Patrick's emails are below.
Dear Consumerist--After Patrick's letter reached someone at the Reds, he got a phone callI moved to Cincinnati over 5 years ago from Boston, and have been waiting for the years since to see my hometown team play in Cincinnati. So, to my surprise, the scheduling gods smiled upon me and scheduled the Sox to play the Red 3 games over a weekend in June (13-15). So now for months I have been waiting for information on when the tickets go on sale and any limitations that may be in place for ticket purchases (I have about 10 people flying in that weekend to attend the games). So I called the ticket office today and was told by a CSR that the Red Sox series is a premium game (one of only 2 the whole year which means the tickets are about twice as expensive, but that's ok) and that they are only being sold as a part of a package with 3 other Reds Games! Basically, if my family and friends want to see the 3 games that the Sox will play in Cincinnati, they will have to purchase 9 additional tickets to 9 additional games when they wont be in town (which amounts to almost $200. The CSR then told me that this is the only series that this "rule" is being applied to (I've since called back twice and now have been told the same thing by 2 additional CSRs.) This is complete BS, they are taking advantage of fans from one team and forcing them to either 1) not attend the games 2) buy marked up tickets from scalpers or 3)pay an additional 200 dollars to buy tickets to games they cant attend! I have e-mailed as many members of the Reds organization as I could find e-mails for (you can't find information for an EECB for baseball teams) and have overnighted a letter to the person whom I was told is in charge of ticket sales. I thought I would bring the matter to your attention in hopes that others can realize this ridiculous situation.
I received a phone call from a member of the Reds yesterday evening, who pretty much told me that what the CSRs had told me was correct and I would have to purchase a pack of tickets for each of the single Red Sox games I wanted to see. He then went on to tell me that since I am a Red Sox fan originally from Boston, I should be used to paying these prices for baseball games! He proceeded to tell me that I get packs that include other "big games" such as the Indians or Cubs that I could resell or scalp and most likely get my money back for, but most likely would get stuck with 1 Red Sox Game/1 Good Game/2 games that will suck. I am still furious and now will have to shell out close to 200 dollars to see 3 Reds games (compared to the 80 dollars I was anticipating my family/friends to spend considering the Reds are one of the cheapest ballparks in the Majors). Not even Bronson himself could play me a song on his guitar to make me happy at this point in time. The Sox haven't been to Cincy since the 75 series, and this is how they are treating their visiting fans!It turns out that the "big games" the Reds rep mentioned weren't available, so Patrick instead gets to see the types of teams that the Reds could actually beat:
Here is what happened when the tickets went on sale. They were sold online and you had to click on a special icon to get to a special virtual waiting room for Red Sox tickets. Once in there, they were sold as 4 packs, so you go to pick 1 of the games the Sox were playing the Reds (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) and pick your seat (remember the seats for the Sox game were about 3 times more expensive than a regular Reds game since it is a premium ticket). Once you pick your section for the Sox game, you are then forced to purchase 3 more tickets to games on the same day to any other Reds games. So, since I purchased 8 tickets (for friends and family that are flying out to Cincinnati) to all 3 games, in essence I had to purchase 72 tickets, when I only want to use 24 of them. And of course, when I tried to purchase tickets to other "bigger" Reds games on weekends (Cubs, Mets, Indians, etc.) I was told that they didn't have tickets to those games available (whether they were already sold out in the sections I wanted or it was sketchy, I don't know). So now I am stuck with games to see the Washington Nationals, Houston Astros and Pittsburgh Pirates among other awesome NL teams. So much for the CSR's advice of just scalping them or selling them online, I dont think there will be much demand for the games I got.
One final note to the story, turns out that when my brother purchased the tickets (I unfortunately had to work that Saturday they went on sale) most of the people could not afford to do all 3 games with the extra ticket prices, so we only purchased 8 tickets to the Friday and Saturday game. Meaning we had to purchase a total of 64 tickets (16 tickets to 2 Red Sox games, 48 tickets to random Reds games). Now I'm even more pissed than before! Way to rip off paying customers so they cant even attend all 3 games!]]>
Seems like a common practice all around, unfortunatly.
]]>@cmdr.sass: Yes, but it's a Red Sox fan suffering!
]]>There was a lottery for the opening series tickets, but I didn't win that, so we're stuck going to Baltimore (again).
