Have your say on the ticket increase

I know it was starting to look like no one was home around here. Nope. You're stuck with us. Just took a little me-time over the weekend. It's been a long couple weeks of policing free agency news, rumors and the like.

In the meantime, I'd been working on a reaction story about the ticket increases announced last month. I asked some of you here for some input, and many thanks to those who clogged my inbox with some very interesting stories -- some positive, some much less so. I wasn't able to include everyone's account in today's article in the Times, but just wanted to say that everyone's contributions helped to shape the story. The more opinions we have to base such a story on, the more the story will reflect reality.

Some might think this story is a hit job. Others will identify with it. Take a look and judge for yourself. Either way, people proven to be very passionate about the subject based on all the responses. Thanks again for sharing.

[Photo: Bill Serne, Times]

Comments

[Vince]

Stephen, I thought the article was very even-handed.

The Bucs don't owe anyone low ticket prices. The market for NFL tickets is what it is. That said, you know ticket prices are too high when they prevent a person of average means from attending, let alone bringing their son, daughter or family to a game. Think about how expensive a day it would be for four people in one family to attend.

[Mike/ Tampa]

Vince I can tell you exactly for section 143 (not the lowest cost section but highest increase for 2008 30%)
4 Tix X $99.00 = $396.00
1 Parking pass $25.00
4 Hot dogs x$6.00 = $24.00
4 Cokes x $6.00 = $24.00
2 Cotton Candies x $5.00 = $10.00
Do mom and dad want a beer? $8.bucs a piece. Do the math. Forget about souvenirs.
That comes to a grand total of $479.00 (No Beer No Goodies for Tommy and Katie)
The fact that you pay that kind of money on a Sunday and it's only a Pre-Season game !! Priceless

Look I’m a Fan and I re upped on my seats but I’m telling you what. We where 9-7 last season. I had 10 games but four of them had backups playing the whole day. I paid to see starters. It's just hard for me to hear them cry about having to raise prices while the teams value has increased from 192 million in 1997 to well over 500 million in 2008. Not to mention the fact you spend 100 million a year on player salaries. Seems with that type of profit they would be able to show some loyalty to the people they relied on so much to keep the team here. Don’t piss down my back and tell me it’s raining.

[Bill Clinton]

...and how expensive would that same day be at the fair? or any other special event? This is a premier sporting event in one of the world's premier venues. We should be more concerned that our nation, not our football team, is being led by a traitor.

[Mike/ Tampa]

Hey Bill I thought you found innocent?
Oh and the fair is still half that amount.. Looks like it's still more than your education though..

[Matt]

The sad reality though is in 2007 they had 65,000 people paying $70 a ticket which comes to $4.55m, they only need 45,500 people to come to each game at RayJay to make the same money at $100 a ticket.

[syd finch]

I hope the guy sits in sec 124, cause I was looking to add 2 more seats.

[Matt]

What's the spread on Buc's pre-seasons tickets being worth more than 1 share of Bear Sterns?

[Kurt]

Hey Mike in Tampa; from the looks of your first sentence, it costs more than your education also, but I digress. This is about football prices not traitors. I've still got my tickets and I'm not bitter. I charge a lot for my services also and that's just the way it is; you invoice what people are willing to pay. You would think with wages flat, inflation and gas prices on the rise and savings down that people wouldn't have enough money to go to games, but apparently that's not the case. If we go into a recession (like that didn't happen 12 months ago,) maybe then people will stop going to football games!!!

[JFK]

It is a scary world we live in when it costs more to fill up your gas tank than it does to go to a football game. You have to worry about who you root for just in case you are being eavesdropped on by the NFL (Nazi Fudgepackin' Losers) and then given the chinese beer torture treatment if you're on the wrong 'team.' It especially sucks when you don't know who the right team really is anymore either. Hell, it's canned beer at home for me on Sunday's until all this sh#t blows over man. btw...I'm the one that turned those damn Russians (oops, I mean Redskins) away; not that wussy actor from California!

[Thomas]

$4500.00 for my wife, kid brother and myself to watch our favorite sports team play just 10 times a year in one of the worlds most premiere venue is quite an expense but I enjoy supporting my team not just emotionally but financially as well. However, I do believe they are seriously hurting themselves in the long run. These days the average Joe see's more return from watching the games in HD on his new affordable 50'' DLP...and who can blame him? The NFL better get a better grasp on who the majority of thier supporters are, especially the Bucs. Because in TB, when the Bucs are average or worse, the fans around here tend to just give up on them and stop going to the games (see sparse crowds last few years). But if the games were more affordable then the crowds will continue to show up. Look at the Tampa Bay Lightning, they've been out of the playoffs for essentially the last 6 weeks but they still have drawn a sellout crowd just every game since being ousted. I know 20k isn't near 65k but it's the "principles" of the matter and the Bucs need to go see the Guidence Counciler.

