ALCS Games 1 and 2 sold out

The Rays sold out their potential first two home games of the AL Championship Series quickly Monday.

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Comments

[Dave]

Shoulda specified a section, rather than selecting best available. Was on at 9:00, specified a location, and within 5 minutes scored 4 in the LF bleachers. By selecting a smaller pool of seats from which to choose, Ticketmaster's program can process your request more easily. A little counter-intuitive that by restricting the search you get better results, but it's the truth.

[juan grimaldo]

Reading some of the comments some of you guys have gone thru buying tickets is so sad that u cant get them maybe cause ticket master or the rays front office has some type of deal with that ticket stub company it really bothers me, maybe cause I really love Baseball , see I been living here in Atlanta since 1996 the year I started to like this beautiful game , coming from Mexico where the big sport is soccer , we went to Tampa for a church convention in 1998 and went to my first devil rays game I even got a t shirt from the grand opening or some thing like that , I got some stickers for the car windows from the devil rays , and after 98 I been there in 2001 took the pic on that sit where the wade Boggs 3,000 hit home run landed and went to see the rays play the Yankees in 2005 I think I guess after the braves the rays is my other team, I really hope they win the world series they have a great team! Is so sad and makes me angry that some of you fans loooong suffering fans now cant experience the alcs cause the tickets are “gone” now it really sucks and in my opinion you should let the rays front office know , that’s not nice lack of loyalty to the fan! FROM ATLANTA GO RAYS!!!!!!

[Fred]

On Stub Hub there are already tickets for sale for games 6 & 7. Since the general public has not had the chance to buy these it must be season ticket holders, people who made a deposit for season tickets or the Rays themselves. If someone just had to plunk down a $50 deposit to get a seat and they intended to resell in the after market at a highly inflated price then that cost is nothing compared to what they are selling the ticket for. I think the Rays will be very disappointed next season when not many of those $50 deposits turn into season ticket sales.

We're not "crying" because tickets are hard to get. We're "crying" because the Rays Org set up this whole bogus scam claiming it's a fair way to get tickets for fans. You win the lottery and get a code, you get 4 and only 4 tickets. SO MUCH FOR THAT.
No one here expected to walk up to the box office an hour before the game and get tickets, smart *ss.

[Amanda]

Jeff-
To answer your scalping question: nope, not anymore. In June 2006, Jeb Bush signed a law that made it completely legal to resell tickets for whatever you want in Florida. A new law was proposed earlier this year that would have put limits on that, but it didn't pass.

[Jeff]

The sale was supposed to start at 9:00 AM. At 9:00 AM (not 9:01 AM) I was on the sight with password entered. It took more than 15 minutes to get the first rejection. I could not get 4 tickets in any section. I could not get 2 tickets in any section. The only single ticket I could get was in the Whittney Bank Club ($200).

So, I called Season Ticket Holders services and asked what gives; how could I log on at 9:00 AM (not 9:01 AM) and they already be sold out? Of course, they claim not to know anything (It's MLB and Ticketmaster's show). They said the lottery only gave people a CHANCE to buy tickets.

I said, wait a minute, first of all I am a season ticket holder and not a lottery winner and , secondly, just how many lottery winners in addition to season ticket holders did you give a chance to buy pre-sale tickets to online? Of the more than 425,000 people who signed up 25,000 were given a chance, plus the over 7000 season ticket holders (this includes full-season ticket holders, partial season ticket holders, plus anyone who, though not a season ticket holder of any type this year, put down a deposit on any of the partial or full season ticket plans for next year), plus all the VIP give-away seats the owners held back (e.g., Charlie Crist and his squeeze and Mayor Baker), plus any they may have held back for next year's potential season ticket holders (that I understand they are still accepting deposits for). That's over 32,000 people given a chance to buy up to four tickets (or about 130,000 tickets) for each game in a stadium that holds 35,048 (with the upper benches still covered). Of those 35,048 seats, the over 7,000 season ticket holders already have theirs and were able to purchase another 7000 in the upper deck. So that is over 32,000 people trying to buy 130,000 tickets when there are less than 20,000 tickets available (probably far less than 20,000). Short of putting down a deposit on one of the season ticket plans for next year I think you can forget about buying any more post-season tickets!

The sale began at 9:00 AM. I log on exactly at 9:00 AM and by the time my wait-times clear there are no sections with 4 seats available (not even split up) in the entire stadium? And, only single tickets in the second most expensive section? Yet StubHub is flush with tickets? What a scam!!! Someone needs to investigate. Isn't it illegal to resell (scalp) tickets in Florida for more than 10% of face value?

[Adam R]

People complain that not enough people come, people complain that too many people come. No wonder people make fun of Tampa Bay!

[robert]

Go Rays!

[Rik]

Cry-babies! All of you. Us die-hard Sox fans who suffered for 86 years, and paid over $150 each for a pair of regular season tickets in a year that they were already eliminated, don't want to hear crap! The sick part of all this is I live in NW Florida and will have to drive 8 hours, stay in one of your hotels, see the Sox in that tent you call a dome, and drive 8 more hours home! I will eat in your restaurants and even leave you a tip when I'm done.
Oh yea, lest I forget to mention the fact that I didn't get any stupid code, so I only have scalper sites as an option here.
No wonder Red Sox fans always outnumber Rays fans at the Trop, all six of you are busy bickering online. Meanwhile, the true baseball fans who for years said "I wish the Devil Rays would pull it together because they embarass the division" are glad to see them finally putting up a fight.
See you at the games. I'll be the one in my #9 Ted Williams jersey wearing my 2007 World Champions cap. No, wait, I think I'll pull out the '04 Champions cap.
Who cares, as long as the Yankees are still out of it, I'm happy.
GO SOX!!!

[Gerald]

I ask only that a crackerjack investigative reporter determine that demand exceeded supply in a fair-and-square process,or whether instead the scalpers and Ticketmaster/StubHub/others were in cahoots, and who got paid what.
I suspect the latter because of the irregular StubHub pattern so soon after the alleged 9 A.M. start. Professional scalpers likely got a large share of the tickets that were supposed to go to fans lucky enough to get selected for the pool. How they got them is the question.
And all of this should in no way take away from the astounding accomplishment of the Rays' team and management. A true sports miracle.
Nevertheless, these ticket shenanigans should not be brushed aside. If there was wrongdoing, identify the culprits, and clean up the process, or it will happen again and again.
Scalping is perfectly legal, and those in that business currently have the right to operate the law of supply and demand, that is, if pre-selected winners of the draw choose to resell their tickets that is their business; however, today seemed to show that the professionals were able to game a system designed to give the average Joe Fan his best shot at face-value tickets.
It was unfair to have been sent a code, with the clear implication that all one had to do is go online during the time allotted and tickets would be yours. Some did get tickets thay way, but one can only guess there were just enough accommodated with tickets to cover the many other tickets which somehow went directly, and wrongly, straight into the hands of professional scalpers.

[etienne]

I clocked out for lunch at 8:30am. Got home at 8:40. Was on the site before 9am. At 9:01 I logged in put im my password and by 9:20am. I had my 4 tickets for game 2 in the left outfield section 141 row vv seats 9-12. I cant believe so many people had problems gettin tickets. The lottery doesnt give you a guarntee of gettin tickets just a chance to buy tickets. GO RAYS!

[Boston David]

Yes, here come the Red Sox. We should all enjoy this no matter what happens! I went to Sunday's Red Sox game and I still need sleep.

Tickets are difficult to get, and that's not going to improve. I struggle to get tickets to my beloved Red Sox.

Best of lucky to everyone! This will be a whole lot fun and a scene to enjoy.

I have tickets to Tuesday's game in Boston! Of course, I will be cheering for the Red Sox.

[Steve]

Looks like all the bandwagon Rays fans got their tickets. I wouldn't set foot in that dump if they gave me tickets free.

here come the red sox ...

Good thing I'm rich beeeotch!! See you behind home plate!

[Amanda]

ST holder-
One "extra", as in an additional one? 2 season tickets = four total playoff tickets?

[ST holder]

Yep, it was one extra per season ticket, not two per. We bought our max allotment as season ticket holders and then attempted to get on today to buy 4 more... same story as everybody else on here... logged on at 9am sharp, couldn't even get a single to either game.

[9equals8.com]

Season Tickets ~ 8,000 (my best guess with new signups)

Extra Tix season tic holders allowed to buy ~10,000-12,000 - Season tickerholders were allowed to buy extra postseason packages

Tickets held back for those that put deposits down for 2009 season tickets ~???

So, you do that math and there were maybe 15,000 tickets available and you can be sure that a good chunk of those were sold/given to sponsors, other MLB clubs, etc. Thus, in a town of 2 million people who are getting a taste of the postseason for the first time, it just makes sense that they were sold out qickly. I assure you that tickets will be even more difficult to get for the World Series (if we are fortunate enough to make it that far).

[luisgarcia813]

I think they did too according to the large amount of codes given out... not to mention the three days in between when they gave them out and when they opened, it allowed people more time to plan and stuff...

I think wider amount of people got to buy tickets this time but not exactly where nor how many they wanted.

From seeing ALL the broker sites that I had checked prior to today it seemed there were A HELLOVA LOTTA tickets out in the market already...

[9equals8.com]

Someone asked, so I figured, why not?

http://www.petitiononline.com/NoTarps/petition.html

Tell your friends and get it signed! Let's see how many people are really unhappy with the Tarps.

[Mikey]

I had a similar experience, but was able to get tickets to both games. I had lined up a pact with three others who all had the emails. Of the 8 potential games between the four of us (we had two going for each game right at 9am), we only got one set of four for each game. Everybody else got shut out, including some right from the get-go at 9am. This could be a ploy to try to sell more season tickets should the opportunity to buy World Series tickets come, however I just really do think that many tickets sold that quickly.

[luisgarcia813]

Interesting... maybe it's depending on what type of package/sec they were for maybe?

[Amanda]

Luis-
Surprisingly, I've talked to a couple people who have season tickets that hadn't heard about that, either. I guess we have a really good ticket rep?

[luisgarcia813]

I inquired about season tickets and was told it was (1) per...

Obviously that info came from a ticket rep that is human and might not known the response to that question and just tried to use common sense. So with that being said and what you just said then hey you could be right then...

I was just going by what I was told when I called and asked...

[luisgarcia813]

The statement was, "Season ticket holders max is all of (1) ticket and that's their seat..." and never says weather it's ONE or two or three or four....

Do you know 1 person with 2 season tickets? And if you do then it's simple...

2 season tickets= 2 postseason tickets
3 season tickets= 3 postseason tickets
and so on....

[Amanda]

Luis-
Not true. Season ticket holders were given the option of buying TWO per season ticket. However, they didn't get to choose where the second ticket was. So if you own two season tickets, you were allowed to buy four post-season; two where your regular seats are, and two wherever they sat you. If many season ticket holders took advantage of this (I know we did), Kathleen could be right.

[Kathleen]

Do you know anyone with ONE season ticket? I don't.

[Kathleen]

To Ed - Why only half the number of seats available? What's that based on?

[luisgarcia813]

To Kathleen

Season ticket holders max is all of (1) ticket and that's their seat...

[Kathleen]

But the info we want LuisGarcia is:

HOW MUCH?

[luisgarcia813]

To: ED

Get a clue... 17K seats? ... that's all I'm going to say...

[Kathleen]

Discussing this without any numbers or percentages is useless. My guess is most tickets sold to season ticket holders. They bought their max allowed, and then we lottery folks took over. If half were gone before 9 a.m. then I can see the rest being gone in an hour. The magic of online sales. The futility of online sales. Beats sleeping in folding chairs at the Trop. I got two tickets. Not what I wanted, but I'll be in the house for the ALCS game. I'll be happy, but not as happy IF THEY WIN!!!!

[tmk]

"Questioning" is definitely "OK" but did you read ALL the comments??? There's a ton of whining going on. No need to get ugly - you know nothing about me! Don't need to make this personal. I didn't...

[luisgarcia813]

ALCS Tickets: Contact me at- luisgarcia813@gmail.com

GAME 1:
(1) Seat Location: Section 139, Row BB, Seats 15

GAME 2:
(1) Seat Location: Section 319, Row F, Seats 17
(4) Seat Location: Section 136, Row AA, Seats 1 - 4

[ed]

When the new stadium comes (if ever) there will only be half the number of seats available. Be happy the trop is still standing.

[Amanda]

Nanette,
Questioning something is not, in itself, whining. However, neither are they mutually exclusive, and a few people on these boards have blended the two beautifully.

