Another opposing team takeover

[NJCardFan]

Not for nothing but for kicks and giggles before every season, I go onto Stubhub just to see ticket prices and I see whole season ticket plans up for sale for the Cards. Who's putting those up?

 

[BigRedRage]

Not for nothing but for kicks and giggles before every season, I go onto Stubhub just to see ticket prices and I see whole season ticket plans up for sale for the Cards. Who's putting those up?

the large chunk of brokers who own season tix

 

[Stout]

How selfish for him to think that the Cardinals are the only thing matters in every Cardinal fan's life. I don't live in Arizona but I have a friend that's a Cardinal fan who sold his ticket to help pay for his college tuition fees. Is he supposed to think "Nah screw college, Cardinals all that matters!"?

Are the Cardinals gonna give him a way to earn a living? Are they going to put food on the table for him and his family couple years from now?

Even the other excuses that Bert brushed off like buying Christmas gifts for family etc are all very legitimate. There are people who struggle to earn a living and sports are the last thing on their mind. Their worried about if they can put food on the table for their wife and kids. So yes someone should worry more about buying their kids Christmas presents or birthday presents than they should attending a football game.

If you can't afford season tickets, then don't frickin' buy season tickets. That's a pretty simple formula, I would think, especially if someone is: a)Struggling to pay tuition, b)Trying to put food on the table, c)Needing to fund the family Christmas. It's really, really simple. Football is a luxury item. Don't have the money to burn? Don't buy season tickets. I don't find that hard to get.

 

[BurqueCardFan]

If you can't afford season tickets, then don't frickin' buy season tickets. That's a pretty simple formula, I would think, especially if someone is: a)Struggling to pay tuition, b)Trying to put food on the table, c)Needing to fund the family Christmas. It's really, really simple. Football is a luxury item. Don't have the money to burn? Don't buy season tickets. I don't find that hard to get.

I agree with this in principle but like previous people have said there are extenuating circumstances for everyone. I have had my season tickets for 15+ years now. My dad started getting them when I was in college (ASU) and has since passed them down to me. I now live out of town but continue to have season tickets and support the team. However, travel costs and such make it impossible for me to make every home game, especially around the holidays. Does that mean I should quit buying my tickets? No. I hope one day to pass my tickets on to my son. That's how you "grow" a fan base. A season ticket holder selling their tickets does not make them less of a fan.
I think this post has rubbed people wrong because someone who lives in the Phx area and chose not to attend the game is slamming people who sold their tickets. If the OP is so passionate about the team and the local fan support, they should have went out and bought tickets.

 

[Stout]

I agree with this in principle but like previous people have said there are extenuating circumstances for everyone. I have had my season tickets for 15+ years now. My dad started getting them when I was in college (ASU) and has since passed them down to me. I now live out of town but continue to have season tickets and support the team. However, travel costs and such make it impossible for me to make every home game, especially around the holidays. Does that mean I should quit buying my tickets? No. I hope one day to pass my tickets on to my son. That's how you "grow" a fan base. A season ticket holder selling their tickets does not make them less of a fan.
I think this post has rubbed people wrong because someone who lives in the Phx area and chose not to attend the game is slamming people who sold their tickets. If the OP is so passionate about the team and the local fan support, they should have went out and bought tickets.

Out of curiosity, where out of town do you live? I would think, if you can't get to the games, that you would sell your season tickets, yes. Why bother keeping them to pass down if you don't live in the area? Spending decades just selling tickets to every game every season just to pass them down would be quite silly indeed. Now, if you mean out of town as in a few hours away, and you do make a bunch of games but just can't get to all of them, that would make more sense.

 

[chickenhead]

Honestly, for years the ridiculous blackout rule meant that I couldn't watch the Cardinals on local TV even though the team was terrible and the organization was one of the worst in sports. Nowadays when I'm in town during the season I can actually watch a football game in my family's living room, grab a beer from the fridge, make a sandwich at halftime. That's paradise to me as a fan: much better than getting gouged on tickets, driving an hour across town each way, fighting for parking, enduring fights in the stands, and paying through the nose for concessions just to keep a couple of lousy Vikings fans out of the seats. And no one's going to make me feel like any less of a fan, either.