[DR]

Malcolm Glazers' tears cure cancer. Too bad he never cries.

[DR]

If you guys want to spend hundreds of dollars watching an average team beat bad teams, go ahead. I'll be at the bar watching every game, drinking cheaper beer. Really, what does Raymond James stadium offer besides a seat in a stadium? What do you get out of going to a game?

[DR]

last year, you guys paid for 10 games and only 6 of them, the Bucs put their best players out on the field. The NFL wil hopefully try to fix that situation because teams don't feel obligated to put out a performance that the fans pay for. Well, besides the Giants and Pats last year. Its ironic that those two teams met up in the Super Bowl after putting out their best effort in Week 17 when their playoff spots were already secured. Hopefully every team has learned from that.

[Purveyor of the Obvious]

Kurt: you are a real dovchebag ... and I say that without any disrespect to the other douvchebags out there

[James]

DR, sitting at a bar watching your favorite team play doesn't even compare to watching them live. Thus the reason it costs so much to do so. Even Texas Stadium continues to sell out though the Cowboys have been sub-par during these past 13 years without a single playoff win. What do we get from going to a game? What a stupid question. Hmm...why do fans enter NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL and many other Arena's and Stadiums around the world? Because watching it on TV doesn't compare.

Jerry Jones' ego rips dynasty's apart...and he hasn't won a playoff game since.

[DR]

James, where to start... Jerry Jones ripped apart a dynasty after he helped mold it into one. He made some terrible egotistical decisions but the man did win 3 super bowls in 4 years. The Glazers will never do that! Not with what they are doing to this franchise.
Out of the 4 major sports, the NHL has the best value. There is hardly a bad seat to watch the game. I don't even like hockey. The NBA is second best with viewing from any seat. The NFL is ridiculous. There is no way i'm going to sit in the upper deck corner for $100. That's freaking crazy! You gotta watch a game from the sidelines, that's the best view.

[Duane]

Hey DR, how many SB's has Jerry Jones "won" since Jimmy Johnson's footprints disappeared. NAHDAH! Anyway, I renewed and when I go to the game, the Bucs don't get cent one of mine for food, drink or parking. I suggest all of you others do the same. If you buy anything at the game, god is just telling you you're to stupid to keep it rather than giving it to a rich person.

Jerry Jones won the Super Bowl? I didn't know he played...

[RD]

That would be kinda like saying Malcolm Glazer has a ring too, huh...

[James]

Hey DR, your argument againts going to NFL games becase of seating issues are weak and just a desperate attempt to stay afloat amongst the big kids. Why does every NFL stadium (except J-Ville) sell out thier upperdecks if the seats are so bad? Why did Giant and Patriot fans spend $1k+ for upperdeck seats at SB XLII? Becase unlike your limited point of view, they can see the field.

[DR]

James, you're looking in way to deep. I'm speaking for myself. I've been to games and the upper deck and other areas of a football stadium aren't great seats. The field's 120 yards long, so obviously the view can't be great from all angles. Being far away from the action isn't a great seat. I'm just saying hiking the prices up, above $100 for an upper deck seat is ridiculous. There is already talk of a financial bubble bursting in the NFL just like the housing market. The NFL is the only sport giving away $35M guaranteed to a college player who hasn't competed against NFL talent before. It keeps getting higher and higher and the average ticket prices are going up as well. They keep jacking prices up and the quality of play isn't as strong as it used to be. Quarterback play is by far the worst it has ever been in the NFL.
When the choice comes up, go to a Bucs game versus the Falcons or go to the bar and watch 6 other games, i'm going to the bar every time. I'll spend less money and eat better food. That's just my opinion. My opinion would be the same at any place except the Cowboys because I can get free tickets for any game in Dallas.

[Duane]

I was being sarcastic about Jerry Jones winning the SB, that's why I put the quote marks around "won." Besides, DR must have gotten his education in Texas. The Bucs only played their subs in one regular season home game, the last. Subtract the two exhibtion games in the ten game season package and that equals "seven" games DR, not six. Hope to see you at recess and please, watch your step when you get on the shortbus to come to school.

[RD]

DR is a DALLAS RETARD

[Kurt]

2 Nose Bleed Seats at Ray Jay $198
1 Parking Pass $25
2 Large Beers $17.50

Freely admitting I'm a flaming homo on the SPT Blogs ..... PRICELESS

[DR]

Hey Kurt, can I play "just the tip" with you?