What's the deal on ticket sales?

It's kind of mystifying why ticket sales for this wild card playoff game have been so slow.

Whatever the reason, the Bucs still haven't sold out Sunday's game against the Giants. The tickets might already have been gone if the team was allowing non-Florida residents to purchase them. But they are limiting sales on ticketmaster.com to customers with a Florida credit-card billing address, presumably to guard against an influx of rabid Giants fans who surely would buy tickets in bunches.

But the local interest seems lukewarm. Just look at this story from our news reporter Mike Brassfield.

It's impossible to say how many tickets remain. The Bucs aren't saying. But I wonder whether there's any danger of a blackout here. In case you're wondering, the local blackout rules (within 75 miles) do apply for the postseason. That seems unlikely, but it's not unprecedented. The Dolphins, for example, had a playoff game against the Colts blacked out in 2000. The Bucs insist this will not happen and they remain confident the game is going to be a sellout.

This might have something to do with economics. It's my understanding that there have been steep markups for the postseason, which fans surely can't be happy about.

That's the best I can come up with. Anyone else have any other thoughts on this? Do share.

Comments

[Brent]

Unbelievable man. I would give Jeff Garcia's left nut to be there...it's a long way from Brisbane, Australia though...

[Matt]

If anyone has tried to sell even a regular season ticket with a face value of $76 outside the gate on gameday you're lucky to get $30 for it.

I'm not surprised at all that they can't sell upper deck tickets for $110.

[Ed]

Its my opinion but the reason its not sold out as fast as previous years is the fact nobody knows what was up with the seat deposit. It been 10 years and we are still in limbo. Oh I know the suites and club seating are rolling there deposit over for 10 more years, but they are leaving us regular lowlife hanging.
If they don't roll it over I'm not sure I will be able to fork out 3 grand for my tickets next year. Season tickets holders had to buy both games as a package, fork out the money and maybe not use the left over money next year. ( Don't think we will play 2 Home games)
They will give you your money back but you have to request it in writing and who knows how long that will take. So I think ALOT more season ticket holders chose not to buy the playoff package this year than past years. Therefore there are a lot more extra tickets this year. I bought mine but I did think twice this time.

My 2 cents

[Big Buc Brew]

I certainly didn't shell out the money to buy playoff tickets ...it's bad enough, like Ed said, when I can't make a game and you can't even sell your tickets for more than 1/2 of the face value.
To hell with that .. in those instances I just eat the tickets rather than let some ham & egger sit in my seats!
FWIW, I am not re-newing next year ... just not a good value for my entertainment dollar any more ... and I will be expecting my entire refund from those carpetbaggers

[Sean]

Man, you Florida people are lucky you even get to wine and cry about how much tickets are there. I live all the way in Colorado and would easily shell out 100 plus for a ticket because I have never seen them live. Actually, I havent even been able to see them play on T.V. this year because they never show them here. I just have to listen to the radio and watch the play by play. If I were you guys, I would love to chance to see my favorite team play in a playoff game, especially agaisnt the Giants, I hate them. Anyway, GO BUCS.

[Adam]

No one is buying tickets because Bucs fans realize the inevitable: the Bucs are going to get run over by Brandon Jacobs. Monte Kiffen has yet this season to prove he can game plan to SHUT DOWN a run game and make a QB beat you through the air. He REFUSES to do it. Eli Manning won't have to throw more than 20 passes. If Monte couldn't stop Quinn Gray or Shaun Hill or Matt Moore, how's he going to stop Manning?

[Duane]

The money they want for playoff tickets is high and if we're not in a recession, I'm a republican. Glad to see what the Bucs r doing, who wants to sit next to a liquored up, big mouth Giants fan. Love the Bucs, but if they don't plan on rolling my seat deposit over, I'll stay home and watch the game on TV.

[Donovan]

Simple 'Supply & Demand' is why we haven't sold out yet. I've watched the Bucs phone it in for 5 weeks in a row now and pull a win out against Atlanta (woop-dee-doo). I know they've been saving the best players for this one most important game, but in the meantime, the Giants are fielding a team that almost put away the Pats. Ask a Bucs fan if we think they'll pull that off after watching their team go through the motions lately and the answer is: I'm selling my playoff tickets this year.