[Nanette]

Hey, TMK, Questioning something is not
" Whining". It's a whole concept, problably new to you and others like you.

[Jimbo]

At least many of you had the OPPORTUNITY. I had everyone non-interested person I knew register. 30 or so email addresses for EACH of the three drawings and not a single one had their entry selected. Yet my wife knows someone who had his selected every time. That's just statistically weird...

[tmk]

Wow - I can't believe the whining. No, there weren't 32,000 tickets for sale at 9a. Remember, a lot of people have committed to next year already. I was fortunate to get a "lottery" email and I logged in at 9a, requested 4 upper deck tickets for game 2 and got them right away. I tried at 9:15a for game 1 tickets and they were all gone. No biggie - I'll watch them from home! The lottery email said you have the CHANCE to purchase tickets - no guarantees. Support the Rays from home, at the pub, or at the Trop! They deserve love from their fans... not whining.

[Bubby]

And we guys had no sympathy for the Soccer Mom's and pre-teens when this same thing happened with the Hanna Montana tix a few months back...eek...my daughter says "see what it feels like dad?" Nothing new I guess...

[Funnyhaha]

I logged in from my grandma's trailer at 9:15 using AOL v2.0 and a 28.8K modem. First, I got a busy signal but tried again. Then my grandma's friend called to set up a bridge game and knocked me offline. On the thrid try I got 4 wonderful box seats behind third - no problem! What a wonderful system :)

[Steve]

You bandwagon fans could have avoided these problems by buying season tickets and you'd have priority seating.

[Roberto]

I logged in at 8:59 and was able to get 4 tickets for game 1 with only about a 5 minute wait time. Went on to game 2 and no luck. Was bummed about that but sounds like I lucked out with getting what I got. Very odd that people's experiences were so different.

[aj]

I have four tickets for Game 5 ALDS. Any takers? Don't hear anyone crying for all of us who get the ticketmaster shaft on fee's, processing, handling, printing, and all the other fee's that equal near 15 buck's a ticket.

[Nanette]

To True Rays Fan and the rest of the idiots who can't seem to comprehend that there are more than a few of us who have an issue with how this played out.
What I'm doing is suggesting that someone explain how 34 thousand seats per game are sold out in a flash, when only a limited number of pass codes were issued. Again, season ticket holders did not have to wait for 9AM to buy tickets, and surely even if they did, it doesn't explain the VOLUME of seats that dissappeared.
We are all excited for the Rays, and will still go to games and cheer them on....But, when we get to playoffs next year...it would be nice we actually have a shot at getting the tickets. Maybe it will go a bit better for the Rays World Series seats.

[A True Rays Fan]

Okay, so what you want is the Rays to figure out a way to sell first to TRUE RAYS FANS!!! Good thing you're asking for something that's realistic and achievable.

Whaaaa! Whaaaa! Whaaaaa!

Get some cheese to go with that.....

[Not a Suxer]

I hate Red Sux fans. Three of them sat by me on game 1, and they all wore Red Sux shirts to the division game. What total idiots! Like I said, I hate Red Sux fans.

[Nanette]

You have no idea how excited I was to receive the notification that I could buy tickets to Alcs game. My husband and I were logged on at 9am sharp this morning. We could not get ONE SINGLE TICKET, to either game, regardless of seating options. I called the Trop and was told that Season ticket holders were buying at the same time. That's impossible, as they have had tickets well in advance and have been selling at HUGELY inflated rates on Stub Hub. How on earth did 34,000 tickets sell out within 15 minutes and appear on STUB HUB at triple and quadruple the price. I Love the Rays, go to games , have had some hard financial times so I couldn't afford season tickets. I think that this was unfair to the true Rays fans who support this team no matter what.

[Third Level here]

I was offered seats online this morn on row TT of the third level. I think that indicates the tarps are off for the ALCS games, huh?

[Ray F]

Rediculous.

I was on at 8:55am refreshing till I got through and I was only able to get tix to game 1.

By the time I went on to game 2, they were sold out. I went on Stubhub at 930 and they had hundreds available for double the price. What a jip!!! They shoud've only sent emails to enough to fill the stadium using the 4 seat maximum!!!

Now all these Johnny-come-latelys who want to call themselves a fan from the start have tix to scalp because they don't give a squat about the Rays and the stands will be full of rich Red sux fans!!! BS