]]>just wait. if you think they're gonna sell all of those 4-packs you're nuts (you should want to watch the mets anyways!). don't play along their little game.
]]>they already marked up the cost of the red sox ticket close to 3x the face value of other games. No one complained about that. Doing both (marking up and bundling) seems greedy to me.
]]>Hey Erica! Same here. Cincy to Boston transplant. Enjoyed going to Riverfront Stadium, heading to the very top of the nosebleeds and looking at the skyline.
I still enjoy the Reds, but I'm a diehard Sox fan now.
Haven't been to a game in over a year, tickets are impossible to get if you're looking for more than 2 seats.
]]>@jtheletter: I love the comment that fans may be willing to pay the money, but that doesn't mean they accept the price...umm actually it does mean they accept the price. And also...simply speak for yourself and leave it at that. I for one, think the Reds are conducting good (but not popular/fan friendly) business just as non "a la carte" music is good business. Would I be happier if the Reds tickets and music and tv channels were a la carte...yes. But until consumers give corporations a reason to change...they will not.
]]>Wow, talk about whiny. The RS are coming to Houston for a three game series in late June and initially the ONLY way to get guaranteed tickets to the game was by purchasing an 11, 12, 13, 27 game package, or season tickets. Yeah, being a lifelong Sox fan from MA I thought this was kind of unfair but I just found a few friends and we all split the package. I got the Sox game and then tickets to three other games. We all won. I don't see what the big deal is...enjoy your home town team and now you have tickets to a few more games.
]]>I guess I don't understand what this guy's complaining about. He'd rather they just increase the price than make him buy extra tickets which he can then sell?
]]>Here's a solution for everyone who doesn't like the shafting they are getting from teams: Stop caring about them. No more agita when they lose and no more euphoria when then win. Nice and even. Don't attend games. Don't watch them on tv anymore (what with all the "calls to the bullpen being brought to you by AT&T" it's a wonder the games get played at all). Read about them the next day as if you were reading a story about the weather in the Mojave desert.
I stopped caring about the NY Mets after the '94 strike and I haven't missed it at all (and I live here in NYC).
Of course, next year I get to go past the new Shitty Field (it's how we pronounce the new stadium's corporate name) and naming rights are more of a curse upon this world than ticket shafting. I'll leave that to another post.
*thumbs up* on your comment. I agree. People need to learn to vote with their wallets.
]]>@yayadiaw:
They should eliminate revenue sharing entirely, IMO. If the Reds have such dedicated fans, they should be able to support a major league team. I don't care if Cincy is a frugal city.
Before you whine about this, try taking an economics class. As a monopolist, when demand is higher than a fixed supply, you need to raise the price. So sure, they could have raised the red sox game tickets to 3-4x the price of a regular ticket, but that would just piss off reds fans (and cincy is a frugal city). Instead they give reds fans something in theory they should value (tickets to 2 more games), while just extracting a higher ticket price from red sox fans who are less likely to bother to attend the other two games (where demand will be much lower). They benefit their fan base while screwing their opponents, and I'm guessing most baseball fans from outside the northeast are perfectly happy with that move.
]]>The only news here is that Cincinnati is at least 5 years behind the rest of the country in ways to exploit their fans.
]]>The front office knows that the face value of a Red Sox ticket is worth more than face value on "the street"/Ebay/whereever. So they bundle it and make some money. That's business. They could just markup the Red Sox tickets 20 dollars each, but of course there would be post whining about that.
The number of people in this country is escalating rapidly...the number of premium sporting events/concerts is not. Face it people...to be there in person is only going to cost more and more.
]]>The OP, who I guess never goes to another game all year, wants to walk down to the box office and buy eight(!) tickets to all three of what will probably be the most in-demand games of the year. Boo-Hoo.
This policy means people who have been following the team all year won't get screwed by people like this.
]]>@bitfactory:
I assume you mean the White Sox.
It was not well known that this policy was the only way to buy tickets to the Red Sox series. It was only after seeking out extra information that it became clear this was the ONLY way to buy the tickets.
If the red put as much forethought into their baseball operations as they did their ticket operations maybe they would win some games?
]]>How's the view from up there?
]]>And I agree with the preseason games, HUGE ripoff, especially in cities where you cant buy single game tickets.
]]>The reason you cite may be a secondary benefit, but the idea they're doing this primarily out of their loyal fans is naive.