[DR]

It's not just the Bucs. The NFL is becoming just a business. The fans are just consumers, not fans. It's sad when congressmen have to pressure the NFL to show a game. The NFL's response was that it was in the best interest of the fans to watch the game. What about the previous 7 games that were taken away fron the fans? Isn't it always in the best interest of the fans to have the ability to watch the game? Can you please take the knife out of my back Goodell?
Tampa is doing the same thing to their fans. Some BS deposit that they keep playing games with. Even with a good season that has gotten them a home playoff game, the Bucs do their best to alienate their fans.

[DR]

It's not just the Bucs. The NFL is becoming just a business. The fans are just consumers, not fans. It's sad when congressmen have to pressure the NFL to show a game. The NFL's response was that it was in the best interest of the fans to watch the game. What about the previous 7 games that were taken away fron the fans? Isn't it always in the best interest of the fans to have the ability to watch the game? Can you please take the knife out of my back Goodell?
Tampa is doing the same thing to their fans. Some BS deposit that they keep playing games with. Even with a good season that has gotten them a home playoff game, the Bucs do their best to alienate their fans.

[robbob]

Playoff tickets on ticketmaster start at $350 each. You can go to stubhub.com and see over 1222 sets of tickets for sale, starting at $90 each.

[Steve]

If the Bucs weren't afraid that Giants fans would take over RJS and allow people from outside of FL to buy tickets the game would be a sell out.

[Carl]

Why are the Bucs so concerned about their precious home field advantage? If they cant sell out a home playoff game on their own, they dont deserve to have a homefield advantage. I'm a Giants fan and will have friends there on Sunday and just went to Stubhub and got tix at a great price. Sounds like an inferiority complex on the part of the Bucs in terms of "Big Bad NY". You think this policy would be in place if they were playing Seattle? No.

[Duane]

Hey, DR. The NFL has alwasy been "just a business," to the owners. With the advent of free agency, it became more of a business for players. If you are a supporter of capitalism, the players should have had free agency. As for the Giants, wake up people. They blew a 12 point lead and let the Patriots score 22 unanswered points. Sounds like they choked. Nothing good comes from losing, especially like that.

[Joe C.]

It's a shame when I spend $148 per ticket for the Club Level and $25 to park outside the stadium... and I walk up to the Ray Jay property each Sunday and watch people buy seats better than mine from some hack for $50.

Sadly, the Buccaneers rope you in with their absurd "ticket deposit" to keep your money coming in for 10 years. If it wasn't for that, I would cancel my Season Club seats and start showing up at Ray Jay on Sunday at 12:30pm, pick up a pair of left over tickets for $25 and go party in Buccaneer Cove with the rest of the standers.

The Buccaneers front office should be ashamed of themselves for charging (and raising) ticket prices to what they are. Here's a thought, spend some money, get some top notch free agents on the Tampa Bay roster, compete for the playoffs EVERY YEAR, and maybe we will stop complaining about ticket prices. $148 for a ticket for a team that will either end up 3-13 or 10-6 just isn't worth it anymore.

Don't get me wrong, I love the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (team) and have for a long time... but the management is way out of line. THAT's why people will be packing in to Hooter's and Wing House to watch the (blacked out) game on Sunday. I'd rather listen to Gene call the game on US 103.5... at least the Buccaneers cant charge us $100 for radio.

[tony]

Get off your butts and pay whatever it takes to route our boys on. We need a sellout to support them or they will fold like paperbags.

[DR]

Duane, there has been big changes in the NFL the last few years. The Press Box Sports Bar was ordered to paint over their Bucs logos at the beginning of the season after having them up for 10 years. The NFL Network started to broadcast games last year and are holding their loyal fans hostage because of their greed. They want to blame the networks which is a load of crap because in the end, the consumer will be the one forking up the money.
The NFL has moved a game to Europe, after a failed league, and plans to play more games in other countries. What did the NFL fan do to deserve this crap?

[Mike]

WE NEED A SELLOUT!!!! TAMPA, GET YOURS @$$ES TO THE GAME. THE BUCS NEED YOU!!!

[jake]

im coming down for the game - ill buy tickets for lower level sidelines if they are out there - ill even pay face value (since apparently i can get them cheaper at the gate)

[NY Hater]

LOVE the fact that they're icing out the obnoxious NY fans ... let's sell it out and whoop their ARSES Bucs!!!

I have my tickets. Lower level in the corner over the Bucs tunnel, through Ticketmaster for $110 each. So why would third level seats be close to the same price? Why others for $100 each? The pricing is bad. $500+ for lower level sidelines? For a wild card game? I don't think so. Club access starting at around $125 and going to over $300? The price differentials are ridiculous.

