PSLs and a $340 per game ticket price.

While this seems a bit exhorbitant, the article doesn't mention how the other 70,000 seats will be priced. I imagine at least some of them will be affordable to the average fan.

[don137]

Apparently, there are 15,000 club seats which will carry $16,000 to $50,000 PSLs and a $340 per game ticket price.

While this seems a bit exhorbitant, the article doesn't mention how the other 70,000 seats will be priced. I imagine at least some of them will be affordable to the average fan.
Agreed...This means the average fan can not afford the great seats but they could afford the other seats. One alternative is to buy the seats and then sell a few games on stubhub to help off set the cost.
As long as their is a buyer at that price then he can charge those crazy prices unfortunately.

[colin]

you guys are missing the point.

most fans rarely if ever get to the games. even in buffalo and the sorounding area there are many many more fans who get to less than one game a year or never go rather than make it to the game regularly -- and buffalo has got to be the cheapest and easiest to access team in the NFL for a fan.

for a lot of people getting to a game once in a while and making a big deal of it is better than trying to save money and going every game. there are very few boxes and prime seats vs the number of fans, particularly in dallas where everybody on earth wants to watch a game. wouldn't you guys like to go to dallas and see a game there? it'd be fun and a real experience.


the demand for nfl football is huge, and it's growing. imo the biggest input for long term success is for all the teams to be competitive. having the revenue sharing and cap rules so that all teams can compete is what seperates the NFL (along w the draft) from all the other sports leagues world wide that are very regional.

the interesting thing in football is that if you are coached, motivated, and structured correctly a small difference in talent at certain positions can make a big difference in results, so there is always the games within the game. in baseball and soccer none of that applies, you just throw your guys out there and scheming and motivation end up being small compared to the payroll.

if keeping ticket prices expensive so very few of us can make the games regularly is what it takes to keep the game the way it is and in buffalo, i think it is a fair price to pay.

[Night Train]

The NFL is so watered down with average teams and has lost a lot of it's luster to me. Dallas is 10-1 and isn't half the squad the Cowboys were in the early 90's or the 1970's.

Last night, I watched USC-Arizona St. over Indy-Atlanta. I wish to see actual action and passion from the fans, which college delivers weekly over the NFL.

I'm giving my tickets another year and then will wait for the eventual request for more $$, which I will decline.

I'll always have memories of the Bills but will not pay big $$ for average entertainment, which is now a staple of the NFL.

[Dr. Lecter]

Jones is a hypocrite.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3123865

He *****es about this and he is trying to price fans out of going to games in person?

What an *******.

[HotRod]

you guys are missing the point.

most fans rarely if ever get to the games. even in buffalo and the sorounding area there are many many more fans who get to less than one game a year or never go rather than make it to the game regularly -- and buffalo has got to be the cheapest and easiest to access team in the NFL for a fan.

for a lot of people getting to a game once in a while and making a big deal of it is better than trying to save money and going every game. there are very few boxes and prime seats vs the number of fans, particularly in dallas where everybody on earth wants to watch a game. wouldn't you guys like to go to dallas and see a game there? it'd be fun and a real experience.
the demand for nfl football is huge, and it's growing. imo the biggest input for long term success is for all the teams to be competitive. having the revenue sharing and cap rules so that all teams can compete is what seperates the NFL (along w the draft) from all the other sports leagues world wide that are very regional.

the interesting thing in football is that if you are coached, motivated, and structured correctly a small difference in talent at certain positions can make a big difference in results, so there is always the games within the game. in baseball and soccer none of that applies, you just throw your guys out there and scheming and motivation end up being small compared to the payroll.

if keeping ticket prices expensive so very few of us can make the games regularly is what it takes to keep the game the way it is and in buffalo, i think it is a fair price to pay.

No.

I'd rather experience Lambeau Field before Texas Stadium - any day of the week.

[Mitchy moo]

Club level is for people who are financially above the club level.

[Michael82]

The NFL is so watered down with average teams and has lost a lot of it's luster to me. Dallas is 10-1 and isn't half the squad the Cowboys were in the early 90's or the 1970's.

Last night, I watched USC-Arizona St. over Indy-Atlanta. I wish to see actual action and passion from the fans, which college delivers weekly over the NFL.

I'm giving my tickets another year and then will wait for the eventual request for more $$, which I will decline.

I'll always have memories of the Bills but will not pay big $$ for average entertainment, which is now a staple of the NFL.
Exactly! The more the large market NFL teams like the Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots, NY Giants keep dominating....the more and more people get turned away by it. The truth is, the league is getting very watered down. Except for a few teams, the league is very average. If the large market teams can keep raising their PSLs and luxury seat prices to insane numbers....the regular fans will continue to be priced out of the game and the small market teams will continue to see their product cheaper and cheaper, or more watered down. :ill: