Strike ONE against Angels Ticket Exchange

[Brian Ilten]

Been lurking waiting to buy tickets for tonight so I have been checking on the hour and watching prices go down....

 

Checked at about 12:09 and got the message that there were none in inventory for tonight.  Funny, since there were almost 3,000 about a half hour earlier.

 

So I called the 800 number and asked "whats up"?

 

It seems that the agreement with the Angels is that TicketExchange (operated by TicketMaster) takes the tickets off the market 7hours before game time.

 

THAT BLOWS!  Not only for the person purchasing but for the seller as well.  As the seller, you now have 7 hours to figure out another method for selling the tickets or you eat them.  Nice.  Thank God I am not a season seat holder under this new system.

 

Oh yeah... I made sure to tell the customer service rep that "I guess I will just have to buy them off of StubHub" - which I did.  Cheap (considering its Opening Night).

[Chimi]

How is StubHub handling same day tickets?  Many years ago, I remember them being in the hotel down the street and you'd stop by on the way to the game to pick them up.  Do they have an office by the stadium now to pick up same day tickets?

[Lou]

the 7 hour thing has been mentioned here a few times

[The Ghost of Bob Starr]

Brian, this was the whole goal, despite what the team said, to kill the secondary market.

 

They are also monitoring your transactions and transfers of STs.    I wouldn't be an ST unless I could go to 80% of the games.   

 

That's awesome you got tix on SH.

[Brian Ilten]

Brian, this was the whole goal, despite what the team said, to kill the secondary market.

 

They are also monitoring your transactions and transfers of STs.    I wouldn't be an ST unless I could go to 80% of the games.   

 

That's awesome you got tix on SH.

 

Thats why we aren't anymore Jeff.  Used to do 60 out of the 81 games and it was a no brainer.  Kids are older, life got busier, and just can't do that many anymore.  Maybe after I retire.

 

 

How is StubHub handling same day tickets?  Many years ago, I remember them being in the hotel down the street and you'd stop by on the way to the game to pick them up.  Do they have an office by the stadium now to pick up same day tickets?

 

Chimi -

 

Interesting you ask - there were two ways to get them - "PICK UP" or "DOWNLOAD NOW"

 

I opted to pick up and yes, they have an office on Katella that is open now and will remain open till 30min past first pitch.  I did find it interesting that there was a DOWNLOAD NOW option for quite a few sets - considering the changes made by the Angels.

[halobob]

Office on Katella is in the hooters parking lot, pick up should be much easier from there than the Ayers hotel.

[halobob]

Brian, this was the whole goal, despite what the team said, to kill the secondary market.

 

They are also monitoring your transactions and transfers of STs.    I wouldn't be an ST unless I could go to 80% of the games.   

 

That's awesome you got tix on SH.

Exactly, the Angels were fed up with seeing their tickets go for under $1 on stubhub.  They control the price floor on the ticketexchange (ticketsnow.com) so that way people can't keep undercutting each other. 

[nando714]

2,000+ tickets left on stub hub

[Tyler]

Looks like you'll be better prepared for next time. #knowthesystem

[Brian Ilten]

Looks like you'll be better prepared for next time. #knowthesystem

 

Has nothing to do with being prepared.  I got 3 tix for $20 ea - exactly what I would have had I bought them a half hour earlier from TicketExchange.

 

What sucks is the Angels, on their website, saying, "We want you to sell your tickets" and then them cutting sales off 7hours before gametime?!?!?!  Thats nuts, considering it is all print at home.  What do the Angels care if the tickets are sold 8hrs before the game or 2hrs before the game.  They have set the floor, the timing makes no sense at all.

[halobob]

Has nothing to do with being prepared.  I got 3 tix for $20 ea - exactly what I would have had I bought them a half hour earlier from TicketExchange.

 

What sucks is the Angels, on their website, saying, "We want you to sell your tickets" and then them cutting sales off 7hours before gametime?!?!?!  Thats nuts, considering it is all print at home.  What do the Angels care if the tickets are sold 8hrs before the game or 2hrs before the game.  They have set the floor, the timing makes no sense at all.

The angels want you buying from them for the last 7 hours until gametime, not on the secondary market.  I don't think its good business practice on their part, but that is their reasoning.  They need to hire the head of tickets for the San Fran Giants, that guy knows what he is doing.

[FabulousFabregas]

I paid a little less than Ticketmaster are currently charging for my 515 seats on StubHub a week ago (they're going for a bit over 40 bucks right now on Ticketmaster if you count extra charges) for tonight.  Prices have dropped drastically on StubHub though, could have got same seats for a little less than half of what I paid.  The catch is though that if I'd bought them last minute today I'd have to pick them up since they don't really do printout tickets any more.  That can kind of be a hassle but it's likely what I'll do in the future now, just buy tickets day of and pick them up from StubHub offices so I can continue to buy under face value.

[Brian Ilten]

The angels want you buying from them for the last 7 hours until gametime, not on the secondary market.  I don't think its good business practice on their part, but that is their reasoning.  They need to hire the head of tickets for the San Fran Giants, that guy knows what he is doing.

 

Agreed.  They are idiots for doing it this way.  Nice way to insure there will be empty seats in the park... I can tell you that there are at least two sections that will be half full because obviously someone owns 4 or 5 rows in ea of those sections and was trying to sell the tix for $200/ea 8 hours before gametime.

 

Want to know where?  Find me... I'll be sitting there tonight.

[Nowani]

What''s even more interesting is there still appear to be a few thousand tickets for sale on the Angels home page. They may sell all those before the game but I did notice they had to come off the steep prices they initially had earlier in the week.