Blame some of the ticket owners for being opportunistic; blame the ticket brokers; blame the transient population; blame whomever you want. But also blame the Cardinals for wasting 20 years when they could have been building a fan base--but were too busy whining about the stadium they were "owed," cheaping out on their players, fighting ASU for passive revenue, and practically wooing Cowboys fans over Cardinals fans. The local fan base is still behind where it could have been.

 

[Stout]

Honestly, for years the ridiculous blackout rule meant that I couldn't watch the Cardinals on local TV even though the team was terrible and the organization was one of the worst in sports. Nowadays when I'm in town during the season I can actually watch a football game in my family's living room, grab a beer from the fridge, make a sandwich at halftime. That's paradise to me as a fan: much better than getting gouged on tickets, driving an hour across town each way, fighting for parking, enduring fights in the stands, and paying through the nose for concessions just to keep a couple of lousy Vikings fans out of the seats. And no one's going to make me feel like any less of a fan, either.

I can dig that.

 

[Shane]

Don't you live in Arizona? Instead of taking pictures from your TV complaining about it how come you aren't in the stadium cheering for your team?

I'm still waiting on an answer to this? You come in here and start a thread like this? Yet it seems to me it's living in a glass house throwing stones. Especially when you live in Arizona and are bitching about it yet you're taking pictures complaining from your living room rather then being at the game?

Head scratcher...

 

[Chris_Sanders]

I am sure much of this has been mentioned already but the sections that were vocal are almost entirely owned by scalpers. It's the section Wendy and I used to sit in and just got tired of having opposing fans around us each week.

Those tickets were likely bought back at the beginning of the season so our record didn't matter much there.

The only way this will ever stop is for these fans to not have any fun in our stadium. Yesterday's game only reinforced that they will pay top dollar to come back next year.

Win those games though and either Cardinals fans will be willing to pay 10x face value (I legitimately could have sold my seats yesterday to pay for an entire season) or the opposing fans will no longer be willing to sell them.

 

[BurqueCardFan]

Out of curiosity, where out of town do you live? I would think, if you can't get to the games, that you would sell your season tickets, yes. Why bother keeping them to pass down if you don't live in the area? Spending decades just selling tickets to every game every season just to pass them down would be quite silly indeed. Now, if you mean out of town as in a few hours away, and you do make a bunch of games but just can't get to all of them, that would make more sense.

I live in Albuquerque, so I am just a state away. Years ago, plane tickets were under $100 round trip and sometimes we would fly in the morning of the game and fly back out on the late flight. However, nowadays I would venture to say flight costs are probably the same from Abq that they are from Penn. We usually drive out to games now. Make it out to 5-6 games a year normally between me and my dad. The others I try to sell the Cards fans. However, sometimes it is like pulling teeth to even get face value from the Hometown fans, which is frustrating.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Let's stop with being personal and instead just discuss the greater topic as a whole.

I personally don't believe the issue is selling. It is that Cardinals fans aren't willing to pay what opposing fans are.

For instance:

redforceone tried to sell tickets at I believe just 2x face value to Cardinals fans for the Green Bay game and had no takers.

Why did he sell? Because he donates the entire proceeds to charity.

 

[BurqueCardFan]

Let's stop with being personal and instead just discuss the greater topic as a whole.

I personally don't believe the issue is selling. It is that Cardinals fans aren't willing to pay what opposing fans are.

For instance:

redforceone tried to sell tickets at I believe just 2x face value to Cardinals fans for the Green Bay game and had no takers.

Why did he sell? Because he donates the entire proceeds to charity.

Yes. This is 100% my thoughts as well. I think many fans from the old SDS days are burnt into their memories of never having to pay more than $30 for a ticket on game day.