]]>@cmdr.sass: You're missing the point. This IS what they are worth. If the game sells out, and sells out fast, by using only season tickets and packages like this, then the consumer is telling the organization that this is EXACTLY what those tickets are worth. Sure they could just charge more for the tickets, but if people are willing to shell out the dough and committ to tickets for additional games, then those consumers are setting the value right there. The Reds, and teams like them, are simply setting the price at what they believe people will be willing to pay. What's the harm in that? If the game doesn't sell, they can always change the policy later.
Also, if you look in the dictionary, sleazy is defined as dishonest. If they are upfront, then they are not being dishonest.
]]>You sound like a very unhappy person. Perhaps you'd like to talk about it.
]]>lol!
1) The Reds aren't the only team to do this
2) It helps generate extra revenue, I know, it's shocking the team wants to try and make money
3) Don't like it? Take your crappy accent back to Boston.
4) But yeah, you showed them by still buying tickets.
This has actually been happening to Steelers fans for several years now. I believe that San Diego was one of the first to put the "to buy a steelers game ticket, you also have to buy a ticket to another game" policy.
Doesn't matter. Steelers fans are insane and will pay the price, which is what the Chargers and other teams have figured out.
]]>I think that while this isn't exactly the best way to appear "kind" in the eyes of your patrons, it's pretty typical business. The ONLY reason any team would do this is b/c they know they can. They're going to make money and sell tickets at whatever price the market allows.
I also feel like the OP is making it the Reds' fault that he's buying 8 tickets for friends and family, and that instead of 8 tickets he now has to buy 24. Or whatever it is. Frankly I got tired of trying to read through the numbers.
Bottom line - nobody's twisting your arm to buy tickets to anything here. Best way to really stick it to a company that's treating you poorly (in your eyes) is to not patronize them at all.
]]>Yanks have the all-star game this year and i heard that they are doing this for those tickets. In order to purchase all-star game tickets, you have to buy a package for a few other games.
]]>Solution: Have a team that your fans care about, or at least care about seeing, and/or has been relevant in the last 18 years, and you wouldn't have to resort to gimmicks like this that piss people off, Reds.
/Lifelong, Diehard Cardinals Fan
]]>@backbroken:
Very good point. If the consumer still purchases the good or service, it shows it is still worth it to him. Maybe not as good a value as he would like, but still acceptable.
it's been a long time. First round playoff series don't count.
]]>As someone who has spent their entire professional career working in the front office of professional sports teams, I will tell you that this is the current trend for everyone.
I'll repeat what someone said earlier: If they are up front about it, sleazy is not the adjective you are looking for. Sleazy is when you don't tell someone about something and hit them with the additional cost after they've already purchased.
It's also not bad business practice. If people are willing to pay, and they sell out those Red Sox games using only this policy, this would be smart business on their part. They sell additional tickets to 3 other games for every ticket you buy to see the Sox. They are capitalizing off of the demand to see the Red Sox.
The responsibility falls with the consumer to either make the purchase or not. If you do purchase, then you are proving that the demand was great enough to install these types of practices. If the games sell out, which they will, then they will continue to abide by these practices in the future. If they sell out quickly, maybe next year it will be 4 or 5 additional games.
]]>@WhirlyBird:
Would like it if you felt you were ripped off by your favorite Broadway musicals? Isn't it ok for people to be passionate about certain things they enjoy?
@jc75: I think we know the answer is yes. Thx.
]]>A little cynical whirlybird why would you love to see someone getting ripped off. That sounds just plain nasty and vindictive and frankly weird. Why would someones unhappiness cause you pleasure. On a friendly note perhaps you should seek help.
BTW there is nothing more important than Baseball.
]]>The White Sox do it for people that want Cubs tickets.
Better to just buy them on the street on the day of game, where they'll still be cheaper than the extras you'd need to buy.
]]>Honestly, he doesn't HAVE to scalp the tickets. He could just sell them at face value...
It's not that surprising. There's nothing more humiliating than having half your stadium filled with visiting fans. Is this a fan-friendly policy? Hell no. It's professional sports. When's the last time they were fan-friendly?
]]>@l951b951: Yeah, I agree with the "Buy zero tickets" policy.
However:
"He then went on to tell me that since I am a Red Sox fan originally from Boston, I should be used to paying these prices for baseball games!"
LOLOLOLOLOLOL, I love the reputation that our good ole bay state has around the country.
]]>@Patrick
I live in the cincinnati area, I might be interested in purchasing some of his tickets, how do I get his email address?
]]>Minor league games are more fun and you can probably get season tickets for that kind of money.
]]>@Gamehenge: So I was correct in saying twice in 86 years. Please do your research before attempting to correct the master.
]]>And all the preseason tickets, too.
]]>Sounds just like the cable companie's tactics: bundle crap. You should buy a total of 0 tickets. That's what I am doing.
]]>I thought you said a better team?
]]>Yep. In order to get tickets for the Mets Opening Day, Closing Day, or any of the three games against the Yankees, you had to either buy a ticket pack of at least seven games, or enter an online lottery. And as far as scalping, most teams have it set up now where you can resell the tickets through the team.
]]>that's 3 times in 86 years, thank you very much
]]>Shoot me an e-mail Droy44@hotmail.com or something.
]]>I still have cheerful memories of getting to go to games as a treat. The parking was horrible, we were in the nosebleed section, often our seats were behind big concrete supports so we couldn't see much, and the opposing teams were even worse than the Reds -- but I was eight, what did I care? It was great. But as this farce of a ticket sale clearly illustrates, there's really no way to easily afford to go to a game.
BAD REDS. Don't make people pay for games they don't want to go to. If you can't fill the stadium on your own merits, encouraging fans to scalp tickets is HARDLY a solution to your problems. Maybe not acting like total dickwads is more likely to make people want to come.
]]>@backbroken:
You, sir (or madam), are brilliant! I can't believe how many posts end up the same way..."Some merchant treated me like crap, it took me 14 days of wasting time and money to try to buy a product...and I ended up buying it." Are people so greedy/materialistic/stupid that they put up with such treatment to give their money away?
Same applied with the Baltimore Orioles during spring training. Want to see the sox buy ticks to 4 other oriole games. Only diff is that during spring training tickets are cheaper. It's still a sucky deal. They make you go see the Nationals vs. the Orioles to see the BOsox play. What a crock. At least I can get in a nap during the Nationals game.
BTW if it were the Yankees that were playing I'd buy season tickets just to see one game. Now there is a real baseball team for ya! Not like that Boston bunch of bums that just happened to get lucky twice in 86 years.
]]>Also, this is not the only team that does it. The mets also did it with subway series games. You could only buy them in packs. My resolution to my problem? I didn't buy it. He could have done the same.
]]>to be fair, the Phillies did the same thing for the opening series and perhaps others...but they did away with college night
]]>I would just buy an HDTV instead
]]>It turns out that the Cincinnati Reds, a once-proud baseball team that used to win games but is now managed by Dusty Baker...
Brilliant, Alex.
]]>Not too surprised, since the Reds have been having trouble selling tix in the home market. Last few times I went to see the Cubs in Cincinnati, Chicago fans easily outnumbered Reds fans, even during a mid-week day game in April.
@Patchy Drizzle:
It's not so much a ploy to keep Red Sox fans out, since presumably Reds fans will also have to buy the extra tickets. More like a scheme to pad "paid attendance" numbers to games that no one ends up going to. Chances are, the OP ended up with tickets to some
Reds-Pirates or Reds-Marlins game...
Hey original poster...how is it a ripoff if they are up front with the policy and you willingly pay it. You can knock it as poor policy...but there is nothing sleazy about this...just charging what people (you) are willing to pay. Realize (if you wanted)you will be able to sell the Boston tix for higher than face value...so lets try to put both sides of the story out there.
]]>Yet another eff-wit consumer NOT voting with their wallet. Way to teach the Reds a lesson!
Can we institute a Consumerist rule? If you end up paying for the good or service at the end of the story anyway, you lose the right to have your complaint published.
Oh, and no need to insult my dearly beloved and completely harmless Buccos. It's like making fun of the disabled kid.
]]>He should have choosen a better team. Go NY Mets!!!
]]>I concur
]]>I don't have a problem with this at all. A smaller market team wants its own fans to be able to go to a big game against the Red Sox. The only way to ensure the majority of tickets end up in their own fans hands was to bundle them and scare off Sox fans like Patrick. It worked.
]]>I hate the Red Sox, therefore this pleases me. Although I do admit it's pretty jerky.
]]>