Folks this is a bad sign for our Angels. I'm sure there will be a good crowd this week but the next series and into May is going to be interesting. It's typically lower attendance then but we may see A LOT of no shows. Some season ticket holders like me have been able to afford these seats by only going to 20% and selling 80%. There are a lot more people out there like me with the dawn of the Internet making these affordable by using the electronic resale market.

If we can't afford to keep our seats we will give them up which will hurt the secondary Market even more and drive prices up. Here is what I think the Angels organization does not sense. People will only pay so much to go to a ballgame and no more. As that cost goes up, attendance will go down (not counting big games like opening day of course). The Angels may be able to sell their tickets at higher prices but they will fill less seats and sell fewer souvenirs and concessions.

If I were running the organization my goal would be to price the stadium to fill every night not price people out of it. You will make up your money in Parking, food and souvenirs. oh yeah and beer.

[gotbeer]

If I were running the organization my goal would be to price the stadium to fill every night not price people out of it. You will make up your money in Parking, food and souvenirs. oh yeah and beer.

 

Incorrect.  The Team makes very little out of those things you listed.  See previous discussions on this topic.

[halobob]

Agreed.  They are idiots for doing it this way.  Nice way to insure there will be empty seats in the park... I can tell you that there are at least two sections that will be half full because obviously someone owns 4 or 5 rows in ea of those sections and was trying to sell the tix for $200/ea 8 hours before gametime.

 

Want to know where?  Find me... I'll be sitting there tonight.

Something tells me it may be somewhere in the left field pavillion

[Nowani]

Incorrect.  The Team makes very little out of those things you listed.  See previous discussions on this topic.

I'm sure you are right but then why worry about the secondary ticket market prices.

[Nowani]

Incorrect.  The Team makes very little out of those things you listed.  See previous discussions on this topic.

Another way I thought about it is like this. How much does it cost the Angels in staffing per 1000 people in attendance. That price can help you set the lowest price you are willing to sell a ticket because even though you can sell a ticket cheap, it may cost you more in staffing than you get back in revenue. I bet that price is pretty low. I would think below $5 but I am guessing. Anyone have a guess? What's the disadvantage of pricing to fill a stadium versus keeping prices higher and leaving thousands of seats unsold. Five years ago the Angels did a phenomenal job doing this albeit they were winning.

[gotbeer]

I'm sure you are right but then why worry about the secondary ticket market prices.

 

Prior to when the Local TV deal kicks in, the bulk of revenue generated was from ticket sales.  If they kill the secondary market, where they make only a small percentage, and sell actual unsold tickets.  People don't realize that the rules put in place is so they could sell tickets.  Not so that season ticket people can resell and undercut their sales.  

[CaliAngel]

Also, not sure if its been mentioned, but I believe you can buy Angel tickets on StubHub up to ONE HOUR before game time. 

 

This is a great advantage for me, as there have been several instances over the past couple seasons where I didn't think I'd be able to make it to the game until the last minute, and I was still able to buy pretty cheap tickets, print them, and have them in hand in 5 minutes. 

[James]

You people are cheap. 

[halobob]

Also, not sure if its been mentioned, but I believe you can buy Angel tickets on StubHub up to ONE HOUR before game time. 

 

This is a great advantage for me, as there have been several instances over the past couple seasons where I didn't think I'd be able to make it to the game until the last minute, and I was still able to buy pretty cheap tickets, print them, and have them in hand in 5 minutes. 

Stubhub will be up until game time this year...was 2 hours before game in prior seasons. 

[Nowani]

Prior to when the Local TV deal kicks in, the bulk of revenue generated was from ticket sales. If they kill the secondary market, where they make only a small percentage, and sell actual unsold tickets. People don't realize that the rules put in place is so they could sell tickets. Not so that season ticket people can resell and undercut their sales.

So the way that's explained. The Angels are basically saying, if your a season ticket holder we don't want you to resell your tickets because that competes with us. So here is the question if there are so many people doing this and the Angels discourage them from reselling and all those people cease as season ticket holders, what happens to those sales next season. Are the people who bought $6 seats off stubhub now going to buy the same seat for $15 off the Angels website because the secondary market is non existent? I assume in an ideal world they eliminate the secondary market completely.

Is it better to sell 6000 seats at discount to season ticket holders or lose those 6,000 season seat holders and sell more expensive seats to 3,000 people. You lost 3,000 in attendance but are selling a more expensive ticket. Which is better?

Apparently there are enough season ticket holders doing this that it's impacting direct sales. Why don't they just no allow it and require all season ticket holder to agree that reselling your tickets is not allowed under the Season ticket license/agreement .

[2002_halos_II]

Don't forget the email they sent out saying they wouldn't accept downloaded PDF tix from Stubhub.

[gotbeer]

So the way that's explained. The Angels are basically saying, if your a season ticket holder we don't want you to resell your tickets because that competes with us. So here is the question if there are so many people doing this and the Angels discourage them from reselling and all those people cease as season ticket holders, what happens to those sales next season. Are the people who bought $6 seats off stubhub now going to buy the same seat for $15 off the Angels website because the secondary market is non existent? I assume in an ideal world they eliminate the secondary market completely.

Is it better to sell 6000 seats at discount to season ticket holders or lose those 6,000 season seat holders and sell more expensive seats to 3,000 people. You lost 3,000 in attendance but are selling a more expensive ticket. Which is better?

Apparently there are enough season ticket holders doing this that it's impacting direct sales. Why don't they just no allow it and require all season ticket holder to agree that reselling your tickets is not allowed under the Season ticket license/agreement .

 

 

And that's the big question.  How will it affect them.  How much of the 25kish season seat holders do they lose vs how many more sales do they get?  Probably up to Angels marketing and ticket sales to answer that.  

 

As for the second part.  They already are limiting the number of tickets you can resell.  I don't know if they want to go to complete no resale agreement.  But they sure are making it more and more difficult.