 

[Jersey Girl]

I expected a push back, just didn't expect all the personal attacks even after I apologized, and certainly not from the people they are coming from. But you're right I can handle it. Have a good one.

Sorry if I came across as a jerk. It was a long day, but that's no excuse. I hate losing. Also not an excuse, but true nonetheless.

Anyway, didn't mean to pile on. I'll put myself in timeout.

 

[D-Dogg]

I personally don't believe the issue is selling. It is that Cardinals fans aren't willing to pay what opposing fans are.

Yep, said this for a long, long time.

Sellers aren't the problem. The BUYERS are the problem. Cards fans don't buy, so the opposing fans have their pick. If the Cards fans would be active buyers, there would be fewer opposing fans in the stadium. That's not the fault of the sellers, at all. I'd pay a premium if there were a way to only sell my tickets to Cards fans.

 

[Catfish]

Before we all get too engrossed with opposing jerseys showing up in our stadium, it would be wise to remember that the entire Valley is populated by a huge number of people who lived the majority of their lives elsewhere, (where their loyalties lie), and they came here to retire in warmth and sunshine. That does not even begin to deal with winter visitors who still have their own loyalties. Those who complain about our stadium filling up with outside loyalties should keep that in mind, as it will always be that way for any game that is not so important for locals, or for those locals who stand to make a decent profit for sales of a game in which they would trade for the comfort of their couch. This problem will be here in the Valley so long as we have the weather and climate that is conducive to being retirement friendly.

 

[Cardiac]

The only way this will ever stop is for these fans to not have any fun in our stadium. Yesterday's game only reinforced that they will pay top dollar to come back next year.

Chris, I've seen this hypothesis several times and I'm not sure it will work. As evidence to my statement is Cbus and Wisconsin fan's for example. They travel to Cards games every year and have done so for decades (IIRC) and how often did they have a good time as you define by their team winning the game?

Now factor in the transplants in Az and the much bigger fan bases of most NFL teams compared to the Cards and there will always be visiting teams fans wanting to go to UOP.

I mean can the Cards blow out visiting teams for the next 3 decades to establish that going to the UOP is no fun at all? Would that even work to stop visiting fans willing to pay 10 X face value to vacation in AZ and go see their team?

Now if the Cards keep playing like they have for the past 3 years the fan base will grow and less AZ fans will be less likely to sell their tickets but until the Broker situation is fixed this will be a never ending situation.

 

[sunsfan88]

Chris, I've seen this hypothesis several times and I'm not sure it will work. As evidence to my statement is Cbus and Wisconsin fan's for example. They travel to Cards games every year and have done so for decades (IIRC) and how often did they have a good time as you define by their team winning the game?

Now factor in the transplants in Az and the much bigger fan bases of most NFL teams compared to the Cards and there will always be visiting teams fans wanting to go to UOP.

I mean can the Cards blow out visiting teams for the next 3 decades to establish that going to the UOP is no fun at all? Would that even work to stop visiting fans willing to pay 10 X face value to vacation in AZ and go see their team?

Now if the Cards keep playing like they have for the past 3 years the fan base will grow and less AZ fans will be less likely to sell their tickets but until the Broker situation is fixed this will be a never ending situation.

You don't actually have to win to make sure opposing fans that come to the stadium aren't having fun like Chris said. Take the Raiders stadium for example, they have been garbage for more than a decade until maybe Carr and yet they never really had much of a problem of opposing fans coming to the Black Hole. Why? Because opposing fans were scared to death of coming there as many who wore the opposing team jerseys and colors and such would get physically attacked and harassed at the stadium by Raider fans. I'm by no means advocating that Cardinals fans should do any of this as I would think their a couple of notches above Raider fans. Most of the NFL's stadium fights have probably happened in Oakland between Raider fans and fans of whichever team they were playing that day.

 

[schutd]

I cant believe we have ANOTHER 7 page thread about this.

