Preseason sucks so incredibly bad.

[Dave Gray]

Seriously.

I bought HEAT tickets last year.  There are 2 preseason games.  I think the face value is 1/2 of your normal games, though I'm not sure.  They might even throw them in for free.  ...don't remember.  Either way, you have 41 home games and 2 preseason.  It's a negligible amount.

Some friends of mine are considering getting Dolphins tickets this year.

But preseason tickets are really killing my initiative to go ahead with it.  It's 20% of the season.  They have no resale value and frankly, it's not worth the drive to the stadium to go watch it.  They've got to either get rid of it, make it free, or charge only $20 a seat or something.  They have to figure out a solution.  This just doesn't work.

Money is all fine and good, but you don't want to skin the sheep.  You want asses in seats.  Season tickets are good for the organization.  It builds loyalty.  It's short-sided to gouge for preseason tickets, when it keeps people from committing to it.

Awful.

[AZ Fins Fan 55]

I have always hated this as well. I have had season tickets going on 12 years now and I hate paying full regular season prices to drive an hour away to watch a bunch of scrubs play in a meaningless game for 3 quarters that is on TV anyways. I have just given my ticket away for the last 4 years. It was even worse when they were in Sun Devil Stadium as the August games were usually somewhere in the almost 120 degree temp range. At least now it is indoors but it is 60 miles away. I have great seats too and I could sell them easily at face value, often for more, if I wanted to for a regular game. I can't get 10 bucks for them in the pre-season, it is very frustrating.

[Landshark]

Seriously.

I bought HEAT tickets last year.  There are 2 preseason games.  I think the face value is 1/2 of your normal games, though I'm not sure.  They might even throw them in for free.  ...don't remember.  Either way, you have 41 home games and 2 preseason.  It's a negligible amount.

Some friends of mine are considering getting Dolphins tickets this year.

But preseason tickets are really killing my initiative to go ahead with it.  It's 20% of the season.  They have no resale value and frankly, it's not worth the drive to the stadium to go watch it.  They've got to either get rid of it, make it free, or charge only $20 a seat or something.  They have to figure out a solution.  This just doesn't work.

Money is all fine and good, but you don't want to skin the sheep.  You want asses in seats.  Season tickets are good for the organization.  It builds loyalty.  It's short-sided to gouge for preseason tickets, when it keeps people from committing to it.

Awful.

A lot of season ticket holders, from what I've heard, sell their preseason game tickets dirt cheap.  And this is coming from a couple friends in Madiera Beach who are Bucs fans. 

[Brian Fein]

you're just looking at it the wrong way.  Who cares what the face value of the ticket is, they're not going to charge you less.

What's the difference if they charge you $50 per game for 10 games, or $57.50 a game for 8 games and two $20 preseason games.  Would that make you feel better? 

You're paying for the tickets as a package.  Basically the right to go to any game you want to go to.  You do what you want beyond that.  You're paying for the package, and they're not going to drop the price so you don't go to preseason games.

[CF DolFan]

you're just looking at it the wrong way.  Who cares what the face value of the ticket is, they're not going to charge you less.

What's the difference if they charge you $50 per game for 10 games, or $57.50 a game for 8 games and two $20 preseason games.  Would that make you feel better? 

You're paying for the tickets as a package.  Basically the right to go to any game you want to go to.  You do what you want beyond that.  You're paying for the package, and they're not going to drop the price so you don't go to preseason games.

And this is exactly why the Patriots and Jets game are full of their fans. It's the only time a season ticket holder can try and recoup some of that money. They pay double to watch their team.   If game tickets were $200 and preseason was $25 then you could dump regular games against ... say Minnesota at cost and it wouldnt hurt. As it is people are trying to recoup those worthless games of preseason and the season... Even If it's only a mental screwing it always makes you feel ripped off.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

CF -

I don't understand how that would really change the economics of it.

Using base numbers Brian's numbers and your number for market demand for Jets and Pats.  My own numbers for Minn and preseason.

Today:  10 tickets at $50.  Pats and Jets fans are willing to spend $100 on said seat on the secondary market.  Minn @ Mia doesn't sell out most you can get on the secondary market is $40 (by undercutting walk up by $10).  Most you can get on the secondary market for preseason games is $20 (by undercutting walk up by $30.)

After change:  You still pay same $500 to the Dolphins.   Market demand doesn't change for tickets.   Jets and Pats tickets still fetch $100.  Minn @ Mia still doesn't sell out and you still need to under cut the walk up price.  You can now sell that ticket for $47.50.  BUT with a face value of only $20 for the preseason game only way you can sell the preseason game is to to cut the price to $10.

[CF DolFan]

CF -

I don't understand how that would really change the economics of it.

Using base numbers Brian's numbers and your number for market demand for Jets and Pats.  My own numbers for Minn and preseason.

Today:  10 tickets at $50.  Pats and Jets fans are willing to spend $100 on said seat on the secondary market.  Minn @ Mia doesn't sell out most you can get on the secondary market is $40 (by undercutting walk up by $10).  Most you can get on the secondary market for preseason games is $20 (by undercutting walk up by $30.)

After change:  You still pay same $500 to the Dolphins.   Market demand doesn't change for tickets.   Jets and Pats tickets still fetch $100.  Minn @ Mia still doesn't sell out and you still need to under cut the walk up price.  You can now sell that ticket for $47.50.  BUT with a face value of only $20 for the preseason game only way you can sell the preseason game is to to cut the price to $10.

Because I can now sell Minnesota tickets at face value to help me take a bigger bite out of my tickets. I can usually get face value for lower sideline seats.  As it is, I have to sell the big rivalry games before it even makes a difference. Will people still sell rivalry games higher? Yes probably but less people will be inclined to do if they can recoup some money on what they see as "lesser" games.