I'm sure it's partly another sign of the money issues people here are facing; insurance, taxes, etc. Mine were a gift, otherwise I would not be going or hoping for cheap tickets and standing in Buccaneer Cove, as I do for any regular season games. Another part is undoubtedly the waning of affection from people due to the flip flop seasons we've had. I think the Pro Bowl voting was also indicative of that.

Would be interesting to know if ratings of the games have gone down, as well as web searches and visitors.

[LT56]

haha i got them from ticketmaster right before they put a restriction on tickets for florida...get ready bucs fans to see alot of number 27 all day long...GO BIG BLUE

[BucFan from NorCal]

Coming from NorCal ........GO BUCS!

ps. Also cuming at MONS!!!!!!

[someone08]

It's because people are having a hard time even paying their Mortgages and with Christmas just passing buy consumers are being forced to budget. It seems that the Buc's game is being left out of those budgets from consumers. Guess no games for those hard working people. Don't get me wrong the majority of Florida residents are die hard Buc's fan's, but soaring cost's in everything has just become a huge burden for a lot of people. Anyhow, I'm sure someone or group will buy out the rest of the tickets before they let that happen. Hey, I got a goos idea why don't they just have a contest and give out the tickets to their most loyal fan's. great idea. One last thing who let that guy from N.C post that comment above mine..... really nasty and unprofessional.

[Bobby Bennett]

I'm one of those out of state Bucs fans that purchased tickets ($350 per) only to find out that my ticket will be refunded and I am not welcome. This comes after I have purchased plane tickets and hotel room for nothing. Maybe, after 31 years, it's time to find a new team.

[RICH]

Mr. BENNETT sorry to hear that. What happened? I bought two tickets for 250.00 bucks (kinda high for my wallet)but hey its playoff time right! So this`ll be my first game since 1979 NFC CHAMPIONSHIP againts the RAMS. Cant wait yeah babyyy!

[Dave]

I am a season ticket holder & bought my 3 tickets. What ever happened to the 100,000 plus waiting list?

[bob ryan]

I am a season ticket holder in New Jersey, and Buc fans are getting blasted by the NY media for not buying tickets...I can't go to the game this week, and FINALLY sold my tix for face value....what a joke....I paid 15 bucks over face value for an extra ticket to the Falcon game, and struggled to sell my two tickets on the 40 for a PLAYOFF game??, this is PATHETIC...don't you people want to go to the game???

[John]

Hey guys,
Not sure where you're getting your info from, but I picked up a pair of tickets from here in Jersey for the game. Should be a great game.
GO BUCS!

[Stephen Holder]

Mr. Bennett, that's pretty unfortunate. I'd like to hear more about your issues if you're willing to share. My email address is sholder@sptimes.com if you could drop me a line perhaps with your contact info. We've been following this ticket situation quite closely and that is probably the most extreme complaint I've heard. I'd love to hear from you. Thanks.

[Carl]

Thanks to Andrew Cuomo out of NY, they have gotten Ticketmaster and the Bucs to eliminate the ban on non-FLA residents for the game. It is now open to all (Giants) fans everywhere who wants to go. Just ordered a friend 6 tickets in the upper level for $100 each. Cant get a better deal than that for playoffs. Its not like the Bucs had a leg to stand on legally with this issue otherwise they would have fought it.

[BT]

Adam, i think you've been watching too much tv, people forget about 6'2" 240 pound Steven Jackson in week 3. All you heard was how can the bucs stop this huge guy? The got 3 points the entire game. Jacobs will definitely be a handful, but lest we forget the leagues premier defense. The only thing that is inevitable is an Eli interception. Look at the stats this year and it's simple, Manning is far more likely to make a mistake than Garcia.

Carl, I think a big part of the reason the tickets went back to sale for everyone is because they weren't selling. The Bucs didn't have a leg to stand on if the game was blacked out in the local area. Garcia may not have a leg to stand on if the Bucs offensive line doesn't improve.

[Carl]

Then why place a ban on ticket sales? You only do that if you are guaranteed for sure that you will sell the game out on your own. But if there is even a 1% chance of it not happening, then you better allow everyone else a chance otherwise you look like a fool. Their organization took a chance and lost. Also, if your worried about "home field disadvantage", then put the pressure on the Bucs fans to get in line, phone, or online and buy the seats themselves before allowing us to purchase them. They wouldnt have gone to these measures if they were playing Seattle or Arizona on Sunday.