Countdown to Opening Day

[doublem23]

Originally Posted by dickallen15

Dynamic pricing is creating an empty seat dynamic.

I thought the Sox ditched dynamic pricing.

[mrfourni]

Originally Posted by doublem23

I thought the Sox ditched dynamic pricing.

Nope: http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/tick...ayout=gameflow

Also, if the White Sox "dynamically priced" ticket prices in both directions, it might actually make some sense. As it stands, they have a policy where tickets are cheaper the further in advance you buy them. How they think raising prices the closer you get to gameday is a sound strategy with a season ticket base so low and the need for strong walkup crowds doesn't make much sense to me.

[palehosepub]

Originally Posted by Brian26

Wow. So I'm guessing the Sox are now releasing tickets that were previously being held back for Season Ticket packages. Seats in the first 20 rows weren't available back on Feb 26 when tickets first went on sale with the codes.

What is strange is that when I exercised my Season ticket upgrade invitation there were no options in the first 12 rows of the premium box seats. They should have made those seats available to long term season ticket holders......

[DeadMoney]

Originally Posted by mrfourni

Nope: http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/tick...ayout=gameflow

Also, if the White Sox "dynamically priced" ticket prices in both directions, it might actually make some sense. As it stands, they have a policy where tickets are cheaper the further in advance you buy them. How they think raising prices the closer you get to gameday is a sound strategy with a season ticket base so low and the need for strong walkup crowds doesn't make much sense to me.

I'm not sure why this hasn't become obvious, but they don't really care.

Look at the price of Opening Day versus the price of the other games that week. In many cases, if they sell 1 ticket in many of those sections, it equals the value of 2-4 on other days. When they're raising prices closer to games, they can better anticipate and forecast things like staff needed on hand, food preparation necessary, etc. And honestly, when the difference in the revenue of 400 walkups (with "dynamic" pricing) to 1200-1500 walkups (with budget/cheaper pricing) is nothing - while they get to save on additional costs around the park - why should they care?

Additionally, since the Sox are now required to be paying more to the ISFA for tickets sold over 1,925,000 per season, what is the incentive to sell more? Look at their attendances the last few years - 1,768,413, 1,965,955, 2,001,117. When taking comp tickets into consideration, they always fall below that 1,925,000 threshold and don't have to kick in that extra $3 per ticket (for how many paid tickets were sold over 1,925,000).

Now theoretically, everyone involved should be at least attempting to get them AS CLOSE to the 1,925,000 number as humanly possible as that would obviously maximize their revenue, but at the end of the day I'm convinced that everyone over at 35th and Shields just doesn't care. They know they'll get their 1.5 million fans regardless, and in the process they'll continue stuffing the pockets of their investors.

[doublem23]

Originally Posted by DeadMoney

Now theoretically, everyone involved should be at least attempting to get them AS CLOSE to the 1,925,000 number as humanly possible as that would obviously maximize their revenue, but at the end of the day I'm convinced that everyone over at 35th and Shields just doesn't care. They know they'll get their 1.5 million fans regardless, and in the process they'll continue stuffing the pockets of their investors.

I'm sorry that the curtain was pulled back today for you and you just found out sports is actually a business

[DeadMoney]

Originally Posted by doublem23

I'm sorry that the curtain was pulled back today for you and you just found out sports is actually a business

I'm sorry you struggle at reading comprehension and I fail to understand where I implied that I just learned this today or that I learned any of it at any point in the recent past.

[keloms]

Skilling was just on WGN Radio and said he said temps warm this weekend, but, he doesn't think it'll hold for the Sox opener and it's possible there'll be showers / thunderstorms Monday afternoon.

[mrfourni]

Originally Posted by DeadMoney

I'm not sure why this hasn't become obvious, but they don't really care.

Look at the price of Opening Day versus the price of the other games that week. In many cases, if they sell 1 ticket in many of those sections, it equals the value of 2-4 on other days. When they're raising prices closer to games, they can better anticipate and forecast things like staff needed on hand, food preparation necessary, etc. And honestly, when the difference in the revenue of 400 walkups (with "dynamic" pricing) to 1200-1500 walkups (with budget/cheaper pricing) is nothing - while they get to save on additional costs around the park - why should they care?

