Today is the day. Your season ticket renewals are due. Today is also the day of the last second scheduled season ticket holder town hall meeting. I think of where we are now, and the lines handed to us this season, and I can’t help but think of Al Pacino’s closing speech in Scent of a Woman.
Let us start with our buddy Lou DePaoli.
"When we look at our ticket pricing, we are at the lower end of the league," DePaoli said. "In order to be competitive, we need to increase revenue. It's a tough decision every year. Raising ticket prices always gives angst."
"We are trying to do whatever we can to fill the building," DePaoli said. "Discounted ticket sales help. It's better to get something from those seats, but they don't get the benefits that season-ticket holders do, like being guaranteed playoff tickets."
No playoffs. No perk. Now it is kind of funny how a few perks got thrown at us this week. A special red carpet entrance and a skating party got thrown at us, warm fuzzys were being felt. Those quickly died as soon Travelzoo sent out their specials email. If you want to go to a Thrashers game in March for cheap, go to Travelzoo’s website and search Thrashers. You will get to sit in my pricing bracket for HALF of my SEASON TICKET cost, up to 65% off for the seats downstairs.
Why should I renew? If there are all these deals out there, there is NO playoff guarantee. We are fed the line of being $8 million under the cap to give us options at midseason or the trade deadline for upgrades if needed. We passed the trade deadline right? No defensive upgrades to what has historically been one of the worst defensive teams in league. Not to mention our forwards couldn’t figure out what a forecheck was if we had a hockey dictionary turned to F and laid it out in front of them. Maybe we should try flash cards?
The owners said in their email after the trade deadline that everything was done to possibly sign Hossa. It wasn’t complicated what Hossa wanted. He wanted pay raise, and play for a team that is a contender. With no clear 1st line center and a D core that only has Havelid, Enstrom, & Klee being consistent, this is not a contender. Not having a coach is not being committed to winning the Stanley Cup. This is what their mission statement says, but actions speak louder than words.
For instance, we have been handed the line that the discounts will be limited then hello $29 seats for $10 or $74 for $25. Actions speak louder than words, especially when words are not in writing. I can’t be there tonight for the meeting, but if they want my business this is what I would say to Me. DePaoli tonight:
A guarantee that season tickets prices will not be undersold for more than 10% of the games from discounts that are sent to the general public, if so we are reimbursed the difference.
OR
A season ticket cost drop to under what the average cost per ticket in each pricing level this year. They have that information. They would actually have to do some work to figure it out, but they might figure out that people would come out for $5 less upstairs and $15 less downstairs and sell out, which would cause a need for a perk like a playoff guarantee. Well, you would have to field a team that could get to the playoffs and find a coach.
Then, he would probably tell me I was out of order, and I think I could channel Pacino for a response without the f bombs of course:
Out of order? I'll show you out of order! You don't know what out of order is, Mr. DePaoli. I'd show you, but I'm too warn, I'm too tired, I'm too frustrated. If I were the man I was five years ago, I'd take a FLAMETHROWER to this place! Out of order? Who the do you think you're talkin' to? I've been around, you know? There was a time when the owners could see. And I have seen. Boys like these, younger than these, all worn out, their helmets ripped off. But there isn't nothin' like the sight of an amputated spirit. There is no prosthetic for that. You think you're merely sending these splendid season ticket holders back home with their tails between their legs, but I say you are... executin' their soul! And why? Because they don't want to pay twice as much as everyone else in Blueland. Blueland. You hurt these guys, you're gonna be blue bums, the lot of ya. And Steve, Michael, Bruce, Ed, and Rutherford wherever you are out there, forget you too!
Don’t get me wrong. You will see me at games. I will probably go to as many as I did this year, but I will pay as I go, and there will be discounts. I have talked to a number of season ticket holders. Half of the ones that are renewing are dropping their seat total or downgrading to a cheaper section. About half of the ones who aren’t renewing are planning on downgrading to a partial package if the team makes some moves. In Atlanta Spirit's mind they are retaining them, what they don’t realize is the money lost. They are not the only game in town trying to attract fans. The Falcons have dropped prices on Season Tickets. I guess they went through their waitlist. You can go to 81 Braves games for $250. Atlanta Spirit is completely aware of what it would take to fill the arena. It is the excuse they use for when then do their discounts, but if they knew they couldn’t fill it at the prices they have, why do they charge it? Did they miss supply and demand say in ECON 101?
Now some fans are looking for ways for their frustration to be noticed. I have heard bags on their heads, please don’t do that. I never want to do anything that the New Orleans Saints started as a fad. For those of you who don’t know, the Atlanta Falcons and Saints are bitter rivals. I say Tuesday for our “white out” against the Avalanche, if you are a season ticket holder or ticket plan holder and you are downgrading or not renewing, wear black. Show the Spirit what it actually looks like. Still go and cheer, maybe wear a black shirt and bring your jersey and wait until the 2nd period to put that jersey on.
Oh yeah, by the way, I hear there is a hockey game tonight. Atlanta will face the only team in the league they have yet to beat in their entire franchise history. Which means we will end the losing streak tonight or lose 7-2. If you are going to the town hall meeting, please post here what went down. I’d greatly appreciate it.
I’ll see you next week in Blueland
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