 

[BigRedRage]

I live in Albuquerque, so I am just a state away. Years ago, plane tickets were under $100 round trip and sometimes we would fly in the morning of the game and fly back out on the late flight. However, nowadays I would venture to say flight costs are probably the same from Abq that they are from Penn. We usually drive out to games now. Make it out to 5-6 games a year normally between me and my dad. The others I try to sell the Cards fans. However, sometimes it is like pulling teeth to even get face value from the Hometown fans, which is frustrating.

I buy one or two games at face value each year, let me know next season if you want to sell a game

 

[conraddobler]

When the Cardinals came to KC years back and got spanked like 50 to nuthin I paid almost 300$ for two club seats and this was a non division game where the Cardinals were terrible that year.

I gave the guy grief the broker I bought them from that hey, this is the CARDINALS for gosh's sake and he just smiled and made me pay the same price.

I would agree it's lack of local demand or willingness to pay higher prices.

That comes with winning and then people don't want to miss out.

 

[chickenhead]

You don't actually have to win to make sure opposing fans that come to the stadium aren't having fun like Chris said. Take the Raiders stadium for example, they have been garbage for more than a decade until maybe Carr and yet they never really had much of a problem of opposing fans coming to the Black Hole. Why? Because opposing fans were scared to death of coming there as many who wore the opposing team jerseys and colors and such would get physically attacked and harassed at the stadium by Raider fans. I'm by no means advocating that Cardinals fans should do any of this as I would think their a couple of notches above Raider fans. Most of the NFL's stadium fights have probably happened in Oakland between Raider fans and fans of whichever team they were playing that day.

I'm not saying you're suggesting that Cards fans emulate the black hole, but I'd much rather U of P be a place where opposing fans are treated well, regardless of how many of them there are. Especially in college football, I've actually seen gracious hosts quiet down rowdy visitors much better than intimidating ones. People stop being loud jerks when they suddenly don't want to go too far.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Chris, I've seen this hypothesis several times and I'm not sure it will work. As evidence to my statement is Cbus and Wisconsin fan's for example. They travel to Cards games every year and have done so for decades (IIRC) and how often did they have a good time as you define by their team winning the game?

Now factor in the transplants in Az and the much bigger fan bases of most NFL teams compared to the Cards and there will always be visiting teams fans wanting to go to UOP.

I mean can the Cards blow out visiting teams for the next 3 decades to establish that going to the UOP is no fun at all? Would that even work to stop visiting fans willing to pay 10 X face value to vacation in AZ and go see their team?

Now if the Cards keep playing like they have for the past 3 years the fan base will grow and less AZ fans will be less likely to sell their tickets but until the Broker situation is fixed this will be a never ending situation.

It's possible that nothing will change. I am just trying to adhere to supply and demand.

If the Cardinals are the consistent high quality product then those that are rooting for them should be willing to pay a larger premium and those rooting against them won't.

Our market may never totally conform to that but really most kids I see in the valley are Cardinals fans now, not their parents teams. Eventually we should have a fan base that negates most of this issue.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Since 2006, there have been more false starts called on the opponent at UoP than in ANY OTHER STADIUM!
Must be all those ignorant opposing fans who have "taken over" UoP, who don't know to shut up when their team has the ball...

 

[Cardiac]

It's possible that nothing will change. I am just trying to adhere to supply and demand.

If the Cardinals are the consistent high quality product then those that are rooting for them should be willing to pay a larger premium and those rooting against them won't.

Our market may never totally conform to that but really most kids I see in the valley are Cardinals fans now, not their parents teams. Eventually we should have a fan base that negates most of this issue.

Hope you are right and with Michael in charge I expect far more winning seasons and playoff success which will help develop the local fan base.

That being said AZ is a vacation destination and fans from other teams will travel to see their team in UOP stadium and couple it with a winter get away.

Heck, wasn't it the Colts who had a ton of Steelers fans in their stadium for a playoff game? Some teams fans travel a ton so it will never fully go away, just hoping for it to improve each year.