Additionally, since the Sox are now required to be paying more to the ISFA for tickets sold over 1,925,000 per season, what is the incentive to sell more? Look at their attendances the last few years - 1,768,413, 1,965,955, 2,001,117. When taking comp tickets into consideration, they always fall below that 1,925,000 threshold and don't have to kick in that extra $3 per ticket (for how many paid tickets were sold over 1,925,000).

Now theoretically, everyone involved should be at least attempting to get them AS CLOSE to the 1,925,000 number as humanly possible as that would obviously maximize their revenue, but at the end of the day I'm convinced that everyone over at 35th and Shields just doesn't care. They know they'll get their 1.5 million fans regardless, and in the process they'll continue stuffing the pockets of their investors.

Thanks for that article. I had never seen it before. I agree with your first paragraph on pricing more in-demand games higher.

But to answer the question in your second paragraph "what is the incentive to sell more?" it seems to me that there is still an incentive to sell as many tickets as possible. Assuming an average ticket price of $20, they would still be making $17/ticket after they paid the state the extra $3.

[doublem23]

Originally Posted by DeadMoney

I'm sorry you struggle at reading comprehension and I fail to understand where I implied that I just learned this today or that I learned any of it at any point in the recent past.

Well, I guess it was probably the part where you seem to think the Sox are run by a bunch of guys who don't care or don't know how to do their job and not a bunch of well paid, well educated businessmen who know exactly what they're doing. I agree with you it sucks from a fan's perspective, but that's unfortunately the breaks.

[#1swisher]

Days to Home Opener

[Jerko]

What I don't like it "they try to predict what staff they'll need". That bit them in the ass during the Ligue game. It was about 80 degrees, the Royals were in town and actually had a winning record (10-3 or some such), the walk ups flooded the place and the Sox were caught with their pants down. I realize game 2 and 3 will be empty compared to monday, but dammit it's a major league park charging major league prices, the whole park should be open. Maybe that is part of the reason the place sits empty during the week.

[#1swisher]

Danny Ecker ‏@DannyEcker 1h The finally thawed field that will host baseball in 5 days: pic.twitter.com/r3M5g0CFv8

[mrfourni]

Originally Posted by Jerko

What I don't like it "they try to predict what staff they'll need". That bit them in the ass during the Ligue game. It was about 80 degrees, the Royals were in town and actually had a winning record (10-3 or some such), the walk ups flooded the place and the Sox were caught with their pants down. I realize game 2 and 3 will be empty compared to monday, but dammit it's a major league park charging major league prices, the whole park should be open. Maybe that is part of the reason the place sits empty during the week.

I think you're thinking of the game where the Cubs fan ran on the field and attacked the ump after being at Wrigley for a day game earlier that day. The Ligue game was in September the previous year.

[#1swisher]

[dickallen15]

Originally Posted by DeadMoney

I'm not sure why this hasn't become obvious, but they don't really care.

Look at the price of Opening Day versus the price of the other games that week. In many cases, if they sell 1 ticket in many of those sections, it equals the value of 2-4 on other days. When they're raising prices closer to games, they can better anticipate and forecast things like staff needed on hand, food preparation necessary, etc. And honestly, when the difference in the revenue of 400 walkups (with "dynamic" pricing) to 1200-1500 walkups (with budget/cheaper pricing) is nothing - while they get to save on additional costs around the park - why should they care?

Additionally, since the Sox are now required to be paying more to the ISFA for tickets sold over 1,925,000 per season, what is the incentive to sell more? Look at their attendances the last few years - 1,768,413, 1,965,955, 2,001,117. When taking comp tickets into consideration, they always fall below that 1,925,000 threshold and don't have to kick in that extra $3 per ticket (for how many paid tickets were sold over 1,925,000).

Now theoretically, everyone involved should be at least attempting to get them AS CLOSE to the 1,925,000 number as humanly possible as that would obviously maximize their revenue, but at the end of the day I'm convinced that everyone over at 35th and Shields just doesn't care. They know they'll get their 1.5 million fans regardless, and in the process they'll continue stuffing the pockets of their investors.

It worked the other way too. It is based on full-priced tickets. When they had half-price Monday's, those tickets didn't count.